 While the recession may have impacted on some families' finances, and things like pet insurance may have been among the first expenditures to be considered as an "extra", there are ways to maintain pet healthcare and even to take on a new animal relatively cheaply. Before you decide to cancel your pet insurance entirely, though, perhaps look at other options, such as one of AFI's Accident Only policies, which could save you money but still give you the basic veterinary care necessary in the event of your pet being injured in an accident.
At a time when many households' finances are experiencing pressure, pet healthcare is one area that could come under families' attention. However, while there are some ways to save money while still looking after a pet well, there are other issues that mean cutting down on expenditure might not be the right idea.
Rather than buying dogs treats of their own, cash-savvy owners may choose to give them homemade snacks. However, they should be careful not to give them treats that can be poisonous, such as chocolate. Giving a dog chocolate intended for human consumption could end up causing a tummy upset or, in worse cases, requiring a potentially costly visit to the vet.
Also, anything containing the artificial sweetener xylitol is likely to cause digestive difficulties for dogs, so should be avoided by families.
One way to cut down on expenditure on treats, without putting a pet at risk, could be to simply give them less treats - a significant proportion of pets in the UK are already above their ideal weight, so cutting down could help the health of the animal as well as the finances of the owner.
Walking a dog need not be a chore, either, as it can be turned into an activity that is of benefit to everybody. As well as being good for the animal's health, a daily walk can be good for the owner too. Stopping along the way for a game can make the walk even healthier and more fun.
Easy and fun activities to get a dog involved with include playing Frisbee - which can be better for the owner than standing still and making the dog fetch. Frisbees can be bought quite cheaply, but keep the pet happy for hours, cutting out the expenditure on specialist dog toys and, for the owner, potentially removing the cost of a gym membership! Meanwhile, the ordered behaviour that comes with learning a new skill could help to improve other areas of the animal's obedience.
For families with more than one animal, the potential savings increase due to the ability to buy pet food in bulk and list two or more creatures on the same pet insurance policy, all of which can reduce the real-terms cost of keeping each animal.
 While all of these savings are ways to cut down on the cost of keeping existing pets, there are also methods of owning a new four-legged friend more affordably. Dog adoption is one option, not only allowing a new pet to be gained from a rescue centre for less than it might normally cost, but also helping to re-house an animal with a lot of love to give who, whatever the reason, has had to leave their previous home.
The Mayhew Animal Home helps to re-home cats, dogs and other animals by finding the perfect family to meet the creature's unique needs, but this is not all that they do. A wide variety of animal welfare, education and support programs makes this North London Animal Rescue Home a truly exceptional organisation which is really making a difference to the lives of many pet animals in Britain.
Recent figures have indicated that Animal Friends Pet Insurance has donated almost £70,000 to the Mayhew Animal Home through a recent promotion. This has helped them to continue with their neutering program, reducing the number of stray and abandoned animals on the streets and in rescue centres.
Whether finding a new four-legged friend, or just keen to keep a current creature to the same high standards of care as before the recession, there are plenty of options to make sure that your chosen pet animal remains a valued family member and not a drain on the household budget.
As one of the biggest independent dog insurance providers in the UK, Animal Friends Insurance products are available to buy online or the phone by calling 0844 70 50 300. We offer a wide range of affordable dog insurance options to suit all budgets from accident only policies to full lifetime cover.
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