Nursing major Savannah Jordan knew getting her puppy, Buck, would be a big commitment. But Jordan, who also works part-time, didn’t realize a dog requires almost as much attention and money as a child does.
“When I got Buck, my Labrador, I was expecting it to be a lot of responsibility, yet it still surprised me how hard it was to make time for him,” Jordan said.
Although Jordan has since organized a daily routine to give Buck the time he needs, managing his expenses is more difficult.
Jordan is not alone in juggling the costs for pet ownership. The average household spends from $1,300 to $1,800 on their dog annually, plus unexpected medical expenses, according to a study done by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Nationwide, Americans spent an estimated $69.36 billion on pets last year, according to another survey, “Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures,” conducted by the American Pet Products Association.
Millenials also compose a sizeable portion of pet owners in the United States, or about 35 percent, according to another survey done by the Pet Products Association. The same survey found Baby Boomers made up 32 percent of pet owners.
Susan Osborne, an American Kennel Club Certified breeder, she said she sees the rise in millennial dog owners first hand.
“My clientele lately has been young adults, mostly in college,” Osborne said. “I do my best to help them understand the massive responsibility of taking care of puppies.”
Adrin Boyce, a veterinarian tech at McGhee Clinic for Animals, said it is often college students who are most surprised by vet bills. Boyce had a dog in college herself.
“It requires you to be aware and take care of something other than yourself and be responsible with your money, understanding your pet will be expensive,” she said.
The animal hospital, located in East Memphis, tries to help out.
“Many pet hospitals offer a ‘petpals’ credit card to pay back major bills with, and more times than not, college students apply for the card after they receive a large or unexpected bill,” Boyce said.
Eloy Vega, 22, a senior at the University of Memphis, said he has to work extra shifts to help pay for his recently adopted puppy, Diego.
“When I got Diego, I wasn’t expecting him to get sick,” Vega said. ”I paid his medical bills without question, but I just wasn’t prepared for the extra expenses.”
Riley Laster, a student at Southern College of Optometry, had similar experiences with his dachshund Harvey’s vet bills.
“I pretty much destroyed my credit the first year I had Harvey because of all the unexpected costs, but its slowly getting better,” Laster said. “And I love Harvey, so it didn’t matter.”
Vega grabs the escape artist from running out the front door. Diego is a polished escape artist, using all his tricks to escape.
