Use this worksheet to gather costs for the first 12 months with an adopted dog or cat. Ask the shelter or rescue what is included in its adoption fee, request records that are available, and get local written estimates for care and supplies you are considering. The adoption fee comparison worksheet helps organize current local offers and services the organization explicitly confirms. The blanks are for your own figures; this page supplies no typical prices or required-purchase list.

Check items as you confirm them. Add a quote, who provided it, and its date so you can revisit estimates that change. You can print this page or use your browser’s save/print option. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted.

Before adoption or at handoff

• Record the adoption or transfer fee:
• Ask what the fee includes and record any separate charges:
• Ask which medical, vaccination, medication, identification and care records are available; note what you receive:
• List current food, supplies or medicines the shelter says the animal is using, and ask your veterinary team about any change:

First veterinary visit and local requirements

Use the animal’s records and your questions to request an individualized discussion and itemized estimate. ASPCA notes that vaccine decisions should account for an individual pet; this checklist does not set a vaccination, medication or treatment schedule. The dog and cat vaccination visit checklist has record fields and questions to bring to that conversation. For local licensing rules, use the official pet license lookup guide to find and verify the responsible local authority. If the animal is microchipped, use the microchip lookup and registration checklist to find the registry and verify contact details.

• Clinic contacted:
• First-visit estimate and date:
• Questions for the veterinary team about records, examination, preventive care, vaccines, identification or sterilization:
• Check local government rules that apply to this animal; note any fee and renewal date:

Setup and recurring budget

Enter costs only when they apply to your animal and household. Keep one-time purchases separate from monthly or annual expenses, and avoid counting a charge twice.

For a calculated total, transfer your own quotes into the puppy first-year planner or cat first-year planner. Both separate one-time, monthly and annual inputs. Continue tracking household estimates with the pet cost planner; the food budget guide explains how label directions can inform a cost estimate. These tools do not predict emergencies or determine what care an animal needs.

Emergency readiness

When another person will care for the pet, use the pet caregiver emergency handoff checklist to organize owner and backup contacts, clinic details, the authorized decision-maker, and care instructions confirmed with the provider.

ASPCA advises pet owners to have an emergency plan in place before an emergency. Record the contact details and costs you verify locally; do not treat an estimate as a promise of availability.

• Regular clinic’s after-hours instructions:
• Local emergency clinic contact and location:
• Household emergency reserve goal, if you choose one:

Sources and limits

• ASPCA: General Pet Care — links to pet-care information including emergency planning and vaccination guidance.
• ASPCA: Emergency Care for Your Pet — advises planning for emergency veterinary care in advance.
• ASPCA: Vaccinations for Your Pet — says a veterinarian can determine an approach for an individual animal based on factors such as health and lifestyle.

Reviewed November 3, 2026. This is a planning record, not veterinary, legal or financial advice. Prices, local rules, available records and individual care needs vary. Confirm medical questions with a veterinary team and rules with the responsible local authority.