An unfortunate side effect of the current recession is that household pets are increasingly being dumped in order to save money on shopping bills.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) recently claimed that over 30 pets a day are being shown the door. And this figure is set to increase.

The RSPCA, together with a number of other pet charities and organisations, are providing advice for owners as to how to keep pet keeping costs to a minimum.

Firstly, if you haven’t already got say a dog, or cat, don’t buy a pedigree. Get a mongrel. Not only are they cheaper to buy, but they will be cheaper to run as well. The theory is that many pure breeds are somewhat more prone to illnesses than a backyard scruff. Pure breeds are often the result of many years of careful breeding and this can result in inherent weaknesses. And more of those mean potentially larger vet bills.

And if you definitely want a pure breed, do a bit of research on the ones available and what they might cost your wallet. A recent piece of research showed that, for example, a Rottweiler was, on average, over 50% more expensive to keep going in terms of vet bills, than a West Highland terrier.

Secondly, and still on the subject of vets, if your dog is exhibiting signs of discomfort, or illness, don’t just rush out to the vet. Okay, if your pet is in a lot of pain, then fair enough, but with a mild problem, just care and attention might do the trick. At least leave a little time before the problem properly manifests itself before a vet visit, which might help the speed of diagnosis and cut down on the number of expensive visits. Research has shown that over £100 million was wasted last year on unnecessary vet visits.

Thirdly, vets are now obliged by law to offer prescriptions of the drugs they intend to administer to the pet. So a consumer is well within their rights to purchase these medications, say from the internet and if able, give them to their pet themselves. Prices on the internet can be some 50% less than offered by a vet.

Finally, buy your pet food in bulk. The general rule is that the more you buy in bulk, the cheaper it will be than in smaller amounts. And buy online for the best bargains in pet feed.

Guest Article by Neil Camp