Pet expenses
The cost of friendship
All pets are different except in one way: They'll cost you money. Here are a few common expenses and a sample range of prices.
Hello, DoggyHigh: Breeders get top dollar for purebreds currently in vogue. English bulldog pups can cost $2,500 or more.
Low: Orange County Animal Care Services offers dog adoptions for as little as $45, including shots. Add $56 if the dog has not been spayed or neutered.
Hello, KittyHigh: Pedigreed kittens can cost $600.
Low: O.C. Animal Care Services charges a $20 flat fee for all cat adoptions. Add $56 for spaying or neutering.
Kennel Fee, DogsHigh: When you're away, you can board your canine for $65 a night at Paradise Ranch in Sun Valley. A massage for the dog is $35 extra.
Low: The Pasadena Humane Society boards dogs under 40 pounds for $14 a night and over that weight for $16. But you must be a member of the group, which costs $35 a year.
Kennel Fee, CatsHigh: Paradise Ranch in Sun Valley charges $55 a night.
Low: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Los Angeles facility boards cats for $15 a night.
Dog BathHigh: A Spa Dog mobile unit serving Beverly Hills and Hollywood charges $90 for bath treatment, including "aromatherapy spritz."
Low: A bath at home is free, except for shampoo. Self-service emporiums, including U Wash Doggie in Studio City, provide tub, shampoo, towels and blow dryers. The cost at U Wash ranges from $12.99 to $19.99, depending on dog size.
Poop PickupHigh: Doo Care, based in Tucson, Ariz., expects to have franchises open in Southern California later this year. Residential yard service that includes scooping and disposal costs about $10 per visit.
Low: Self-service costs nothing but your dignity.
Goodbye, Old FriendHigh: Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park in Calabasas sells burial packages, including plot and casket, for $593 to $1,206, depending on pet size. Headstones begin at $305.
Low: The Bureau of Sanitation in Los Angeles will send a truck free of charge to pick up dead animals, "except for horses and cows," according to its site. The animal must be placed curbside.
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David Colker
