Greetings!,

Do you have a pet? Maybe you have a couple of pets? Have you ever stopped to think about the cost of owning a pet over the years?

According to the Wall Street Journal (10/1/25), the upfront cost to acquire a dog ranges from $1,150 to $4,420. The annual cost ranges from $1,390 to $5,295. Initial costs can include purchase or adoption fees, costs if you decide to spay or neuter, initial exams and vaccinations, and pet supplies. Ongoing costs can include food and treats, routine vet checkups and care, grooming, toys and supplies, and other care such as training and possible other care such as boarding.

I am not a pet owner. I love dogs, but in truth, I really love other people's dogs more. I enjoy the ability to play with them and not have the responsibility of feeding, caring, and paying for everything and more listed above.

Many of these costs can be budgeted for and you should be aware of these before getting a dog (or other pet). However, what about unexpected costs? While these annual costs can add up, they don’t include one-time veterinarian emergency expenses due to accidents or illness. A survey of Buy Side readers found that 59% of dog owners spent $500 or more on the single greatest medical expense for a pet in the past two years, with $1,455 as the average cost of a large expense.

One way to help protect against large expenses is pet insurance. Pet insurance can help protect your wallet against these costs by helping with budgeting. As with most costs of owning a dog, insurance premiums vary widely based on factors like where you live and your dog’s age, breed, gender and health. Available benefits also vary. 

Like with most types of insurance, premiums vary with coverage options, deductibles, and reinsurance rates. Benefits can include emergency care for illness and accidents, diagnostics and treatments. Additionally, some plan benefits include behavioral and alternative therapies, as well as prescription pet food and supplements. Insurance can help you cover vet bills for your dog and other unexpected costs.

While our office works with insurance coverages such as life, disability, medical and Medicare, we don't have any suggestions in the pet insurance arena. We can help with the budgeting side however.

As always, thanks for reading.



Bernie & Chad