How to know if you can or cannot afford to have a pet

Hi everyone, I've been seeing a lot of posts on PETA and Chambers about people getting pets impulsively, not doing their research, and then surrendering them. I'm wonderful that Chambers is raising awareness about this topic and I have a simple formula to help people make this decision. <br><br>I'd like to start off by saying that I'm not a professional, and this is not financial advice. The following is based on my own research and experience. I'm a veterinarian in a low-income, high-volume clinic that sees both inpatients and outpatients. I have a bachelor's degree in zoology and a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. I have been working as a veterinarian for half a year so far. <br><br>First, you need to know that pets are a financial burden. If you cannot afford a pet, you should not bring one into your home. Your pet is completely reliant on you to care for it, and it costs a lot of money to feed, vaccinate, and take care of their health issues. I've seen a lot of pets starve to death or die from preventable diseases because their owners could not afford to take care of them. It's very sad to see, and I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be for someone who loves their pet but can't afford to care for it. <br><br>I think that if you do not make enough money, you cannot afford to have a pet. But how do you know if you can afford a pet? Here is my formula:<br><br>M = (net monthly income) - (essential expenses)<br><br>Can you afford a pet? M > 0<br><br>Can you afford an inexpensive pet? M > 50<br><br>Can you afford a moderately priced pet? M > 100<br><br>Can you afford an expensive pet? M > 200<br><br>Inexpensive pets cost about fifty dollars a month. Examples of inexpensive pets are mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and snakes. <br><br>Moderately priced pets cost about one hundred dollars a month. Examples of moderately priced pets are dogs, cats, and ferrets. <br><br>Expensive pets cost approximately two hundred dollars a month. An example of an expensive pet is a horse. There are many other examples of expensive pets such as cows and bulls. <br><br>I included these examples in this post because these pets are the most common ones that we see in our clinic. I have professional experience with these animals and I can tell you that they cost the amounts that I have listed. I do not have professional experience with amphibians, birds, or fish. I cannot give you an estimate of how much these pets cost, but I can tell you that they also cost money. <br><br>Now, I'd like to talk about what essential expenses are. Essential expenses are the expenses that are necessary to live. These are not optional expenses. Examples of essential expenses include rent, utilities, groceries, car payment, car insurance, and minimum payment on your credit cards. Optional expenses would be dining out, buying alcohol, going to the gym, or getting a massage. To calculate your net income, you should subtract your taxes from your gross income. <br><br>Let's say that I make seven hundred dollars per month and I have six hundred dollars in essential expenses. If M = 700 - 600, then M = 100. Based on my formula, I could afford to have a moderately priced pet such as a cat or a dog. If I have one thousand dollars in essential expenses, then I would not be able to afford a pet. <br><br>I've seen a lot of low-income people buy expensive pets like pit bulls and then surrender them because they cannot afford to take care of them. I've also seen people fail to spay/neuter their pets and then surrender the litter because they cannot afford to care for them. I personally got a cat when I was in college because I could afford to take care of her. I still love her, and she's very special to me. <br><br>I know that it's hard to resist those cute little eyes and fluffy ears, but I think that people should do their research first and make sure that they can afford to take care of an animal. If you cannot afford to take care of a pet, you should not get one until you can afford to provide for it. <br><br>That's all I have to say. Thanks for reading.