How a Free Puppy Cost me Thousands in Vet Bills, Dog-Care Items

I should never have sat down and figured up the cost of a free dog. The total is appalling. When our daughter wanted a puppy, I called my aunt, who bred Rat Terriers. She had a litter and since this was a great niece we were talking about she let us have a puppy for free. When we saw the litter our daughter decided she wanted the puppy with the saddle on her back. Because she had saddle on her back and her sire (father) was named Saddle Tramp we named her Saddleback Sassy. This was quickly shortened to Sassy of course.

Our free puppy started running up a tab even before we got home. We had to stop at Walmart and get a carrier because she was almost impossible to hold onto and kept getting on the floor. From there she headed for the driver's side. So a stop at Walmart for a carrier, something to pad the carrier, plus puppy chow, dog dishes, a cute collar etc. quickly added up to fifty dollars (this was two decades ago folks.)

Once we got her home our free puppy continued to run up bills. Her first vet trip for puppy shots etc. cost another fifty dollars. We hadn't even had her 24 hours and already we'd spent a hundred dollars.

The first year she cost nearly five hundred dollars in vet bills because of basic shots, spaying and one time when she caught a rat. This was what she was bred to do so not at all surprising. Unfortunately the rat she caught had been poisoned with an anti-coagulant. She survived this, but not before running up a hundred dollar vet bill and round the clock care for several days.

Our free dog is now twenty one years old. We had no idea she'd live so long. Our daughter has long since left home, leaving Sassy with us because she couldn't take her to college or law school. We still have our saddleback Rat Terrier who looks to be on her way to setting some sort of longevity record.

At this point her food, various dog care items and vet bills total over $10,000. I'm not checking any closer because I'm pretty sure there are other items in the various spread sheets that could be attributed to Sassy and what I see now is pretty scary.

Before taking a free dog it is wise to consider the immediate costs. You will have to purchase certain things right away such as food dishes, food to put in those dishes and, really, you should get an appropriate sized carrier for that dog. A carrier can and should be a dog's den and safe haven.

Your free dog will need trips to the vet for worming, shots, flea treatment products and, eventually, spaying or neutering. The first few months can and will be quite expensive. If you feel you can afford all these expenses then do some nice dog a favor and give it a home. A free dog will repay you by being a life-long friend and companion. And this is a commodity beyond price.