We are a nation of people who love our pets and often treat them with as much care as a loved one and feel for them as though they are the only things which are important

With the advent of the recession the ways in which we look after our money are becoming more important during theses anxious and frustrating times and the cost of looking after pets can be too much for struggling families.

A sharp increase in the amount of pets being given to Animal welfare charities and if 2008 is anything to judge against the problem of looking after our pets and their welfare is not going to get any easier as the credit crunch and new recession being to bite harder. The Blue Cross animal welfare society said that back in December alone over 20 pets were brought to them as the owners could not afford to keep them, which is an increase of over 500% compared to December 2007 when only 3 were handed to the charity.

The RSPCA has also reported that pets that have been tied to gates etc have doubled since 2007. The organization has reported that to look after a dog the cost comes to just over £10,000 over the course of its life and this needs to be taken into consideration when planning a purchase.

According to a leading insurer it can be a false economy that people think that the pet will cost just £10 to £20 a month but what happens if they need expensive treatment. Pet Insurance covers injury and illness and can cover if the pet is lost and stolen and a really good policy will cover for loss and theft as well.

Lastly if the bills are becoming to much and the budget is really squeezed then you can turn to the charities which are always there to help and these are the RSPCA, the PDSA and the BLUE CROSS if you just cannot afford to pay but bear in mind that these organizations are being stretched with their resources so a contribution would be seen as a great help during these declining times.

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