WEBVTT - Paws For Thought - The Cost of Pets 0:00:01.830 --> 0:00:06.030 Hi, Kia here. Today, we're talking all about pets: what 0:00:06.030 --> 0:00:08.670 animals and breeds make great pets, how to get the 0:00:08.670 --> 0:00:11.309 most out of your pet insurance, and what are the 0:00:11.309 --> 0:00:13.920 short and long- term costs of owning a pet? I've 0:00:13.920 --> 0:00:15.839 been wanting to get a pet for ages now, so 0:00:15.839 --> 0:00:18.690 I'm super excited to learn everything that I can from 0:00:18.690 --> 0:00:22.110 our amazing guest. Welcome to another episode of A Little 0:00:22.110 --> 0:00:24.660 Bit Richer, brought to you by my friends at Legal & 0:00:24.660 --> 0:00:28.979 General. Joining us to discuss all of this is vet 0:00:29.070 --> 0:00:32.098 Ben Simpson- Vernon. You might have seen his great advice 0:00:32.098 --> 0:00:34.650 on TikTok: @ ben. the. vet. So welcome, Ben. 0:00:35.190 --> 0:00:35.939 Hiya. Thanks for having me. 0:00:36.059 --> 0:00:38.970 Thank you for coming. So first of all, I'm going 0:00:38.970 --> 0:00:41.250 to need your advice on this one. Let's talk about 0:00:41.250 --> 0:00:43.680 the benefits of having a pet. I've been trying to 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:45.900 convince my dad for years now that it's time to 0:00:45.900 --> 0:00:48.299 have a pet in the house, and I think hearing 0:00:48.300 --> 0:00:49.710 some of your benefits will help, so what's some of 0:00:49.710 --> 0:00:50.098 the benefits? 0:00:50.309 --> 0:00:51.750 I guess the main thing for most people is just 0:00:51.750 --> 0:00:54.330 the companionship, and having a pet in your life just 0:00:54.330 --> 0:00:57.420 brings an extra bit of joy. Obviously, having a pet 0:00:57.420 --> 0:00:59.730 can have positive effects on your mental health as well, 0:00:59.730 --> 0:01:01.500 and a lot of people report that they feel less 0:01:01.500 --> 0:01:03.660 anxious when they have a pet around. Can be good for your 0:01:03.660 --> 0:01:06.809 physical health as well. If you have a dog, you 0:01:06.809 --> 0:01:08.940 have to walk your dog. You have to get out of the house 0:01:08.969 --> 0:01:10.798 a couple of times a day, so it forces people 0:01:10.799 --> 0:01:14.640 to exercise. Benefits for children as well, so having a 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:16.830 pet to look after can encourage children to be more 0:01:16.830 --> 0:01:19.708 responsible. For some people, their pets are a lifeline, really. 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:23.099 We're looking at guide dogs, assistance dogs, so that's a 0:01:23.099 --> 0:01:25.738 whole other level of benefit to those people as well. 0:01:25.799 --> 0:01:27.480 I feel like I'm going to make sure my dad 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:29.489 listens to this, because this sounds great: getting out of 0:01:29.489 --> 0:01:32.789 the house, feeling better. These are the things that you need, 0:01:32.790 --> 0:01:35.160 and we know that life can be so stressful, so 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:36.450 if you know you've got a furry companion to come 0:01:36.450 --> 0:01:40.440 home to, that is brilliant. How do you then decide 0:01:40.440 --> 0:01:43.410 what sort of pet would be right for you? Because 0:01:43.410 --> 0:01:46.799 I remember growing up, we had fish, and fish were 0:01:46.799 --> 0:01:48.510 cool, but it don't really do much. They just swim 0:01:48.510 --> 0:01:50.940 around all day, and I really wanted a dog or 0:01:50.940 --> 0:01:54.030 a cat or something that just was more interesting. But how 0:01:54.030 --> 0:01:55.800 do you actually decide what's going to be the right 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:57.330 pet to get for you? 0:01:57.720 --> 0:01:59.580 Yeah, I think a fish is quite a good entry- level 