Pet ownership can be an expensive proposition and the costs of owning a pet - pet supplies, pet food, veterinary care, grooming, pet sitting - can total tens of thousands of dollars over the animal's lifetime.
Tough economic times in many regions of the United States and beyond have many pet owners wondering, "How can I save money on pet supplies and other pet costs?" Fortunately, pet owners don't have to buy only cheap discount pet supplies and low quality pet food in order to save money. There are some simple things that pet owners can do to save money on pet supplies and other pet ownership costs without sacrificing quality and without placing a pet's health and well-being at risk.
Attend a Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic
Every weekend, large pet supply stores like Petco host Low-Cost Vaccination Clinics for dogs and cats. These clinics are a great way to save money on a pet's annual vaccinations. These are the exact same vaccinations that a dog or cat would receive at the veterinarian's clinic, but the cost of the pets' vaccinations is much less since the traveling low-cost vaccination clinic can buy in bulk and the company does not have the overhead of a veterinary clinic. This helps pet owners to save money on pet vaccinations like rabies, DHLPP (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and parvovirus), bordetella (kennel cough), feline leukemia, and on deworming medication for pets.
Luv My Pet is one company that offers low-cost vaccinations for cats, dogs and other pets across the United States. The Luv My Pet website includes a low-cost vaccination clinic finder tool to help pet owners locate a local pet vaccination clinic event.
Purchase Toys, Dog Crates & Other Pet Items from the Supplier or Distributor
Pet toys, pet beds, dog crates, and other infrequent but necessary pet purchases can be very expensive when purchased at a pet supply store. Pet owners can save money on these pet supplies by purchasing from a merchandise supplier or distributor - the companies the supply the pet store, which then marks up the items for resale to its customers. By cutting out the middle man, pet owners can see savings of fifty percent or more on pet supply purchases - a great money saving opportunity.
Many pet suppliers sell to the public. PetEdge is one company that has Boston area outlet stores and a website that sells pet supplies to the public at a much lower price than the major chain pet stores. Purchasing pet supplies from a company like PetEdge can result in significant money savings for pet owners, even with the cost of shipping. Also, the more a customer purchases, the better the price for shipping, so planning ahead and buying pet supplies that will be needed in the near future is a great way for pet owners to save money on pet supplies, toys and dog crates and other items.
Purchase a High Quality Pet Food
A lower quality dog food may seem like a bargain - after all, it does seem like buyers get more kibble for their money, so it must be a good deal, right? Well, not necessarily - the more expensive premium pet foods are actually a better bargain over the lifetime of the pet. Here's why: cheap, discount brand pet foods may offer more for a pet owner's money, but it's quality, not quantity that counts with pet food. A pet's body requires certain nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and the pet must eat more of the low-quality pet food in order to get the necessary nutrients.
A premium dog food or cat food, especially when purchased in bulk or in large quantities, is the better bargain over the pet's lifetime and it's among the most effective ways to save money in the longrun. The pet has to eat less food to get the necessary nutrients with the better quality pet foods. The low-quality pet foods also have fillers, grains, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, and other additives, that place strain on the pet's digestive system. This leads to cats and dogs with nutritional deficiencies and other health problems, like the development of food allergies, pet skin problems, digestive disorders like colitis and malabsorption disorders of the intestine. So in the end, the dog or cat who eats the higher quality food must eat less to get the vital nutrients, and the vet bills are apt to be significantly lower over the course of the pet's lifetime.
Related Reading
Pet owners may also enjoy How to Pay Expensive Vet Bills and How to Pay for Emergency Vet Bills.
Mia Carter - Mia Carter - Journalist, Producer/Editor & Web Writer. Carter's work has appeared on CBS and CNN.com.
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