With puppy and kitten season upon us, chances are you’ve probably considered adding a new furry addition to your family. A lot of people may be hesitant about this though as the price of adopting an animal might be a little intimidating. There’s a few ways to work around the price of adopting a pet though, which could leave your family enjoying the new cute and cuddly member of your family in just a few days. From the initial cost of adoption and price of feeding your pet to getting it fixed and immunized against deadly pet illnesses, there’s a lot to consider before making this commitment. However, if you have the love and responsibility to share with a pet then there are many ways to make the financial burden of a pet one of the least of your concerns. So, put up your favorite shoes and get ready to enjoy the happiness of having a new pet in the home, because these tips will have you on your way to adoption in no time.

1. Check out a Shelter
When your family is considering adopting one of the first places you should check out is a shelter, especially if you’re looking to save money. Although prices for the pet could seem a little pricey you are getting a really great deal on a pet. Every time a pet enters a shelter they are automatically given their immunizations and neutered or spayed so you won’t have any added expenses when you walk out the door with your pet. Often, the shelter will even microchip your pet in case he or she is ever lost. The best thing about adopting from a shelter is you’re helping keep an animal alive, especially if you choose to adopt from a shelter that puts animals down after a certain amount of time. You may want to consider not adopting a puppy or kitten if you’re looking to save money. Often, these animals cost more to adopt because they are easier to find homes for. Older animals tend to cost less because they are harder to adopt out. Animals that are black in color are harder to place as well, but are often as sweet as can be.

2. Look in the Classifieds
During puppy and kitten season there is bound to be an abundance of kittens in your classified papers or online. This can be one of the cheapest ways to find a pet, but you will often have to pay for the animals shots and spay or neuter procedure. Many people, especially those who find their pet expectantly pregnant, may give out the puppies or kittens for free so make sure to act fast whenever you see an ad for this. Other people may charge a small fee for the food, litter, treats and other items they bought for the animal while it was under the care. However, these fees are rarely much and can help you get an animal for very cheap. When you do adopt from a home it is important to ask questions about your new pet though. Make sure you get paperwork on any immunizations they may have already had, ask about health issues the papers have had and if your new pet has any known likes or dislikes. Although it may seem unimportant at the time it can help you keep your pet healthy and save you money in regards to pet food and toys. Before you adopt you should also watch the behavior of the animal. Unfortunately, sometimes these animals end up being feral which could be hard to work with if there are children in the home.

3. Adopt Duplicates
Adopting can be great, but if you only have one pet it could often lead to loneliness for the animal, especially if the family is rarely home. One way to combat this is to adopt more than one pet at once. This can actually be a huge money saver and will ensure happiness for your family and your new pets. Often enough, a lot of shelters will offer a discount if you plan on adopting an entire family of animals. This is usually offered when a family is brought in that are particularly attached to one another, especially if the family came from an abusive environment. Rather than adopting the animals out separately many shelters will offer a combined price so people will feel better about adopting together. This might also be that case with family’s giving away pets as often siblings become attached to one another.

4. Starter Kits
When bringing in a new animal it may be wise to grab a starter kit. This will give you all of the basic items you need such as a small litter box, puppy pads, foods, and small toys. The price of a starter kit usually isn’t much and sometimes places will give them to you with your pet adoption. As time progresses you will need to upgrade your litter box and other items that come in the starter kit, but when your new family member is still small and getting adjusted to life in your home it will work out perfectly. It is also great if you’re looking to save on money as it allows you to get a feel of what your pet needs and wants before you go out and spend a lot of money on unneeded items.

5. Apply for Help
Although many places make you prove you have enough money to pay for a pet, there are also many others that are willing to help you whenever you’re in a tight spot. If you have recently adopted a pet and need help with the spaying or neutering fee as well as getting your pet immunized then there are special organizations that can provide vouchers for you. All you need to do is call your local shelter or look online for an organization in your area and then fill out the paperwork. Many will want to know your income information, but some will simply give out the voucher. You may even be able to get a voucher is you’re local shelter is holding an adoption event. Most counties want to ensure that pets in the area are not only vaccinated but aren’t able to reproduce as this not only causes health issues, but can force the shelters to be too full which means more animals must be put down. So, don’t be afraid to ask if you need a little help with your pet. There are also some organizations that will donate food if you are going through a hard time too. Your local shelter should have more information on this as well.

6. Consider Fostering
If you aren’t quite sure if the family is ready to adopt then fostering a pet might be a great way to get your feet wet. There’s a lot of pets that need temporary homes or else they will be put to sleep. These homes need a simple qualification and the basic needs for the animal met and they are good to help as many animals as the county allows them too. So, this could be a great way to see if your family is ready for a pet. As the kids work with you to take care of the pets you can see if an animal particularly bonds with your family. If this is the case then you might want to adopt this pet from the shelter. If the pet doesn’t seem like the right fit then show the pet all the love you can until you and the shelter finally find the home the animal has been looking for. Fostering can be incredibly rewarding and will allow you to know for sure if you’re ready for this responsibility before you actually commit to it.

7. Utilize Humane Society
After you’ve adopted the perfect pet for your home you should consider using your humane society to help keep your pet healthy and legal in your state and county. The humane society is not only a great place to adopt a pet from, but they also offer so many incredible services to pet owners. For starters, most humane societies and other animal shelters will offer low cost neutering, spaying and vaccination clinics. This can help you start your pet’s life with your family off right without forcing you to pay a whole lot of money. Usually the prices offered at the shelter are a mere 1/3 of what you may pay at your veterinarian. A lot of the time the shelter will also offer check ups for pets which will help you put your mind to ease about your pet’s health. You may even be able to get a microchip here which ensures if your pet is found they will safely be returned to you.

8. Place an Ad
If you’re having trouble finding a pet then one of the best things you can do is put an ad in your local classifies or local websites. This will let people who are trying to get rid of an animal know that you’re willing to take one in. You can be as specific as you like about what type of pet your looking for, how old, size, breed and so on as you will have a greater chance of finding just what you’re looking for. This is one of the best ways to find rarer pets like birds and lizards, but it can also be an efficient way to get a specific breed of cat or dog. You may end up paying more than you would for a pet using this method, but you may also find a family that is looking to give away an animal due to unforeseen circumstances.

9. Pets Without Papers
When it comes to saving money on a pet there is always one thing you should avoid. That is, pets with papers. These animals are usually thoroughbreds which means they will be sold for a whole lot more money than you’d pay for ten pets adopted from a shelter. Usually if you see an animal listed with papers in the classifieds then it is just easier to avoid calling the number. These pets have to be certified in order to get papers which means you’re not only going to pay for having a pet specially bred, but you’re going to pay the licensing fee for the papers that were already drafted. These animals can also have more behavioral problems, so it simply wiser to stick with your local shelter and save a life rather than paying thousands for a pet that will be adopted out no matter what.

10. Volunteer
Most shelters require you to pay a fee whenever you adopt a pet. This is to show you have money to care for the pet, but it also helps the shelter pay for things like food, litter and medicine for the pets that are temporarily under their care. If you are a big animal lover you may want to talk to your local shelter about volunteering to help waive the fee for your adoption. This may require proof that you will be able to care for the pet, but it will also show the shelter that you have what it takes to provide a good home. After volunteering for a little while you may be hooked on the feeling and spend more of your time with the animals who haven’t found their home yet.

Adopting a pet can be incredibly exciting until you realize how much money it cost. With these tips you should be able to find your new pet and bring it home without having to stress too much about how you’re going to pay for it. Instead, you can enjoy the love surrounding your new pet as you adjust to your new life as a pet owner.