How much would you pay?

[BayView]

One of our regular customers came in showing us pics of his latest dog - French bulldog.

12 week old pup, drove all the way to Lorne to get it from Drugmana.

$5k was the purchase price I'm told (might have been exaggerating; he's a bit of a "telephone numbers" type).

Another bloke (another customer) who's car is a bomb, spent $2k on some mutt, and was proud to tell me.

I thought; you idiot - you have a car that is your livelihood which is about to breakdown anytime due to lack of maintenance - it's his work ute and he's a builder (both these blokes are), and you're spending $2k on a dog which might get run over in the driveway tomorrow. How 'bout getting your car fixed properly??

Now; I love pets and particularly dogs (grew up with German Shepherds), and my parents were always broke, yet spent too much unnecessary money on these fine dogs as I can see now, looking back. Any mutt would have done.

My head can't get around spending that sort of coin on one.

Our go is to trawl the RSPA and pick out a suitable victim to be smashed by the kids....our last 3 cats have been selected this way. They are terrific and cost about $100 or so.

How much would you pay (admit to paying) for a dog or cat?

 

[pinkboy]

If it were my choice, we would not have pets. We have 2 little 'yap yap' dogs. 1 was a stray we picked up as it walked into my shed half dead, the other purchased for I think $100 with all the worming and rego etc.

But, respecting the choices of my wife and daughter, and knowing how good pets are for my daughter to take responsibility etc, we have them and love and care for them.

We would never pay a huge significant amount for a pet. My SIL has paid silly amounts like you say above for a dashound sausage dog and some type of Persian cat. Silly especially when they are also expensive to keep, because they are fussy eaters etc.

My kind of pet is a cow hide rug!

pinkboy

 

[Pa1nter]

I believe a stray from SPCA would be the best pet,
I got a cat from the markets for free and she has been the best ever (6 years ago) however I did pay quite a bit for two toy poodles and I made the mistake of getting them fixed and now cant get pups@ ($800-1000 each)

So if you are going to buy a pure-breed,get a male and female and make them pay their way.

Another benefit is when you do dog training,you can go further and also compete in shows.

 

[Munchkin]

I have spent a few hundred, but wouldnt spend thousands. I have known people as you have described that spend stupid amounts on buying pets but supposedly can't even afford their rent and food. Ridiculous.

 

[INVSTOR]

My friend recently paid $4500 for a dog. She can afford it. My limit is about $500. One of My last dogs I bought was a bitsa and malted badley. Spiderwebs outside were full of hair, on a windy day you'd see hair blowing around backyard. She'd walk past furniture and they'd get covered in hair. It was a lot of extra work for me so I'd go for a low shedding purebred again next time.

 

[BayView]

I have spent a few hundred, but wouldnt spend thousands. I have known people as you have described that spend stupid amounts on buying pets but supposedly can't even afford their rent and food. Ridiculous.

I remember when we lived in the US I saw a special on the teev there about people who had become homeless - normal folk with jobs etc who had experienced unfortunate events that caused them to lose the lot (doesn't take much over there).

One person was a guy who was living in his car.........yes; in his car.........with two - that's 2 - large dogs.

 

[lizzie]

All my cats and dogs either come from the RSPCA or found as abandoned kittens ... I would always get my small animals this way ... they have been the most wonderful pets and my dog was even a rare Keeshond.

I love the Keeshond breed so much that I'll keep a look out on the winterpaws website (re-homing of northern European dogs).

Juniors horse is a different story ... needless to say, she understands she's not getting much for Christmas

 

[Dazz]

Hi Marc,


We spent about $ 200 on a Jack Russell pup about 15 years ago.


She's still with us, and has been the best dog for the kids whilst growing up.

 

[DaveM]

My Siberian Husky was through NSW Husky Rescue and cost me $120 for transport service from Coffs Harbour to Sydney, the owner was happy to rehome him at no cost otherwise.

