Thirdly, you have to take your pet to the veterinarian at least once a year (cost: between € 35 and € 50 per consultation); twice is better than once because clinical care for pets is very expensive, so prevention is key. Vaccinations are required during the first two years of your pet’s life and boosters every two to three years, or once a year, according to the circumstances and the way of life of the animal. These may include combination vaccines against feline rhinitis, panleukopenia, feline leukaemia and rabies for cats (ranging from € 60 to € 80 multiplied by 2 the first year because there are two injections) and combination vaccines against canine distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis and rabies for dogs (from € 50 to € 70 multiplied by 2 the first year because there are two injections). Castration (around € 80 for a cat and between € 120 and € 130 for a dog) is not mandatory but is recommended for cats because of the urine spraying of adult felines. Sterilisation costs between € 200 and € 450 for a female dog depending on its size and around € 150 for a female cat. To cover all or some of the veterinarian costs, you can subscribe to an animal insurance. Some insurance companies in Luxembourg are proposing that kind of coverage.
If you own a dog, you have to meet legal obligations that result in additional costs: your dog has to be tagged with an electronic chip by an approved veterinarian and registered at the local municipal office (identification of the breed, vaccination against rabies, etc.). As a dog owner, you also have to pay an annual tax (minimum € 10 a year, the amount may vary depending of the municipality). And if your dog belongs to a breed considered as potentially dangerous, the requirements are more restrictive and include dog training classes and a veterinary certificate with the date of castration; what’s more, the owner has to present a certificate of completion of practical and theoretical training, be an adult and submit a certificate declaring that he/she has never been convicted of a crime.