The Pet Guide: Pet Care Cost

Find out about pay rates and costs for pet care

Steve Penhollow

Care.com Contributing Writer

Inside The Pet Guide...

Many folks treat their pets as part of the family and keeping a pet healthy is only part of the finanical impact pet ownership has on a family or individual. Many factors impact cost, such as geographical location, number and type of pets, type of care needed (day, overnight, feeding, watering, exercise, etc.), and frequency of caregiving.

Keep in mind also that pet caregivers may charge by the hour for some tasks or by the job for others. Some current averages for basic pet caregiving in most major metros are:

For dogs and cats:

Dog walkers...$10-$25 per day, for 1 dog
Dog and kitty day care...$15-$35 per day per pet
Kennel Boarding (small animal)...$20-$25 per day per pet
Pet hotels...$35-$90 per pet, varies with services provided
Groomers...$20-$85 per weekly visit, depending on service provided over a 6-8 week schedule

According to the latest survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Americans spent an estimated $40.8 billion on their pets in 2007, not including the cost of pet caregiving, such as dog walking, pet sitting and other types of pet care.

Your pet care costs depend very much on where you live, what your specific needs are, as well as the personal choices you make about pet food and regular veterniary care and insurance. Below are the averages for dog and cat products and services, outside of regular pet care (such as dog walking and pet sitting), that you can expect to find in most major metro areas.

For dogs:

Surgical Vet Visits...$453
Food...$217
Kennel/Boarding...$225
Routine Vet Check-ups...$219
Groomers and grooming aids...$127
Vitamins...$77
Treats...$66
Toys...$41

For cats:

Surgical Vet Visits...$363
Food...$188
Kennel Boarding...$149
Routine Vet Check-ups...$175
Groomers and grooming aids...$18
Vitamins...$31
Treats...$40
Toys...$26

Depending on where you live and who your vet is, a visit to an animal doctor's office can set you back anywhere from $30 to $70, a vaccination regimen from $50 to $100, and a spaying or neutering procedure from $50 to $200. A broken bone can set you back $1000. Major surgery and the subsequent recuperation can cost you $2000. In light of these prices, many pet owners are now purchasing pet health insurance, a practice highly recommended by The Humane Society of the United States.

Steve Penhollow is the Arts and Entertainment Reporter for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette in Indiana. He has written for a number of publications, including the Advocate chain of newspapers in Massachusetts and Connecticut.