The Cost of Being a Responsible Pet Owner

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The Cost of Being a Responsible Pet Owner
             The ownership of a pet(s) is a rewarding and satisfying feature of life since it adds lots of happiness to the owner and his/her home. However, the cost of owning a pet, despite the kind, is getting straining to the owner’s wallet. The cost of being a responsible pet owner in the United States is becoming more expensive during these hard economic times than it was in the earlier years. The veterinary professional field has been trying to make it easier and less challenging to own a pet. This has been through publishing papers and guidelines that aid responsible pet owners in ensuring the cost of taking care of their beloved pets is considerably reduced. The owners use the guidelines to make sure the health of the pet is maintained at the required standard.
             Despite the initial expenses of acquiring a well bred pet, there are additional costs that arise. The prospective pet owner may not have taken these additional costs into account or comprehended before deciding to be a pet owner. These sporadic and unforeseen pet expenses lead to confusion regarding the average annual cost of owning a pet (Osborne 2). The expenses include visits to the vets – scheduled or emergency, professional grooming, wear and tear to the home, yard or even the car. Some pet owners are also forced to buy larger cars, which are more expensive, in order to accommodate the pet during trips or the regular outings than those people who do not own pets.
             Even though, the owner can easily predict the regular expenses of having a pet, these expenses vary with the animal and also the breed. For example, mostly reptiles and fish add a substantial amount to the monthly electricity bill. On the other hand, the size of the pet also causes a variation on the standard cost of being a responsible pet owner. Big dogs, for instance, will have to be given large chunks of food when compared to the small kind like the Chihuahua. The pet owner also determines the cost of owning a pet. For example, an allergic person needs will be expensive, in terms of initial and the long run costs, hypo allergic pets.  These are some of the factors that an owner has to consider when acquiring a pet.
               However, it is the emergency petcare expenses, which are considerably high, that  put a strain on the purses of pet owners over the years. Dr. Louise Murray, vice-president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, in New York City, points out that it is common for a pet owner to spend on average $ 2000- $ 4000 in emergency cases during the lifetime of a particular pet (Lilly 15). This is a substantial amount that can significantly affect the wallet’s weight since it was not necessarily planned. There are also unscrupulous vets who take advantage of the pet owners, charging them inconsiderable high fees for pet care -either for treatment or other regular procedures like desexing.
               When some people take up pets to occupy a space for the short time, they usually do not envision that the pet may be around for a considerable longer period that they expected. With a pet surviving past its intended use will affect the plans of the owner financially. The owner will have to continue feeding it or even search the assistance of the vets to carry euthanasia.
              For sure there are many factors that are making the topic of pet care costs in America controversial in the eyes of responsible pet owners. There is a much needed urgency for finding a way of determining the problems a pet owner will face in the short and long term, and also solutions to the obvious problems while still keeping in mind the unpredicted ones.
               While a pet owner may be responsible, factors that were in play during the initial purchase of the pet may predispose him/her to a collection of financial problems. For example, one would be tempted to rationalize that since he cannot afford a healthy well-bred pet,  cheaper option of a poor bred will serve the purpose equally. What they do not realize is that the poor breeds are more prone to diseases, physical issues and even allergies. This will ultimately increase the amount of money used in medical costs since the number of visits to the vets will irregularly high. Frustrations and frequent disappointment are also part of the package that accompanies these poorly bred animals. Hence, it is highly advised to purchase the well-bred $1000 puppy rather than the $150,  which is a weaker and disease prone puppy. Even though the initial cost is high, this will go a long way in helping to avoid the unnecessary expenses (Smith 2).
               The number of accredited veterinary school in the country is also a factor affecting the cost of owning a pet since it influences the pool of qualified vets available in the market.  The fact that so