0:01:59.580 --> 0:02:01.980 pet, maybe for a child or if you've never had a 0:02:01.980 --> 0:02:04.739 pet before, just to get used to some element of 0:02:04.740 --> 0:02:07.290 responsibility. But I think it comes down to three main 0:02:07.290 --> 0:02:10.590 things: time, money, and space. So what is your day- to- 0:02:10.590 --> 0:02:13.380 day life like? How much time do you spend at home? 0:02:13.500 --> 0:02:15.660 Have you got time to walk a dog a couple 0:02:15.660 --> 0:02:17.910 of times a day, or would a cat be better, 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:20.429 that you don't have to maybe commit quite so much 0:02:20.429 --> 0:02:24.690 time to? I think space, again, if you don't have 0:02:24.690 --> 0:02:27.030 a garden, if you live in a small flat, getting 0:02:27.030 --> 0:02:29.160 a Great Dane might not be the most sensible idea, 0:02:29.400 --> 0:02:31.530 so you need to factor that in. And money, of 0:02:31.530 --> 0:02:34.679 course. So there's a huge difference in costs associated with 0:02:34.679 --> 0:02:37.139 different pets. Obviously, far cheaper to get something like a 0:02:37.139 --> 0:02:40.349 hamster than a large- breed dog. And going back to the 0:02:40.350 --> 0:02:42.870 time, I think you need to think about: What are 0:02:42.870 --> 0:02:45.930 your circumstances now, and what are your circumstances likely to 0:02:45.930 --> 0:02:48.750 be in five, 10 years? Have you got kids now? 0:02:48.750 --> 0:02:51.059 Might you have kids in five years? How would a 0:02:51.059 --> 0:02:52.889 dog slot into your life then? So there's quite a 0:02:52.889 --> 0:02:54.150 lot to think about, really. 0:02:54.450 --> 0:02:57.419 I like the fact that you mentioned the financial aspect, because I 0:02:57.419 --> 0:02:59.819 think pets are great, but what would that look like 0:02:59.820 --> 0:03:02.490 on your finances? We talk about it a lot on A 0:03:02.490 --> 0:03:05.280 Little Bit Richer, but your money and budgeting and understanding 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:09.270 where it goes does factor into picking what pet. You've 0:03:09.270 --> 0:03:12.840 shared some incredible advice on TikTok, and you're absolutely killing 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:16.078 it, so can you tell us some of the best 0:03:16.410 --> 0:03:20.220 and worst dog breeds to own? Because I didn't really 0:03:20.220 --> 0:03:21.810 know that there was a best and worst. I think 0:03:21.810 --> 0:03:23.910 I'm just aesthetic; I'll just pick one that looks nice, and that's it. But it 0:03:24.900 --> 0:03:28.200 is worth on knowing the differences between the different breeds, 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:29.939 so can you tell us that, maybe your top three 0:03:29.940 --> 0:03:30.419 for each? 0:03:30.508 --> 0:03:32.549 Yeah, and that's where people go wrong, I think. It's 0:03:32.549 --> 0:03:35.459 picking aesthetics and going by dog that looks cute or 0:03:36.000 --> 0:03:38.250 that their friends have or they've seen on social media, 0:03:38.250 --> 0:03:40.440 and that can be a really big pitfall. It's often 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:43.410 the dog breeds that have a really distinct or unique 0:03:43.560 --> 0:03:46.319 or exaggerated appearance, the dog breeds that can have more 0:03:46.320 --> 0:03:49.860 health problems and then more vet bills associated with that. 