Who's Counting?

Companions ain’t cheap; but still cheaper than children!

Goldfish 

$100 start-up cost, $20 annual expenses, $300 lifetime cost over 10 years. Buy a goldfish. Plonk it in a bowl. Feed it. Goldfish are low cost and low maintenance – the perfect entry-level pet.

Budgie

$150 start-up cost, $150 annual expenses, $1650 lifetime cost over 10 years.

Cat

$250 start-up cost, $466 annual expenses, $7,250 lifetime cost over 15 years. The average cat costs $466 a year, according to a report published last year by the Companion Animal Council (CAC).

Dog

$700 start-up cost. $1047 annual expenses, $13,250 lifetime cost over 12 years. Canine companions are roughly twice as expensive as cats. There’s the added cost of registration, which can be as much as $130 a year, or more if the breed is classified as dangerous.

Horse

$6,000 start-up cost, $3,000 annual expenses, $80,000 lifetime cost over 25 years. Surprisingly, the CAC report put the cost of a horse or pony lower than a dog, at $895 a year.

Source: The Press