For those park home residents who own pets, the well-publicised increase in inflation is also having an effect on the price of pet foods and pet care products. We’ve put together a few tips to try and reduce the costs a little.

Of course, not every park home or holiday site accepts pets, and it’s one of the things you have to think about when choosing a site, but for those of you who do own a pet, the cost of looking after them is only getting bigger. Apparently, a typical dog owner can spend well over £20,000 on their pet during its life! So, any cost savings are well worth considering, as long as your pet doesn’t notice any difference with something like a cheaper brand of food.

1 Start out cheap
If you don’t yet have a pet and are wondering about what type to get, it pays to do your research first. Website www.petwebsite.co.uk has charts showing how much it typically costs to keep a cat or dog, including the one-off costs like puppy or kitten injections, as well as the ongoing annual costs such as food. It shows that annual costs for a feeding and maintaining a dog, for instance, can easily run to over £1,000.

2 Cheaper healthcare
Keeping your pet in top health can be very expensive, particularly as it gets older. There are some charities that may be able to help with looking after your pet if you are on a low income. For instance, Cats Protection offers financial help for owners on means-tested benefits who can’t afford to neuter their cat. Also, Blue Cross offers subsidised treatments for owners of pets who are on a low income.

3 Why not foster?
If you don’t yet have your own pet, it may be worth considering adopting one, instead of buying your own. Local animal charities are often looking for ‘foster’ parents to look after cats or dogs while they are waiting for a new owner. If you foster a pet the charity will often cover costs such as food and vet bills and, in some cases, this can be a long-term adoption. Of course, the down side is that the day may come when a new owner is found for your foster pet. However, the charity may then give you first refusal if you have become attached and want to keep the pet.

 

Read more in the October 2022 issue of Park Home & Holiday Living