The Wall Street Journal recently (7/2/25) featured a story about rich people in Sǎo Paulo, Brazil who pay up to $200 per hour for an off-duty police officer and his scent hound to find lost pets. Sometimes the cost of flights to and from far parts of the country were added to the bill to find the missing pet. I may be in the minority here, but that seemed truly shocking to me.
Cost of Finding a Lost Pet
So of course I searched online for more info. Several options came up immediately.
(Please note: the citations in this article are informational examples and imply no endorsement or recommendation!)
Pet Radar
“Lost pet? Don’t panic. We’re here every step of the way – 24/7 support and guidance. Find Your Lost Pet in Your City. 8000+ Pets Found. Start now! Start in 1 Minute. 5 Stars on Google & FB. 100% Satisfied Guarantee. 24/7 Direct Help. Not satisfied? Money Back. 68% Gets Found.”
Paw Boost
“Find Your Lost Pet And Alert Local People on Facebook & Notify the Rescue Squad™, For Free. Put Out a Free Alert! We Have Over 4 Million Pet Lovers in Our Alert Network. Boost Recovery Chances. Post A PawBoost Alert. Email Shelters For Free. Notify Thousands Nearby.”
Pet Detectives
The Pet Detectives is a company that has established itself as a market leader in the investigation of animal theft and the recovery of stolen and missing cats… This company is located in the UK, and has a TV show Pet Detectives.
As in most other professions, there are specialists. For example:
12 Years of Pet Detective Experience
Kim the Cat Finder
After thousands of lost cat cases all over the world, I’ve learned there is no “cookie-cutter advice” for every lost cat case. What does work is tailoring your strategy to your situation (indoor-only cat or outdoor access) with methods curated for each cat’s personality.
According to the Brazilian pet detective in the WSJ article, dogs want to be found but cats, not so much.
But even if your pet never leaves home, pet love can be pricey! The rest of this article will focus on cats and dogs because they are the most common pets in the U.S.
The Cost of Acquiring a Pet
As a cat owner for more than twenty years, I was aware primarily of relatively small veterinary bills. The cats had come free, one from a shelter, the other from a farmer’s barn. I was completely unaware that people actually pay for cats, sometimes a lot. I found one listing that said buying an American Curl, for example, costs $1000 to $2000. They are really cute, but still…
Cats
A 2019 Yahoo article, “The Most and Least Expensive Cat Breeds in the World,” quotes what it calls “sometimes staggeringly high prices” for 15 cat breeds. Here are the acquisition cost estimates the article listed for the world’s most expensive breeds:
- Ashera $75,000 to $125,000
- Peterbald $1,700 to $3,000
- Savannah $25,000
- Bengal $2,000 to $5,000
- Persian $3,000
- Sphynx $900 to $1,200
- California Spangled $800 to $3,000
- Maine Coon $1,000 to $3,500
- Egyptian Mau $500 to $800
- Russian Blue $400 to $3,000
- British Shorthair $800 to $1,000
- American Curl $800 to $1,200
- Korat $600 to $800
- Ocicat $800
- Scottish Fold $800 to $1,500
PetKeen.com published a similar article, “11 Most Affordable Cat Breeds (with Pictures)” listing these affordable breeds and their estimated purchase prices:
- Turkish Van $200
- Ragdoll $400
- Siamese $200
- Burmese $500 to $1,000
- Manx $500 to $800
- Himalayan $300
- Cornish Rex $100
- Oriental Shorthair $400 to $500
- Havana Brown $300 to $1,500
- Snowshoe $200 to $250
- Domestic Shorthair <$50
Dogs
An article at Brownsburg Animal Clinic compared purchase prices for popular purebred and crossbred dogs, finding (not surprising to me) that purebreds are more expensive than crossbred dogs.
- Labrador Retriever $650 to $4,000
- French Bulldog $3,000 to $10,000
- Golden Retriever $750 to $5,000
- German Shepherd $300 to $3,200
- Standard Poodle $300 to $3,000
- Average purebred price $1,000 to $5,040
Despite these purebred costs, cats are generally cheaper than dogs due to lower adoption fees, and because they require less maintenance and fewer resources.
Shelter Pets
How much do animal shelters typically charge for adoption fees? A discussion on Quora provided a few examples (Jun 15, 2023): “At my shelter puppies are the most expensive. Cost depends on age. Dogs range from $450 to $100. Kittens are $125. Cats $40 to $20.”
The Animal Humane Society of Minnesota uses a sliding scale to determine adoption fees. Pets with special needs or who have been in the shelter longer can be adopted at a lower cost than others. They also have an option to delay the decision. If you need more time to complete an adoption, you can place an animal “on hold” for 24 hours for a fee of $30 for dogs and cats, or $10 for all other animals.
- Kittens – $125 (6 months and younger)
- Two Kittens – $175
- Adult Cats – $100
- Senior Cats – $50 (10yrs +)
- Puppies – $250 (12 months and younger)
- Adult Dogs – $175
- Senior Dogs – $100 (8yrs +)
- Adult cats: $130 (ages 6 months and older)
- Kittens: $160 (younger than 6 months)
- Adult dogs: $160 (ages 6 months and older)
- Puppies: $200
Cost of a Pet’s Medical Care
But back to veterinary bills: Of course the cost of veterinary bills varies depending on the type of visit, the location, and the specific needs of the pet. Routine vet visits in 2025 can range from $70 to $174 for dogs and $53 to $124 for cats. Emergency vet visits can be significantly more expensive, potentially ranging from $200 to $10,000.
Besides emergency care, modern veterinary hospitals provide virtually all the types of care that human hospitals do. Veterinarians help owners keep pets healthy as well as treating infections and injuries. Many veterinary services treat chronic medical conditions, including arthritis, cancer, physical therapy, cardio-pulmonary services, etc.
Cost of Online Pet Doctors
Just like human healthcare providers, many veterinarians are now offering services online. Virtual appointments offer pets the same convenience and accessibility as their owners. Additionally, they allow pets who become anxious or volatile in a vet’s office to see their doctors in a calm, familiar environment.
Some telehealth veterinarians offer monthly or yearly subscriptions. Others charge a fee for each visit.
However, most online veterinarians cannot diagnose pets or prescribe medications over the internet.
Cost of Pet Insurance
No wonder so many people opt for pet insurance! This, too, is a big market. Pet insurance typically comes in three options: accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, the average monthly pet insurance premium for accident and illness coverage is $56.30 for dogs and $31.94 for cats. However, there are plans for as little as $16 a month for dogs and $10 a month for cats.
Owners can even get a credit card specifically for pet health care—though why one would not use any regular credit card is a mystery to me. Some companies, such as All Pet or CareCredit, offer special rates and cashback options for healthcare spending.
Cost of Routine Maintenance
The annual cost of cat ownership can range widely, but generally falls between $340 and $4000. It depends on factors like food and litter choices, veterinary care needs, and whether the cat requires ongoing medical treatment.
For dogs, a recent survey gives an average annual cost of $4,512. These costs also vary widely, depending on the same factors as for cats.
Food alone is notable: the annual cost of dog food can range from $250 to $700. The annual cost of cat food can range from $225 to $1,980, depending on the brand, type of food, and frequency of feeding.
No doubt you are aware of what I call TV advertised convenience: Fresh Pet and Chewy will deliver to your door—for a fee.
Bottom Line: Consider the above factors when you think of pet ownership (whether cat, dog, or something else entirely), consider your personality and finances, and then decide the price you will pay for pet love.