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:52.469 I mean, in terms of best and worst breeds, I 0:03:52.469 --> 0:03:55.199 guess it depends. Different people will give very different answers, 0:03:55.199 --> 0:03:57.600 but my views are very much shaped by my work 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:00.060 as a vet. So in terms of dog breeds, they're 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:03.659 not necessarily worst dog breeds, but dog breeds that I wouldn't personally get. I 0:04:03.660 --> 0:04:07.380 think a French bulldog or any flat- faced brachycephalic breed 0:04:07.380 --> 0:04:10.350 has to be up there. They're lovely dogs. They're obviously 0:04:10.350 --> 0:04:12.990 extremely popular, and that's for a reason. They've got awesome 0:04:12.990 --> 0:04:16.469 personalities. They make great pets, but they do have a 0:04:16.470 --> 0:04:19.109 predisposition to a lot of different health problems, so I 0:04:19.140 --> 0:04:21.839 wouldn't get a French bulldog. Something like a Shar- Pei, 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:24.779 again, quite an exaggerated breed, and they're very prone to 0:04:24.779 --> 0:04:27.570 ear infections and skin infections because of all that excess 0:04:27.570 --> 0:04:30.209 skin. And another one that I wouldn't get, one that 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:32.250 surprised quite a lot of people, is the Cavalier King 0:04:32.250 --> 0:04:35.220 Charles Spaniel. But they're really cute little dogs, and in terms 0:04:35.220 --> 0:04:37.410 of temperament, they're the kind of breed that I would love 0:04:37.410 --> 0:04:39.928 to have, but almost every Cavalier King Charles Spaniel will 0:04:39.928 --> 0:04:43.199 develop the same kind of heart disease because of genetics, 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:46.230 really. Because all of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in this country 0:04:46.350 --> 0:04:50.039 are thought to be descended from five dogs. That is 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:53.820 how small their gene pool is, and so most Cavalier 0:04:53.820 --> 0:04:56.099 King Charles Spaniels will develop the same kind of heart 0:04:56.099 --> 0:04:58.199 disease. And I mean, going on to dog breeds that I 0:04:58.200 --> 0:05:01.049 would get, there are a lot of them that I would 0:05:01.049 --> 0:05:04.199 consider, but one that I put in my TikTok video 0:05:04.199 --> 0:05:06.029 was greyhounds, because there were so many of them needing 0:05:06.029 --> 0:05:09.299 homes that have been retired from the racing industry. So 0:05:09.300 --> 0:05:13.650 they'd be on my list, and just a mixed breed, like 0:05:13.650 --> 0:05:17.428 a mongrel, really, because they're not so inbred. They can 0:05:17.428 --> 0:05:20.009 be prone to fewer health problems, so they would certainly 0:05:20.009 --> 0:05:21.899 be on the list. And I always say you can't 0:05:21.900 --> 0:05:24.870 go wrong with a Labrador. They're just the best family 0:05:24.870 --> 0:05:25.529 dog, I think. 0:05:25.710 --> 0:05:28.800 Hearing your breakdown is really useful because there's things to 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:31.320 consider when picking the right breed for you. But I 0:05:31.320 --> 0:05:34.500 think hopefully, that's given some people some inspiration. So for 0:05:34.500 --> 0:05:37.020 everyone at home, what are some of the up- front 0:05:37.020 --> 0:05:39.660 costs that people should be aware of that come up 0:05:39.660 --> 0:05:41.639 when you actually come to become a pet owner and 0:05:41.639 --> 0:05:42.479 have your pet? 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:45.540 Yeah, so obviously, there's the cost of buying the animal. 0:05:45.540 --> 0:05:49.140 So if you're getting a hamster or Guinea pig or a 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:52.650 cat or a non- pedigree cat, then generally, the cost 0:05:52.650 --> 0:05:56.609 is not particularly expensive. But when you're looking at getting 0:05:56.610 --> 0:05:58.919 a pedigree cat or a pedigree dog or one of 0:05:58.920 --> 0:06:01.860 these designer breeds of dog, like a cockapoo, the cost 0:06:01.860 --> 0:06:05.250 can be several thousands of pounds, just to purchase the 0:06:05.250 --> 0:06:07.860 pet. And then you've got the costs of having them 0:06:07.860 --> 0:06:12.509 vaccinated, microchipped, flea and worming treatment, maybe having them neutered, 0:06:12.509 --> 0:06:15.299 so they're the main sort of up- front costs to consider. 