Saving on Pet Costs in Spain
- By Maxine --
- 13 Apr 2020 --
- comments are disable
With around 6 million dogs and 4.5 million cats in Spain, there’s a huge market for all things pet related. Read our round-up about how you can save.
Types of costs
As well as the cost of buying a pet, you’ll have to find the money to pay for:
- Food and snacks
- Vet bills and/or insurance
- Toys and treats
- Pet grooming
- Accessories
Dog owners will find it easy to spend over 1000€ a year on their pet. But even those who own a cat or other animal will soon find that bills can add up.
Buying a pet
Why buy if you can adopt?
Buying a pet can be expensive. Adopting an unwanted or abandoned animal normally just brings with it the cost of vaccinating and getting a microchip fitted.
There are plenty of associations in Spain that are looking for homes for animals. Check for one near where you live (Google “animales abandonados” and your area).
Pet food, treats and accessories
Buying online avoids having to bring home heavy sacks of pet food. Compare online specialist stores (see below) with your local supermarket delivery service.
Branded food comes at a price. Some supermarkets sell their own brands which are often cheaper, although most pet owners prefer to stick with the brands they know.
Special foods and alternative diets command premium prices. Check the ingredients before buying, just because a product says it’s aimed at, for example, older or overweight pets doesn’t mean it’s necessarily all that different to regular pet food.
Amazon Pet Department. With a large choice of items, Amazon is a good option for finding anything you could need for your pet. Sign up for Amazon Premium (see our post for more info) to get free delivery.
Tiendanimal. Delivery is free for orders over 49€ (mainland Spain, check threshold for other locations). Look at the “Ofertas” page for current promos. Sign up for the newsletter to get a discount on your first order.
Kiwoko: Sign up for the newsletter for info about discounts and flash sales. Delivery is free for orders over 39€, but only for mainland Spain. Added benefits are available for members of their club “Mundo Kiwoko”
Miscota.es: Their newsletter provides info on the latest discounts and promos. Delivery costs depend on the option chosen when buying.
For online orders, don’t forget that it’s quite easy to reach the threshold for free delivery as sell-by dates tend to be long on most pet foods.
Pet insurance
Pet insurance can be worthwhile given the potential cost of vet fees. Bear in mind that dogs that take part in sporting or hunting activities may not be covered and it may be difficult to find a policy for older animals and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Insured pets will normally have to have a microchip fitted.
In Spain most of the major insurance companies offer policies. Compare prices and coverage before choosing one, taking care with any exclusions. You can also get in touch with our partner BMI Insurance Brokers (Contact Jeremy Ryan on 952 582 282 / 637 834 552 or visit directly BMI Brokers online).
Remember that the price you’ll be quoted is based on the information you provide. If you fail to provide any details, even if it’s a genuine mistake, you may invalidate your policy. Also check the requirements to keep your policy valid, for example by making sure your pet receives any regular vaccines or other treatments.
Anybody who’s brought their pet from abroad should make sure to mention it to the insurance company.
As an alternative to pet insurance you could consider setting aside an amount of money every year to cover eventualities. However, treatment for long-term illnesses can become very expensive over time and once your pet is ill it would be very difficult to find insurance.
