The Real Cost of Owning a Pet

Cute overload is a secret place I go to get my kitten fix. I am not a ‘cute’ person or girly or excited at the thought of babies but kittens are my Achilles heel. Their over sized paws, pathetic mewing, big eyes, tentative steps and their tiny ball of fur bodies just make my heart snap with longing. I dream of finding my perfect little ball of fur and bringing it home to live with me but reality forces me to be strong and resist. I live in a small apartment, I work, all the time, and quite frankly it’s all I can manage to keep myself fed and watered never mind look after a helpless tiny creature. So I keep my longing in check.

But how many people don’t consider the reality of what having a pet can entail? They might walk past a pet store and get drawn in, or on a whim answer a classified ad. Next thing you know they are walking through the door to their house with a new edition to the family and no consideration how to take care of Benny or Mittens.

First on the list are their basic needs such as toys, food bowls, beds, blankets, carry cases. Then you have their daily food bills (dogs can eat lots of food). And then you have to consider what happens in an emergency – you don’t have NHS for your pets. Routine procedures and accidents can rack up a hefty bill. Pet insurance is a popular product and a wise choice.

The real cost of owning a pet infographic from Baines and Ernst features Benny and Mittens and walks you through the associated costs of owning a pet – the numbers are somewhat surprising.

The design is cute and appealing and figures are highlighted for easy reading. My recommendation would be to improve the typography and also to have a featured banner at the top of the graphic to visually engage. The colour palette could be fresher/brighter to suit the cute characters.

Overall I would give the real cost of owning a pet a 7 out of 10

the real cost of owning a pet

10 years ago