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Hamster, dog or cat? If children want a pet, talk to them about the costs and responsibilities involved, and take advantage of the discussion to improve their financial knowledge.
“Mom, dad! I want a dog for my birthday!” Which parents haven’t heard this sentence? Most children ask for a pet at some point. Hamster, dog, cat – they may set their heart on an animal of any size.
Of course, the decision to buy a pet isn’t usually made lightly. Parents generally discuss with their children beforehand how the animal will be looked after and who will be responsible for it. But can and should you talk to your children about the costs?
If your child asks for a pet, don’t say yes or no right away. Take their request seriously and talk to your child about it on their level. Start by taking a step back and answering basic questions such as:
Once these questions have been answered and you are seriously envisaging the option of buying a pet, you need to examine the details. For example, what tasks does looking after a pet involve and who would be in charge of them? Who would train the animal, feed it, take care of it, carry out everyday activities and take it for walks, not to mention clean its cage? After all, not all the work should be left to the parents or guardians, but should be shared by the child.
But remember: the main responsibility always remains with you as parents, and the animal’s needs should be paramount. You should therefore consider your purchase carefully.
It is also often advisable to wait a while and see whether the child’s desire for a pet remains just as strong or quickly fades when another interest comes along.
A child can learn a lot by having a pet. For example, they have to take responsibility and learn to set priorities. For instance they may have to choose between spending time with their pet or going out with their friends.
But even the fact that your child is asking for a pet represents an interesting learning opportunity. For example, it’s a chance for the child to learn to go without if it’s not possible or sensible to buy the pet of their choice. In this case, explain to your child openly and transparently why their wish is not being satisfied. For example because a Bernese Mountain Dog needs several hours of exercise every day and wouldn’t be happy in a city apartment.
But that’s not all. Take advantage of the importance of the topic for the child to talk about the cost of having a pet. It’s an ideal learning window when you have their full attention.
If a child asks for a pet, it’s a very good time to talk to them about running costs.
Depending on the age of the child, you can go into more or less detail about the costs. However, it is important that your child understands that a pet is not free. Not even if, for example, a classmate is giving away baby guinea pigs. The animal itself may not cost anything in this case, but it still needs a cage, food and straw, as well as visits to the vet. You should also clearly point out these “hidden” costs.
You could write down together the costs that would be incurred for the animal and draw up a budget, for example. Work out together how much money the child would have to save before being able to buy the pet themselves.
A list of costs is a good learning tool for children. It’s best to distinguish between:
You should also bear in mind that vet’s bills can mount up quickly as the animal gets older. When planning, consider how long the animal will live. This way, you can estimate how much it will cost over the years and agree who will bear which costs.
As a pet is usually a family project, the parents or guardians should generally pay. However, if the animal is primarily linked to a child’s hobby, for example if they ride their own horse, you can also consider a financial contribution from their youth wage, a part-time job or a similar solution. For example, the child could buy treats or toys with their pocket money.
Even after compiling a list of one-off and recurring costs, the figures are abstract and won’t mean very much to many children. That’s why you should compare the costs with something your child is familiar with, such as their monthly pocket money, admission to the swimming pool or a ticket to the movies.
You could work out how long your child would have to save their pocket money for to feed the pet for a month, for example. This allows them to see amounts in relation to each other and understand that an animal is not free.
If it’s within the child’s budget, they should – as far as possible – also take on some of the financial responsibility.
Once you have had this conversation, you must answer the most important question: Should you really go ahead and buy a pet or not?
From a purely financial point of view, the answer to this question is “yes”, provided you can afford it out of your family budget and that the budget is likely to remain the same throughout the lifetime of your child’s dream pet.
However, as parents, you are also free to refuse your child’s request for a pet. Animal welfare is particularly important. Pets should not be seen as a purchase or a gift, but as living beings with their own needs. Ultimately, the most important aspect is whether you can keep the animal in an appropriate manner for life.
A child doesn’t always have to have their own pet. Check out other options, either as a trial or as a long-term alternative. For example, if your child wants their own dog, they could also use a dog-sharing app to look after other people’s animals or take them for walks to gain some experience with dogs. Other options include helping out at an animal shelter or looking after a friend’s dog while they are on vacation.
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