Dog-O-Nomics... It's No Cat-astraphy for Beloved Pets

This nation's economy is in the crapper and you know who is riding high through this economic crisis? Well loved dogs and cats. Let's face it, we have all felt the pinch of these hard times. My husband and I have adopted several budget strategies to help make up some of the lost revenue we are all feeling. However there is one area I just can't cut too far back on and it's the part of our budget called "animal care".
I just recently had to put to paper all of the monthly costs involved with caring for our zoo of 3 dogs and 3 cats and it's enough to frighten anybody this Halloween season. Let's put it this way - I even "accidentally" omitted some of the usual pet related costs (my husband doesn't need to know everything right?) and the number was still really high. Like car payment high. Like I could pay for a whole village to eat for a year in Namibia high. Um, it's a lot of money a month.
But I look at those furry faces and say "It's not your fault we're in a fiscal crisis!" I can't punish the four pawed children because our government screwed us bad these past years, right? I mean they didn't vote Bush in, heck they growl at him when he comes on the TV.
Here are some warning signs that perhaps you are in the same boat as me:
* Have you stopped going to the high priced salon to have your cut, styled and dyed and opt for self trims and the $12 box of Nutrisse Hair Dye at the drug store.... yet your dogs keep their standard grooming appointments at $50 a pop for each of them every 4-6 weeks?
* Have you resorted to cutting coupons and buying generic brands at the grocery store for your own food needs but your animal companions are still eating $45 bags of holistic -hormone free - antibiotic free-grain free Dog Food from non-traditional protein sources like Buffalo and Kangaroo?
* Have you stopped buying meat as frequently due to the high cost and find yourself preparing pasta more nights of the week for dinner than your husband cares for.... yet your dogs and cats get whole beef, salmon and quail treats routinely?
* Have you denied yourself that great smelling $12 candle at Target because "it's not a necessity and times are tight" .... yet you spend $33.99 on dog and cat toys at Target to add to the giant bin of dog and cat toys in your family room?
* Have you stopped buying the fancy body lotion at Origins that smells like grapefruit and opted for the Suave brand at Walgreens instead in an effort to save a few bucks.... yet your dogs are still using Happy Tails Fur Breeze Aromatic Spa Mist in Citrus and Vanilla because it "freshens dog body and soul" at $16.99 a bottle?
* Have you glanced at the cheap no-name cat litter on the bottom shelf of the pet supply store and thought "well it is $4 cheaper and they are just going to go potty in it!" and then talked yourself out of it as you don't want the cat's to be "subjected to change and it's not their fault the stock market is bottomed out."

If you can relate to any of the above you too are a victim of Dog-o-nomics. Let's hope times will get better in the coming months or sigh...years and that above all people will keep buying custom made dog and cat collars! After all it's not your dog and cat's fault that times are so ruff...they still need to look good. Even if your hair looks like crap and you long for a nice steak.