“The unconditional love of a pet makes it hard to place a value on a cute little puppy or kitten. But according to a recent RateSupermarket.ca study, the cost of a pet in its first 12 months of is approximately $2,600 for a puppy and $1,900 for a kitten.” https://www.ratesupermarket.ca/blog/the-cost-of-owning-a-pet-in-canada/  

Get a dog, they said. It will be easy and not that expensive, they said. Just some food, treats, a leash and some shots right? The cost of pet ownership is a sneaky thing, so it’s important to budget and plan ahead for unforeseen expenses.

Here’s the breakdown of the unexpected costs for your first year of pet ownership:

Adopting/ Purchasing your pet

• $500.00 (minimum)– purebread (cat or dog)
• $85.00- $100.00– adoption (cats)
• $135.00-$275.00 – adoption (dogs)  

Training and licencing:  $800.00 (average for a dog)   $400.00 (for a cat)  

Puppy classes can run anywhere from $100.00- $500.00 depending on the class and duration.

If you opt for pet insurance, budget approximately $500.00 per year for a puppy, and $357.11 for a kitten.

Essentials: $1000.00  (dog) $900.00 (cat)

Leashes, bowls, toys, crates, litter boxes, etc. can really add up. To keep costs low, try to find as much as you can from second hand stores before buying everything new.

Vaccines: $650.00 approximately (puppy and kittens)

The preliminary vaccines are very expensive but highly necessary. This cost includes microchips, getting them spayed or neutered and heartworm prevention.

Injuries/ Illnesses : $200.00-$800.00

As much as we all hope it never happens, it’s important to consider possible injuries and illnesses. A broken bone can cost a minimum $200.00 to fix it.

Chewed/ damaged furniture and clothes : $250.00- $500.00

Cheeky little puppies are very cute but can also be highly destructive. Try to puppy-proof as much of your house as possible before brining the pup home to avoid possible destruction. As much as we prepare, there will be messes and chewed up belongings. Hide all expensive bags and shoes so they will escape the innocent but deadly jaws of your pup.  Oh the joys of pet ownership!

Source: https://www.ratesupermarket.ca/blog/the-cost-of-owning-a-pet-in-canada/