0:06:15.599 --> 0:06:19.350 What about regular costing, things that keep coming up? What are the things 0:06:19.350 --> 0:06:20.339 that people should be aware of there? 0:06:20.700 --> 0:06:24.480 So particularly looking at the cockapoos and the poodle crosses, 0:06:24.480 --> 0:06:27.330 so the doodles and poodles, many dog breeds have to 0:06:27.330 --> 0:06:30.450 be groomed regularly. So you might have to factor your 0:06:30.450 --> 0:06:32.729 dog's haircut into your finances, as well as yours and 0:06:32.730 --> 0:06:34.409 the rest of your family's. Some of these dog breeds 0:06:34.410 --> 0:06:35.789 have to have their hair cut every six to eight 0:06:35.789 --> 0:06:38.640 weeks, and probably at a greater cost than your own 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:42.120 haircut, particularly for men, anyway. And then you've got the cost 0:06:42.540 --> 0:06:46.260 of boarding or doggie daycare if you work long hours 0:06:46.260 --> 0:06:48.570 or if you're going away on holiday and you haven't got 0:06:48.570 --> 0:06:50.820 someone to look after your dog. Cost of their food. 0:06:51.029 --> 0:06:55.830 That can range hugely, from budget brands to premium foods. 0:06:55.920 --> 0:06:59.370 And then obviously, vet fees, so your preventative healthcare, so 0:06:59.370 --> 0:07:02.910 vaccinations, flea and worming. And then when things go wrong, 0:07:02.910 --> 0:07:05.999 if your pet falls ill, people are often shocked by the cost 0:07:06.029 --> 0:07:08.308 of veterinary bills. I think in this country, because we 0:07:08.309 --> 0:07:11.699 have an NHS, we're shielded from the cost of healthcare 0:07:11.850 --> 0:07:15.330 and how expensive it can be, so that is something 0:07:15.480 --> 0:07:18.750 to be prepared for before you have a pet. Or 0:07:18.810 --> 0:07:21.328 the cost of pet insurance is something tied in with 0:07:21.330 --> 0:07:21.809 that as well. 0:07:21.809 --> 0:07:23.070 If you do want to get a pet, they are 0:07:23.070 --> 0:07:25.830 amazing. It's just things to consider when actually making that 0:07:25.830 --> 0:07:29.730 decision. So you touched on it just now: pet insurance. 0:07:30.209 --> 0:07:33.030 Is it important to have, and if so, what are some of 0:07:33.030 --> 0:07:35.640 the things to look out for? Because it can be 0:07:35.970 --> 0:07:37.860 quite a lot, especially if you've not done this before. 0:07:37.860 --> 0:07:40.380 There are so many different options. What's important? What do I 0:07:40.380 --> 0:07:42.689 really need? What can I do without? So what should 0:07:42.690 --> 0:07:43.259 people be looking for? 0:07:43.259 --> 0:07:45.990 So I think having pet insurance is part of being 0:07:45.990 --> 0:07:48.509 a responsible pet owner. So some people do choose to 0:07:48.510 --> 0:07:51.480 have a savings pot put to one side, should their 0:07:51.630 --> 0:07:53.970 pet fall ill. But I guess you need to think 0:07:53.970 --> 0:07:56.700 about things like what if your kitten breaks their leg 0:07:56.790 --> 0:07:59.579 after three weeks of you owning them, and you haven't 0:07:59.700 --> 0:08:02.730 saved up that savings pot? And that's where insurance really 0:08:02.730 --> 0:08:07.350 comes into its own, and insurance can vary hugely in 0:08:07.350 --> 0:08:11.550 cost. A dog breed can have a huge impact on 0:08:11.550 --> 0:08:16.830 your dog's likelihood of falling ill and also, therefore, on 0:08:16.830 --> 0:08:20.130 your pet insurance costs. So I went onto a website 0:08:20.130 --> 0:08:23.580 for a popular pet insurance company and got a quote 0:08:23.580 --> 0:08:26.100 