I’m a vet – here are my cost savings tips for adopting a pet as owners say there is a vital step you should never skip
A VET has given helpful advice on how to save money when adopting an animal for the first time – and there is one vital step pet owners should take.
Dr. Nicole Rous from the Albert Veterinary Surgery in Melbourne, Australia shared her money savings tips on her Tiktok channel @shytigerhealth.
She explained that when animals are adopted from a shelter they are normally up-to-date with their worm prevention, flea prevention, vaccinations and neutering – already a huge saving for new owners.
She added that by adopting you’ve also done a good deed by giving money to the shelter so they can continue their work as well as saving an animal.
But she warned that they may be hidden costs when adopting.
Speaking on her Tiktok channel she said: “Other things to consider, they may have unknown medical history.
“So you don’t always know if you’re gonna have some ongoing costs.
“Plus some of them have had some stress or trauma in their life so there may be extra training costs or just having to deal with some mental health issues ongoing.”
She asks her followers to share their own experiences with adoption and any tips or advice they could give.
One follower commented: “We have multiple rescue dogs and I would highly recommend pet insurance and go through the whole waiting period before having them checked over by a vet.”
Dr. Nicole replied: “Excellent tip! Better to get insurance before getting anything ‘pre-existing’.”
Another added: ” Adopt don’t shop.”
But the vet warned that adoption is not for everyone and it depends on a family’s situation
She said: “It’s so nice if people can adopt absolutely! So many dogs need rescuing. But it doesn’t suit everyone’s situation.”
In another video, the vet, who also owns pet care company Shy Tiger, also recommends feeding table scraps as a way of cutting back on waste.
She says: ” To help you save money and help your dog live a longer life, feed them table scraps.
“Now a lot of pet owners actually do this but it’s actually been scientifically proven to help them live a longer life.
“…just feed them nice healthy food. Good quality meat, veggies go for it.
“Don’t waste them…”
Other money-saving tips from pet superstore Pets at Home include keeping on top of grooming at home and taking your new pet on holiday with you to save on petsitting costs.
Veterinarian Rachel Barrack also had an urgent warning telling dog owners not to let their pooches into the bathroom.
The veterinarian explained that all dogs, in particular larger breeds, should be kept far away from the bathroom no matter how needy or curious they are.
“Toilet bowls do not contain clean water that is appropriate for your dog or cat to consume.
“Keep the lid down so your large-breed dog cannot access the bowl,” Barrack told Insider,
Beyond the issues of contaminated water, the vet said that many bathrooms are cleaned with strong chemicals that can be toxic to your dogs and possibly deadly.
Barrack warned that even everyday person-care items kept in bathrooms could contain substances harmful for your canines.
Instead, keep the door closed or if this isn’t possible make the room dog-safe.