My two cats were both rescue cats from Sydney Pet Rescue and were $150 each inc desexing

 

[TMNT]

Everything is designer these days,

mix two breeds together, then technically they are a mongrel/cross breed, give it some stupid cute name that makes people go 'awwwwwwwww', charge $1000-$5000 for it, and people will buy it, such as a kaboodle, labradoodle

I have a pure bred malamute, we paid $700 for it, we like these breeds, we have had huskies, samoyeds and malamutes

at the end of the day, its still a cross breed, and if dumb people are willing to fall for hype, then so be it, (more typically these sort of people that get carried away with trends, and usually have no financial common sense either)

 

[INVSTOR]

There's some pups in a pet store near where I live. They are Boston Terrier cross Pomeranian. or designer name Pomstan. The pure bred breeders dog jumped the fence so they offloaded to pet shop. They are about 4-5 months old now and reduced to $200 from $600. They're cute but obviously not the right sort of dog to sell in our area. There was two that looked like pomeranians that sold but the more Boston looking ones haven't. They look something like this. It's sad to think they are that old and still unloved by loving family.

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?img...D4WkiAeW54DwDw&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQ9QEwAQ&dur=9567

 

[lizzie]

One of our regular customers came in showing us pics of his latest dog - French bulldog.

The neighbour of the stables where juniors horse is kept breeds American Bulldogs. They are the uglist dog I have ever seen (asides from Chihuahuas). Seems to make a good living out of them and does let them out in the yard to play etc - but it is a bit of a meat factory setup - once one litter is sold the next one pops out.

 

[kathryn d]

The most we paid was $250 for a chihuahua.
We had Mouse for 11 years.

I bought myself a siamese cat for $150, who is now 12 years old.
He came from a pet shop, but he was found abandoned with his siblings and mum previously.

Other cats all came from tenants abandoning them at our properties.

 

[Aaron_C]

$1k each for my two small dogs. Worth every cent. $5k sounds excessive, even for a show-quality dog.

 

[Truly Exotic]

we bought a cat from the local petshop for my brothers birthday,

we paid........$15

its turning 20 next year!

 

[Hysteria]

14k

A friends dog got hit by a car when they were walking there loved pet. They ended up spending 14k in vet bills....yep $14,000. They ended up taking legal action against the driver of the car as they were nearly injured as well.

 

[weg]

A friends dog got hit by a car when they were walking there loved pet. They ended up spending 14k in vet bills....yep $14,000. They ended up taking legal action against the driver of the car as they were nearly injured as well.

There's a similar 'psychological damage' case in progress here in Adelaide atm, but is going nowhere because the car (and the government) haven't been found to be in the wrong -taking too long to brake, not being watchful, etc. wasn't standing up in the courts.

It's usually pets and pedestrians that are in the wrong, unless the car mounts the curb, goes through a red light, is speeding (proof needed), driver is drunk, etc.?

What did this driver do wrong for them to sue?

 

[Hysteria]

There's a similar 'psychological damage' case in progress here in Adelaide atm, but is going nowhere because the car (and the government) haven't been found to be in the wrong -taking too long to brake, not being watchful, etc. wasn't standing up in the courts.

It's usually pets and pedestrians that are in the wrong, unless the car mounts the curb, goes through a red light, is speeding (proof needed), driver is drunk, etc.?

What did this driver do wrong for them to sue?

This happened about 4 years ago.They were walking there dog on the leash when the driver did mount the curb, hit the dog and there owners while they were walking on the footpath.

The driver was texting at the time.

Just recently they had a 8 week overseas trip..Europe, Dubai, Egypt.. They placed the same dog in one of those private nursing/boarding Kennels.

2 weeks into there trip the boarding Kennel contacted them about there dog seemed to be fretting. They were so worried about there pet they came home straight away.

Lost all there prebooked accommodation flights etc.. They love there dog!

 

[weg]

That's fair enough.

Just thought if the dog ran out on the road they'd be wasting their time suing.

An elderly lady friend of my mothers went overseas for 6 weeks and she rang her dog regularly - son would put the dog on the phone for her to speak.

 

[kathryn d]

When our chihuahua was 9 months old, we went on a 4 day vaction.We put him in a boarding place..and there were other chihuahuas there too.
He wouldn't eat or drink the entire time we were gone....we never left him alone again.