for a Jack Russell, versus a French bulldog, quite a 0:08:26.190 --> 0:08:29.940 comprehensive policy that covers 7, 000 pounds of vet fees 0:08:29.940 --> 0:08:32.728 per year. And that came out at 47 pounds a 0:08:32.730 --> 0:08:35.849 month for the Jack Russell, whereas a French bulldog came 0:08:35.849 --> 0:08:39.599 out at 245 pound a month, so getting on for 0:08:39.599 --> 0:08:42.510 three grand a year. And that three grand a year that 0:08:42.510 --> 0:08:45.478 you're paying in your premiums is to get you covered 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:48.570 for seven grand of vet fees. So that is the difference 0:08:48.570 --> 0:08:51.389 in risk, that the pet insurance company is saying, " Your 0:08:51.389 --> 0:08:54.449 chance of making a claim is so high that we 0:08:54.450 --> 0:08:56.790 have to charge this amount," So that gives you an 0:08:56.790 --> 0:09:00.119 idea of how likely it is that a French bulldog 0:09:00.119 --> 0:09:03.870 is to fall ill or need major surgery. So that's 0:09:03.870 --> 0:09:06.960 important to factor in, A, from a financial point of 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:09.450 view, because you need to be prepared for those costs. 0:09:09.630 --> 0:09:11.790 But also, do you want to have a pet that 0:09:11.790 --> 0:09:15.780 is that likely to fall ill? There's an ethical consideration 0:09:15.780 --> 0:09:18.450 there as well. So two main types of pet insurance 0:09:18.450 --> 0:09:21.328 policy. You can get a lifetime policy, which will cover 0:09:21.330 --> 0:09:24.540 ongoing health problems. So for example, if your pet developed 0:09:24.540 --> 0:09:29.370 diabetes, then that would cover that condition, ongoing, whereas an 0:09:29.370 --> 0:09:31.830 annual insurance policy might be a bit cheaper, but that 0:09:31.830 --> 0:09:34.739 would only cover a condition like diabetes for a year, 0:09:34.740 --> 0:09:37.260 and after that, you wouldn't have any insurance cover. So 0:09:37.320 --> 0:09:39.600 bear those kind of things in mind. And then other 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:42.478 things to consider would be things like dental cover. So 0:09:42.630 --> 0:09:44.700 it's very common that a dog or cat might need 0:09:44.820 --> 0:09:47.490 a few dental procedures in their life, and they can 0:09:47.490 --> 0:09:50.340 be very costly, and not all insurance will cover that, 0:09:50.340 --> 0:09:53.549 so that is something to bear in mind. And one 0:09:53.549 --> 0:09:56.280 thing that I should say as well, that really any 0:09:56.280 --> 0:09:59.670 pet owner, particularly dog owner, should have third- party insurance. 0:09:59.850 --> 0:10:02.520 There's no legal requirement to have it, but that's to 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:05.159 cover the costs of, for example, if your dog runs 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:08.218 out in front of a car and writes off someone's 0:10:08.219 --> 0:10:11.429 car. Then that would cover the cost of that, so 0:10:11.429 --> 0:10:14.130 that, again, is part of being a responsible pet owner. 0:10:14.550 --> 0:10:17.400 But ideally, have cover for your dog's injuries as well. 0:10:17.490 --> 0:10:19.920 That's a really good point that you make, so it is very important 0:10:20.130 --> 0:10:22.349 to make. Make sure that you are covered. So if someone's 0:10:22.349 --> 0:10:25.409 listening, and they're like, " Great, Ben. Love what you're saying, 0:10:25.440 --> 0:10:28.650 I want a pet, but dogs and cats sound quite 0:10:28.650 --> 0:10:33.720 expensive," what are some lower- maintenance, slightly cheaper pets that 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:34.500 people can have a look at? 