Sainsbury’s Bank has compiled the costs of owning a dog to help people budget more efficiently as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.

It found that, as nearly one-third of Brits are heading to work more often, they could be spending as much as £1,495 a year on doggie day-care. That comes to £16,746 over a typical dog’s lifetime.

Expenses add up

And it’s not just the price for someone to walk your four-legged family member when you are in the office. Other average annual expenses that dog owners face include food (£508) and grooming (£609) and replacement costs for when your ‘good boy’ breaks something. The overall cost estimate then rises to £3,829 a year or an average of £42,885 average over a dog’s lifetime, the bank said.

Sainsbury’s Bank offered these tips for keeping finances on a leash:

• Research pet day care in your area and consider sharing dog-sitting with friends and family
• Shop around for pet insurance to help protect against unforeseen vet bills (only 31% of pet owners say they have it)
• Don’t scrimp on pet food but look for deals and offers and buy in bulk to shrink the overall cost
• Consider buying second-hand equipment and clothing for your pet
• Share training materials with other dog lovers and make use of free online tools

Jason King, chief customer officer at Sainsbury’s Bank, has said: “We want to help make sure pet owners and would-be pet owners are aware of the cost of owning a pet, especially those experiencing challenges with the rising cost of living.”

Sad surrenders

With 24% of pet owners getting their furry pal during lockdown and 26% expressing concern about household inflation, the RSPCA recently warned about the number of pets being returned to shelters.

The bank’s research was conducted by Censuswide in March and included on 2,000 cat and dog owners. Another recent survey by Co-op of 2,065 pet owners found that 20% of respondents felt that an unexpected vet payment would mean they could no longer afford to keep their dog or cat.