animals

The weekends can be a drain on the wallet. It's so easy to let money flow through your fingers when you're enjoying yourself on the weekends. After all, spending time with friends and relaxing is worth any price, right?

Well, you don't always have to spend a boatload to have fun on Saturday and Sunday. There are plenty of great activities that are easy on your bank account. Here's one you probably haven't thought of: dog or cat shows. Picture the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, just localized. There are plenty of local dog or cat shows in different regions, and you can do research to see if there's one being held near you. Entry fees are generally low, and if you're a pet lover, then it's fun to see all the different breeds. You can even buy a toy or two at the show to bring home as a souvenir for Fido.

We're happy to present this interesting story from our partner site Yahoo! Shine:

The American Veterinary Medical Association has found that Americans own fewer cats and dogs than they did in 2006 – 2 million fewer dogs, and 7.6 million fewer cats, to be exact. It's not a huge decline in pet-owning households percentage-wise – 2.4 percent – but it's the first such decrease since 1991.

Karen Felsted of Felsted Veterinary Consultants in Richardson, TX presented the numbers at the AVMA's annual meeting in San Diego, and said the dip in pet ownership is "clearly" thanks to the bad economy, and called the dwindling "significant." Ownership of pets of all species had shown steady growth since 1986, when the AVMA began conducting the survey (it's performed every five years and surveys fifty thousand households). Between 2006 and 2011, though, the trend reversed itself. The AVMA's CEO, Ron DeHaven, theorized that people are less likely in the last few years to replace older pets who have died – because they may not be able to afford a new one. Keep reading for the rest of this story.

Pets are such a joy to have, but people definitely need to think long and hard before they decide to get one. I've been hesitant about getting a dog, because not only does it take a lot of time and commitment, but raising an animal can also get pretty pricey. Before you take the plunge and fall for a furry friend, make an estimate of what the pet will potentially cost you. Here is a list of basic annual expenses for a variety of pets calculated by the ASPCA.

• Small dog: $580
• Medium dog: $695
• Large dog: $875
• Cat: $670
• Rabbit: $730
• Guinea pig: $635
• Small mammal: $300
• Small bird: $200
• Fish: $35

Keep in mind that getting a pet will initially be a lot more expensive than the annual cost, because you'll have to buy new equipment and pay for the cost of the pet and standard checkups.

One of the things that I love doing on the weekend is visiting my local SPCA. This is an activity that I definitely recommend to animal lovers who have a shelter near them. Check nationwide shelters like the ASPCA or the Humane Society. They sometimes have free weekend classes to educate people on how to raise puppies, so it's a good idea to participate if you're thinking of getting a dog sometime in the future. I just go to coo at them through the windows and sometimes play with the animals as well.

Furthermore, animals are known to reduce stress, so consider this a healthy activity that will help you take your mind off work and reduce stressors in your life. In fact, a certain ivy league law school even started using a therapy dog to test out the stress reduction theory on students. The dog will be placed in a private area of the Yale Law School library, and students will get the chance to interact with the dog only if they sign up for a time slot. Have your own doggy relaxation time by visiting the SPCA, and who knows, this can possibly lead to opportunities for volunteering at the shelter on the weekend.

Source: Flickr User mbostock