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:38.098 So yeah, going back to goldfish, that's quite a good entry- 0:10:38.099 --> 0:10:42.359 level pet, but maybe thinking about a hamster or a 0:10:42.420 --> 0:10:44.340 Guinea pig. It's quite a good pet to start off 0:10:44.340 --> 0:10:46.049 with. I've had Guinea pigs. I don't have any at 0:10:46.049 --> 0:10:47.609 the moment, but I've had Guinea pigs for about 10 0:10:47.609 --> 0:10:49.858 years. We've had multiple rounds of Guinea pigs, and they 0:10:49.860 --> 0:10:51.689 were awesome. We taught our Guinea pigs to do tricks. 0:10:51.690 --> 0:10:52.410 They love being held. 0:10:52.410 --> 0:10:53.160 That is incredible. 0:10:53.490 --> 0:10:55.740 Yeah, I mean, you can get a lot back from a Guinea pig. 0:10:55.740 --> 0:10:58.500 I think people dismiss them as children's pets. I definitely rate 0:10:58.500 --> 0:11:01.380 Guinea pigs as pets. Obviously, the up- front costs of 0:11:01.380 --> 0:11:03.630 getting a Guinea pig or a rabbit are a lot 0:11:03.630 --> 0:11:06.569 cheaper. You're probably only going to spend 50 pounds, maybe. 0:11:06.870 --> 0:11:13.590 You should still have a financial backup. Particularly, rabbits can 0:11:13.590 --> 0:11:16.920 still develop health problems that can incur higher vet fees. 0:11:17.429 --> 0:11:19.469 You should still have means of paying for that or 0:11:19.469 --> 0:11:22.379 maybe even think about insurance, but generally, the costs are 0:11:22.379 --> 0:11:23.609 lower than a dog or a cat. 0:11:23.699 --> 0:11:26.069 That's good. I think Guinea pigs, you're selling it. You 0:11:26.370 --> 0:11:27.990 can teach a Guinea pig tricks. 0:11:27.990 --> 0:11:29.819 We had our Guinea pigs as ring bearers at our wedding, actually. 0:11:29.820 --> 0:11:29.821 Ring bearers? 0:11:29.821 --> 0:11:31.858 Yeah, yeah. 0:11:32.309 --> 0:11:33.600 You have opened my eyes. 0:11:34.110 --> 0:11:36.060 The vicar definitely said that was the first Guinea pig 0:11:36.179 --> 0:11:39.239 ring bearer. Lots of dogs, but she hadn't had any 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:40.109 Guinea pigs before. 0:11:40.109 --> 0:11:42.720 So if you are someone like me, I feel like I need 0:11:42.720 --> 0:11:44.850 to take the first step, but I'm not ready for 0:11:44.850 --> 0:11:47.580 the commitment of a pet. So for someone like me who 0:11:47.790 --> 0:11:50.490 perhaps wants the fun of what a pet can bring but 0:11:50.490 --> 0:11:53.429 doesn't want the full long- term responsibility, what are some 0:11:53.429 --> 0:11:54.660 options available for people like me? 0:11:55.200 --> 0:11:57.149 So if you've got friends or family with a dog, 0:11:57.299 --> 0:11:59.429 I'm sure they'll always be looking for people to look 0:11:59.429 --> 0:12:01.708 after their dog for periods of time, so that's a 0:12:01.710 --> 0:12:05.460 great idea. Or there are websites. There's one called BorrowMyDoggy, 0:12:05.580 --> 0:12:08.190 where you can get in contact, via the website, with 0:12:08.190 --> 0:12:10.440 people that are looking for someone to take their dog for 0:12:10.440 --> 0:12:12.689 a walk or to look after the dog while they go on 0:12:12.690 --> 0:12:16.080 holiday. So that can be quite good. But also contacting 0:12:16.080 --> 0:12:19.170 charities like Guide Dogs. Always looking for people to foster 0:12:19.170 --> 0:12:21.870 dogs. Often, they'll have the puppies that are in Guide Dog 0:12:21.870 --> 0:12:24.720 training in a home with people, so you could look after 0:12:24.780 --> 0:12:27.839 a dog for a charity for a period of time. Or other 0:12:27.840 --> 0:12:30.958 charities looking for people to foster dogs as well. It's 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:32.639 a great option for if you've never had a pet 0:12:32.639 --> 0:12:35.280 before and you don't really know if it's for you. Obviously, a dog can live for 0:12:35.549 --> 0:12:38.910 10 to 15 years, so if you get the dog, and a 0:12:38.910 --> 0:12:40.800 year or two in, you think, " Actually, maybe this wasn't 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:43.738 a great idea," that can be a difficult situation. So 0:12:43.980 --> 0:12:45.659 fostering a dog for a few months or even a 0:12:45.660 --> 0:12:47.190 year can be a great trial. 