An té a bhíos fial roinneann Dia leis
God shares with those who are generous

 

 

 

Counting the cost of owning a pet in Ireland

The Sunday Business Post Online

Sunday, June 24, 2007

 

Keeping a cat or a dog can be a strain on the wallet from time to time. Emma Kennedy examines the costs associated with taking good care of your pet.

They may be your best friends but, for pet owners, companionship comes at a price.

There’s a range of costs associated with owning that pampered pooch or mollycoddled moggie.

When Fido or Fluffy first joins your family, an initial trip to the vet is a must. Ciara Feeney, chairwoman of Veterinary Ireland’s Companions Animal Society, said: ‘‘Correct feeding, worm and flea treatments, a course of vaccinations and neutering are all recommended for puppies and kittens.”

The costs of treatment varies, according to Feeney, with prices depending on the size, age and breed of the animal, as well as varying according to region.

Continued health care for your pet is important, but bills can mount up. Feeney recommends that pet owners take out insurance. ‘‘I always say ‘I hope you don’t have to use it’, but it is about being prepared for the worst eventuality,” she said.

But Irish pet owners have some catching-up to do when it comes to insuring their pets.

Damien O’Neill, head of marketing at insurance provider Allianz, said: ‘‘This line of insurance is more established in some other European markets, with the British having 18 to 20 per cent of pets insured and Sweden having nearly 57 per cent of pets insured. In Ireland, approximately three per cent of pets are insured.”

Allianz is currently the only option for Irish pet owners who want to insure their cats and dogs. However, if you own a more exotic pet, you will be unable to get cover under Allianz’s Petplan policy.

The company’s pet insurance product was first introduced to the Irish market ten years ago. O’Neill explained that Allianz offered a ‘cover for life’ policy for domestic cats and dogs.

‘‘Cover for life means that, once a pet is insured and the policy is renewed each year, any condition or illness diagnosed will be covered for the life of the pet,” he said.

However, the policy does not cover medical conditions that existed before the policy commenced.

The Petplan policy is also available for guide dogs, with veterinary fee cover available at a €20 discount on the standard premium. The cover does not extend to other working dogs, so sniffer dogs and sheep dogs need not apply.

The premium depends on the animal’s breed. If you are the proud owner of a dog more suited to Crufts than your local park, you can expect to pay slightly more for annual cover.

Insuring a pedigree dog will cost €210 a year. Allianz offers the option of monthly premiums, which equate to €17.50 for pedigree dogs.

For the very poshest of pooches, Allianz offers a select breed dog policy with an annual price tag of €240, or €20 a month.

Only a small number of dogs fall into this higher price category, including bulldogs, deerhounds and Old English sheepdogs. Other high-premium dogs include Rottweilers, great Danes and Irish wolfhounds.

If your family pet’s lineage is a little less noble, the insurance works out cheaper. Insuring a crossbreed dog will set you back €150 a year, or €12.50 a month.

Cats are cheaper to insure, setting owners back €114 a year, or €9.50 a month. The premium for a pedigree cat increases by almost 11 per cent to €126,ora monthly payment of €10.50.

Cats and dogs are subject to the same maximum payouts under Petplan. Allianz will cover vet bills up to €3,500, though there is an excess of €60 on each claim, which means you must cover this much of the bill yourself.

If your pet is involved in an accident involving a third party, the policy covers liability up to €250,000. Once again, an excess applies, and the first €350 comes out of your own pocket.

Under the Petplan policies, Allianz will also pay out in a range of other scenarios. The death of a pet from illness or injury will result in a payout of €750.

Should your pet stray or be stolen, you will also receive €750. Other items that are covered include kennel fees, holiday cancellation a n d advertising and reward.

Looking after your pets’ medical bills is only part of the cost of owning an animal. Another major expense for pet owners is the cost of care while on holiday or out of the country.

Pet care starts from approximately €10 a day, with most kennels offering a reduction for several animals from one household.

At Galway Kennels, just outside Galway city, dog owners pay €12 a day to house their dog in a single kennel.

If Rover is not against sharing his space, he can stay in a larger, double kennel which costs €20 a night. This option tends to be popular for owners of two dogs.

Dog Bless is an animal holiday care centre and dog walking service in Clonakilty, Co Cork. Cats and dogs are boarded for €10 a day. Additional dogs from one household are charged at €5 each, while additional cats cost €3 a day.

Dog Bless also offers a pet taxi service which costs €1.20 a mile or €30 for each hour spent with the pet.

Glebe House Kennels in Kildare charges €15 daily for dogs. A discount is given for more than one pet from the same family, with a two-dog deal at €25 a night. Cats can stay at Glebe House for €10 a night, with a two-cat deal for €15.

Some pet owners are reluctant to leave their cat or dog in kennels, and opt for a home care service. Wicklow-based company 4 Paws is a professional pet-sitting service.

Animals are cared for in their own homes and taken for walks as part of the deal. The company also looks after pet owners’ homes while they are on holiday, opening curtains, switching on lights and collecting post. Tailor-made packages can be designed, with rates depending on the level of service required.

Pet owners must also fork out for a place for their pet to lay their head. Outdoor kennels for dogs range from a basic hut-like structure to a doggie mansion.

Atlantic Homecare stocks a number of mid-range kennels for under €100.

Before you put away your calculator, don’t forget to add the cost of feeding your pet. The cost of food will obviously depend on the size, age and appetite of your pet.

A2.5 kilogramme bag of dry dog food costs €6.99 at Superquinn.

A box of six serving-sized sachets of cat food costs €4.59. It could cost up to €500 annually to feed a large dog, such as a labrador.

Under the Control of Dogs Act 1986 all dog owners are required to have a dog licence.

You can buy a dog licence at your local post office for an annual fee of €12.70. If you do not have a licence for your dog, you are liable to a €30 on-the-spot fine.

Failure to pay this fine can lead to a prosecution with a maximum fine of €1,269.74 and/or up to three months imprisonment if convicted.

 

Source: http://www.thepost.ie/ezineSBP/story.asp?storyid=24538