The rising costs of pets, particularly dogs, and the products they require have significantly impacted inflation rates in May. These costs ranked third on the list of items with the highest rate of inflation, soaring to 49.2%, which is about 112% higher than the national average of 23.1%.
Month-on-month inflation was also high at 4.7%. This is a slight decrease from the previous month, where the rate was 50.4% and fifth.
Raising pets has become a significant business in Ghana, providing a substantial source of income for breeders. The range of products and services includes the sale of dog food and medicine, veterinary care, kennels, crossing, training, the sale of pets, and, in recent years, pet hotels and grooming services.
The increasing cost of these products is driving breeders and pet lovers to seek cheaper alternatives. A dog lover in Koforidua, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Accra Times that he now opts for catfish feed, ‘gari’, and rice instead of the usual dog biscuits and other dog foods.
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“The minced meat has become so expensive, so I now go to the abattoirs and get meat parts that are normally discarded; it saves cost,” he explained.
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Prices for even the most basic dog foods have surged. Dog chow, for example, has increased by GH¢100 over the past four months to GH¢ 850. A small can of minced meat, which used to sell for GH¢25, now costs GH¢35.
Goat milk for puppies has risen to GH¢450 from about GH¢220. The cost of crossing a non-pedigree female dog, which used to average GH¢1,000 now goes for about GH¢1,500 if no puppy deal is involved. Crossing a pedigree dog could go between GH¢3,000 and GH¢5,000.
Daniel Singah, a dog trainer, told The Accra Times that many dog lovers and breeders are struggling with the high costs of keeping pets. He said many are compelled to sell their dogs at reduced prices to cut down on the expenses of raising them.
“Imagine keeping 4 to 5 dogs and buying them food worth GH¢850, which won’t even last a month,” he said.
Singah confirmed that many people have turned to alternatives to reduce their costs, such as mixing ‘gari’ with dog food to make it last longer.
Though dogs are pets, many in Ghana keep them for security reasons, to ward off criminals. But the high cost of maintaining them is keeping the owners awake at night pretty much like the dogs themselves.