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:50.189 I love that. Thank you so, so much. Okay, so 0:12:50.190 --> 0:12:52.199 if people have decided, " Right, I want to get a 0:12:52.199 --> 0:12:55.650 pet," there are so many places to get pets. Where are 0:12:55.650 --> 0:12:58.860 some trustworthy places that people can visit to ensure that 0:12:58.860 --> 0:13:00.001 they're going to get the right breed? 0:13:00.001 --> 0:13:02.429 So I guess one thing to consider is: Do you 0:13:02.429 --> 0:13:05.010 want to rescue a dog? Your up- front costs can 0:13:05.010 --> 0:13:08.010 be considerably lower if you're rescuing a pet, but obviously, 0:13:08.070 --> 0:13:11.879 rescuing a dog, there's a bit of unknown about the 0:13:11.910 --> 0:13:14.910 behavior and everything like that, so you need to factor 0:13:14.910 --> 0:13:17.280 those kind of things in. And often, charities have quite 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:20.340 strict criteria for re- homing, but if you can re- 0:13:20.340 --> 0:13:21.780 home a pet, that can be a brilliant thing to 0:13:21.780 --> 0:13:23.670 do. If you're going to get a new puppy or 0:13:23.670 --> 0:13:25.708 kitten, then it can be a bit of a minefield. 0:13:25.950 --> 0:13:27.690 I would say it's always a good idea to go 0:13:27.690 --> 0:13:30.870 on recommendation. If you've got friends that have a breed 0:13:30.870 --> 0:13:33.480 of dog, and you want to get the same breed, talk to 0:13:33.480 --> 0:13:36.900 them about their breeder. And then something like the Kennel 0:13:36.900 --> 0:13:39.809 Club Assured Breeder Scheme is a good idea. One thing 0:13:39.809 --> 0:13:42.089 that people often don't realize is that being Kennel Club- 0:13:42.090 --> 0:13:45.539 registered doesn't really mean a lot. Basically, it just means 0:13:45.540 --> 0:13:49.978 that the dog that you are getting has a lineage that 0:13:49.980 --> 0:13:53.970 is proven. So they are definitely a Labrador, for example, 0:13:54.120 --> 0:13:59.338 but standard Kennel Club certification doesn't require any form of 0:13:59.340 --> 0:14:02.759 health testing. Whereas if you are getting a dog from 0:14:02.759 --> 0:14:05.370 a breeder who is on the Assured Breeder Scheme, then 0:14:05.639 --> 0:14:08.429 depending on the breed, there are often health tests and 0:14:08.429 --> 0:14:10.710 checks that they have to have done on the parents 0:14:10.890 --> 0:14:13.110 that give you a high chance of having a healthier 0:14:13.290 --> 0:14:16.920 puppy, so that is an important consideration. So there are 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:19.860 some breeds of cat that are prone to particular heart 0:14:19.860 --> 0:14:23.429 problems, for example. There are responsible pedigree cat breeders that 0:14:23.430 --> 0:14:26.670 will be doing heart scans on their breeding cats to 0:14:26.670 --> 0:14:30.300 check for those problems, so thinking about those things. And 0:14:30.300 --> 0:14:32.550 I think the other thing is just having the right 0:14:32.550 --> 0:14:35.969 questions in mind when you're speaking to the breeder. There 0:14:35.969 --> 0:14:38.670 is something called the Puppy Contract, which is freely available 0:14:38.670 --> 0:14:42.270 online, via the RSPCA, and it is a contract that 0:14:42.270 --> 0:14:44.430 you can get the breeder to sign, but it can 0:14:44.430 --> 0:14:46.980 at least be a list of questions to jog you 0:14:46.980 --> 0:14:50.220 to be asking the right things to minimize the chance 0:14:50.220 --> 0:14:52.740 that you are going to get puppy from a puppy farm. 