The real cost to weigh when possibly purchasing a puppy

GOLDEN TRIANGLE AREA (WCBI) – Puppies are hard to resist, but experts say you should think twice about the cash it will take to cover the costs of that cute animal.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says a new pup can cost as much as $2,000 the first year of its life and several thousand dollars over its lifetime.

“Get prices on how much it costs to vaccine, which what you’re looking at normally when you get a new puppy or kitten, up to all the yearly vaccines to their year of age, you’re looking at around $230, but that is including fecal floats, exams, getting all of their flea and tick preventives and stuff like that, up to a year of age,” said Veterinarian Dr. Karen Emerson.

Emerson says a new pet is almost like having a child.

You need to make sure you can afford its care, ranging from health to daily needs, and you also need to pick the dog that fits your budget.

“The $40 a month, that’s the healthcare average to keep your pet up to date on their vaccines and their heart-worm prevention, and their flea and tick prevention. You also do need to budget in a food, so that depends on, it ranges from you know, if you get a small dog to a large dog,” said Emerson.

On top of health and food costs, you’ve got to think about boarding costs if you go on vacation, and pet policies if you live somewhere that requires pet deposits.

“You may go and see that puppy at a show, or flea market, or even see it in the paper and call and get it and bring it back and guess what? The apartment complex has a $250 pet deposit, or they charge you an extra $50 a month to keep that pet,” Emerson explained. “So it’s so important to do the investigation, do the research before you get the pet, that way you don’t have any surprises financially along the way.”

Too often when people are hit with the unexpected costs of those precious pups, they end up surrendering their four-legged friends.

“They didn’t realize how much it cost to do vetting, heart-worm prevention. If an animal gets injured, that’s a big thing, you know, their dog got out and got hit by a car and then they can’t take it to the vet to get it fixed, so they just want to surrender it,” said Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society Director, Karen Johnwick.

Both pet pros advise researching what you’re getting into before you bring ‘man’s best friend’ home.

Emerson Animal Hospital offers puppy kits to make costs more affordable for new owners.