Can you really afford that cute pooch? How to avoid pet regret |
Can you really afford that cute pooch? How to avoid pet regret
May 10, 2026 — 3:00am
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As children, my sister and I petitioned our parents (well, mostly our dad) to get a dog, pulling out all the stops including, but not limited to, PowerPoint presentations, drawings, notes hidden in work bags, and good old-fashioned pestering.
Obviously, they eventually caved, and we got two dogs that we promised to walk every day, feed, and train, which, obviously, we didn’t.
Me, being 12 years old or something, didn’t give much thought (other than “yay, dog”) to the consequences of getting two puppies in as many years, and especially not what it might mean for my parents’ budget. And I suspect I’m far from the first person to not really consider the financial reality of owning a pet.
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Dominic PowellMoney Editor
Approximately 70 per cent of Australian households own a pet, with most of them owning dogs. Those dogs cost $4000........