0:14:53.219 --> 0:14:55.980 I think that's really good because there are so many regular costs 0:14:56.099 --> 0:14:58.500 associated with having a pet that you want to make 0:14:58.500 --> 0:15:01.170 sure you're getting the right breed, everything is how it 0:15:01.170 --> 0:15:03.540 should be. So I think knowing about the Puppy Contract 0:15:03.570 --> 0:15:06.270 is again, a really good one to know. It's free. 0:15:06.720 --> 0:15:09.570 Okay, so Ben, what would be your three top tips 0:15:09.660 --> 0:15:12.870 for our listeners when it comes to actually managing pet costs? 0:15:12.960 --> 0:15:15.150 I think the cost of pet food is one area 0:15:15.150 --> 0:15:18.749 where if you're really struggling with finance, then that is 0:15:18.750 --> 0:15:20.340 an area where you can save money, particularly if you 0:15:20.340 --> 0:15:22.110 have a large- breed dog. You can spend a huge 0:15:22.110 --> 0:15:24.570 amount on their food, particularly if you're buying a more premium 0:15:24.570 --> 0:15:28.379 food. Basic pet food from a supermarket has to meet 0:15:28.380 --> 0:15:31.770 minimum guidelines, so your pet is not going to develop 0:15:31.770 --> 0:15:35.819 any sort of nutritional deficiency or anything like that on 0:15:35.820 --> 0:15:39.270 that food, so don't feel guilty about feeding a cheaper 0:15:39.270 --> 0:15:42.570 food if you can't afford something more premium. Generally, the 0:15:42.570 --> 0:15:46.349 more premium pet foods will have higher- quality ingredients, but 0:15:46.349 --> 0:15:49.080 a basic pet food is still going to meet minimum 0:15:49.469 --> 0:15:53.369 guidelines. Another one I would say is to do with insurance, and there's another 0:15:53.369 --> 0:15:56.340 common pitfall that I see, where people see that their 0:15:56.340 --> 0:15:58.560 premiums go up on their insurance, and then they change 0:15:58.560 --> 0:16:01.530 insurance company. What they don't realize is that in most 0:16:01.530 --> 0:16:05.070 cases, that new insurance won't cover pre- existing conditions, so bear that 0:16:05.490 --> 0:16:07.650 in mind, particularly if your dog has a chronic long- term 0:16:07.650 --> 0:16:11.399 health condition. And then another one would be costs of 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:15.600 ongoing medications. So it is often a lot cheaper to 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:19.620 purchase medication from an online pharmacy. This is prescription medication, 0:16:19.620 --> 0:16:21.570 so you can either purchase it from your vet practice 0:16:21.750 --> 0:16:24.300 or that practice can write you a prescription for a 0:16:24.300 --> 0:16:28.109 fee. And that medication, not in all cases, but many 0:16:28.109 --> 0:16:32.250 medications can be purchased online significantly cheaper, and so that 0:16:32.250 --> 0:16:34.080 can really save a lot of money. 0:16:34.470 --> 0:16:38.370 Ben, you have shared some incredible tips today. I am 0:16:38.460 --> 0:16:40.530 leaving with so much knowledge now. I feel like I'm 0:16:40.530 --> 0:16:44.099 ready to embark on my journey to becoming a pet 0:16:44.099 --> 0:16:46.768 owner one day. This has been incredible, so thank you 0:16:46.770 --> 0:16:50.999 so much for coming onto the podcast. Next time on 0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:53.610 A Little Bit Richer, we're helping you get your dream 0:16:53.610 --> 0:16:57.030 job. Don't forget you can rate, review, and subscribe to 0:16:57.030 --> 0:16:59.940 the podcast so you never miss an episode. Tell your 0:16:59.940 --> 0:17:02.160 mates and help them get A Little Bit Richer too. 0:17:03.299 --> 0:17:06.480 Keep up with the show on TikTok and Instagram at Legal & General. 0:17:07.020 --> 0:17:09.420 A Little Bit Richer is brought to you by Legal & General. 0:17:09.780 --> 0:17:11.310 Thank you for listening. See you soon.