We have been seeing a lot of new faces in the park over the last few weeks. Puppies and new friends fortunate enough to find their forever home after a rough start in life. Dogs are not just for Christmas, as they say, but what people often forget, in the throes of puppy love, is the on-going cost of the new member of the family.

The average annual cost of owning a dog is over £1,000 when you take into account food, toys and treats, grooming, vets bills and insurance. And this is without taking into account the original purchase price. Some pedigree breeds can cost over £1,000! This all adds up to a staggering average of £16,900 for the lifetime of a dog.

Cats are a little cheaper each year but as they tend to live longer the total cost over their lifetime is very similar

Costs do increase as pets get older as vets bills increase. Advances in veterinary medicine will mean that our pets live longer so it is very important to ensure you have adequate insurance to cover costs as your pet gets older.

All that said, having a pet in your life is one of the best things you can do for your health. They are loyal, love unconditionally, make us get out and about and exercise. They make us more sociable and they make us laugh, and they do say laughter is the best medicine.