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It's not cheap to own and care for a pet.
- Buying a pet can be one of the best choices a person or family makes.
- But purchasing what can sometimes be a lifelong companion is no cheap feat, even if you're sticking to traditional pets rather than exotic choices like anteaters or domesticated foxes.
- Here is a list of what it costs on average to raise these 12 common household pets.
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They say that a dog is man's best friend. And, as the proud owner of a mini dachshund named Finnegan, I can't disagree.
However, it's undeniable that owning and caring for any pet can be an endless chain of expenses, from the expected, like food, shots, and grooming, to the unexpected, like medical and dental issues. But what does that all add up to over the course of a year - or a lifetime?
We decided to take a look at the average cost of raising different pets today. We're not talking exotic animals like chimps or lions. These are the mainstream household pets that will do the most damage to your wallet, costing $300 or more per year.
Related: 14 pets that are surprisingly legal to own as pets in the US
Here is a list of 12 common household pets and the yearly costs that you can accrue raising them. Note that this list only factors in annual costs, and not one-time expenses like training classes, spaying and neutering, and cages or aquariums, or the cost of the animals themselves.