Research: Owning a dog costs £17k

Pet insurance is a vital purchase for any animal owner, new research has shown.

Pet insurance should be one of the first things on anyone's mind when they get a new furry friend, new research has suggested.

According to a study published yesterday (September 26th) by Sainsbury's, the average lifetime cost of owning a dog is now £16,900 - while this figure rises to £17,200 for a cat - due to expenses such as vets bills.

With this in mind, it is likely that effective annual insurance will be high on the list of an individual's priorities once they welcome a critter to their home.

Furthermore, the survey warned that vets bills are set to climb by as much as 15 per cent across the country in the near future, which, Sainsbury's indicated, makes a strong pet plan policy even more important for animal owners.

Recently, Isabella von Mesterhazy of Petplan stated that taking out cover need not be confusing or stressful.

By Kate Guthrie