Dogs and cats don’t know when their family is struggling financially. They don’t understand layoffs, rising rent, unexpected medical bills or expensive auto repairs. But they do know when the people they love are stressed.

They feel the tension in the home, and they’re affected when worry leaves us with less time, energy and patience. Even when they have food in their bowls and go for regular walks, financial hardship can take an emotional toll on them.

There’s a lot we can do to reduce stress during tough financial times. When money becomes tight, most of us have options for cutting back. We can turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees in the summer or down a few in the winter, brew coffee at home instead of stopping at a café, pack lunches instead of eating out, pause a streaming subscription or postpone a vacation or other nonessential purchase. The money we save can help ensure that our animal companions are taken care of.

As a licensed veterinary technician, I’ve seen ear infections become chronic because treatment was postponed, dental disease progress until animals struggled to eat and small lumps become large ones while people hoped for months that they’d simply go away.

Routine veterinary care is one of the best ways both to protect animals and save money in the long run. Vaccinations help prevent dangerous diseases that are costly to treat. Spaying and neutering prevent more animals from being born and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and other serious health problems. Spaying female dogs and cats also eliminates the risk of pyometra, a life-threatening uterine infection that often requires emergency surgery. Preventing disease is almost always less expensive than treating an avoidable medical crisis.

If financial circumstances begin to change, be sure to act before an animal’s needs become an emergency. Talk with your veterinarian as soon as concerns arise, reach out to trusted friends and family members who may be able to help and contact your local humane agency to explore every responsible option for ensuring that your animal will continue to receive the care they need and deserve.

If you’re thinking about adopting an animal, take an honest look at your finances first. Bringing a dog or cat home means accepting responsibility for their care for the rest of their life. Food, veterinary visits, preventive medications, grooming and other routine expenses add up year after year, and emergencies can cost thousands of dollars. If providing those necessities would be a struggle, consider waiting until you’re better prepared.

Anyone can face financial hardship. Setting aside money in a special savings account and having a plan for your animal’s care can help ensure that unexpected financial setbacks never result in stress or suffering for you or the dogs and cats who depend on you.

While veterinary care, food and other necessities are expensive, love doesn’t cost a thing. Dogs and cats don’t care how big your house is or what kind of car you drive. They want you. They want to walk beside you, play with you and fall asleep knowing they’re safe, loved and not alone. They depend on us for everything. Let’s not let them down.

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Melissa Rae Sanger is a licensed veterinary technician and a senior writer for the PETA Foundation, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510; www.PETA.org.

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