We surveyed a number of assistance handlers about their experiences with the cost of an assistance dog. Here are some of the responses.
The expense of food, specialised insurance, vet bills and gear costs is hard when I’m unable to work due to health and now the additional cost from training with an org just so that I can reduce access issues and stress when going out puts additional unnecessary financial strain on handlers.
AP
He is expensive but invaluable already as he has some tasks that greatly improve my independence
Anonymous
A lot of my PIP and UC are spent on my dog and her insurance, food, training, vet bills etc. I do struggle to afford her costs and sometimes go without paying for essentials like food so that I can pay unexpected vet bills.
Anonymous
It is a huge expense but worth every penny that has been spent although very difficult to fund
Anonymous
I’ve gone without eating as much or buying new clothes to make sure the dog has the best
Anonymous
The costs of keeping my Hearing Dog consists of wet and dry food, insurance, grooming, treatments for my Hearing Dog following vet check ups. All of which has an added strain on my income especially as I have now retired.
Anonymous
The costs are far higher than I expected particularly insurance etc. I’m thankful to recieve pip as without I would struggle to stay afloat with money
AJ Wallace
very very expensive, currently cannot afford to pay my rent due to my dogs costs (older one has vet bills, younger one has high training costs. Gear, equipment, food & treats are all absolutely necessary for training and all add up astronomically. Not to mention the cost of being with an organisation (even non-profit) is expensive in itself.)
Anonymous
easily £300 a month. If i didn’t have PIP i wouldn’t be able to afford to train him to the high standards needed due to lack of funds, not to mention the things he needs as just a pet.
Anonymous
Raised anxiety about if I can afford everything, insurance, food, vet bills etc all mounts up.
Anonymous
Having an assistance dog has increased my outgoings. Needing specific insurances, gear for him to be identifiable, training equipment when needed.
Izzie S
It is frustrating that I have to spend so much money every month on a vital medical aid (plus one off costs like buying the dog, pieces of equipment for him etc.) but these things are never accounted for by things like PIP or Access To Work. My PIP all goes to covering my Assistance Dog which means my other increased expenses (food, energy, petrol etc.) that are higher because of my disabilities are not accounted for at all.
Zachary
The cost of my assistance dog has been considerable. Due to my disabilities, I required an adult dog as I am unable to train a young puppy. As all the charities were at capacity, this meant I had to privately purchase a trained adult dog. This cost several thousand pounds. We also have ongoing costs associated with my assistance dog – on average I am spending £300 for the bare essentials to cover my dog. This includes preventatives, food and insurance. Another ongoing cost is the adaptive equipment used by some teams to have their dog carry out their task. My dog is trained to fetch items which requires dog safe tabs – these cost about £7 each. We also use a guide harness and specific handle – this set up cost £160 and will need several replacements over her working life as due to wear and tear.
Hannah
Insurance is a huge expense. Plus they have to be wormed/lead regularly and visits of feeding good quality food essential for them to work properly
Anonymous
Definitely costs more than a pet and I wouldn’t be able to afford him without pip
Anonymous
It costs me so much every month to pay for everything my assistance dog needs and should receive. Insurance, healthy pet club covering such things as flee and worming monthly. Grooming which happens every 4 weeks which has to be done as she is a non moulting breed. That is before I even think about feeding her and the excess I would need to pay if she required the vet. I gladly go without in order to keep her because without her I can’t do or be a part of so many things.
Anonymous
My assistance dog costs me over £200 a month to keep happy and healthy and that’s half of my benefit gone
EB
It is extremely expensive. I pay around £300-£400 a month inclusive of food, insurance and training costs. I could not afford it even with enchanced PIP and have sought seperate funding through direct payments. I do use my PIP to fund a motability car however which tbh, was a pivitol moment in my owner training journey.
Anonymous
It adds a huge cost. Each month insurance is £80, food £60+ then we’ve got insurance excesses, equipment, treats, grooming, assistance dog charity membership costs, vaccinations, flea and worming treatment, extra public liability insurance. That’s just the basics. It’s a huge expense.
Anonymous
I have found it cost a lot more for an assistance dog than a pet dog. Training costs, insurance, jackets, vet checks etc. I have a care plan with social work department and I fought with the department to get him recognised as doing the role of a carer. I argued they would need to pay a wage for a human to do some of the things he does and therefore I felt they should help towards his upkeep. After a lot of arguing they agree to an annual cost of £1000
Anonymous
Nearly all of my money goes towards my dog and his care, as well as his equipment. His insurance and food each month is close to £250 and this will continue to increase as he ages.
Zebra_Dogs
I use my PIP to pay for most of my dogs needs. He does more for me than any therapist or mental health workshop
Anonymous
It’s expensive to have an assistance dog, not only do you need to budget for the usual expenses of having a pet dog, but you have thousands of pounds worth of training, ensuring 3rd party insurance is up to date, purchasing vests and other equipment, and then any organisation fees to pay
Anonymous
