Blake, our Cairn Terrier, is due for his checkup. Our vet books him and Sydney (our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) months in advance for their regular visits, so we can plan ahead for the added expense. Each time, I'm reminded that taking care of our four-legged friends isn't cheap. On average, dog owners spend $1,000-2,000 each year per pooch, while cat owners spend about $800 annually.

Have you seen the news about people giving up pets during the recession? Rising home foreclosures are forcing families to relocate—many can't bring their pets with them. It's so sad. In Boston, the ASPCA reported a 45 percent increase of pet owners surrendering animals due to housing and economic concerns, and the number of people giving up their pets from home-loss has doubled. It's not a just a problem in the Northeast, either. Recently, shelters in California and the Pacific Northwest have reported a huge increase of abandoned pets. My brother Ronic, who lives outside Seattle, just adopted a new dog. But, unfortunately, he's in the minority as animal shelters around the country are overflowing with abandoned pets.

Pets are such an important part of our families. We would all be very sad without Blake and Sydney. It's hard to imagine being in the place of owners who have to give up their pets and experiencing the pain they go through. In light of all this, I wanted to share ways to save money and avoid giving up your four-legged family members as the country braces for more economic troubles.

Save on Pet Care
If you use a pet sitter or dog walker, consider sharing their services with a neighbor as a way to split the costs and save money. If you can, try arranging your lunch break so you can go home for a quick "hello" and a walk. 

Remember that you can be creative about reducing costs without sacrificing the quality of care for your pets. As pet owners, we have to balance saving money with making sure our animals still receive the exercise and attention they need.

Cutting Costs at the Vet
Pets need regular doctor visits, shots, and checkups, but you can save money while making sure your animals have all the medical attention they need. Ask your veterinarian if you can work out a payment plan to spread out the costs. You can also make sure your dog has a tailored health plan—not every pooch needs every shot, so make sure she's only getting what she needs. Going for regular checkups is not only good for your pet, but it also helps solve immediate health issues, while preventing them from building into bigger issues (and higher expenses) in the long run.

Also, there are local organizations, charities, and funds to help pet owners pay medical bills. This Care.com article on saving money on pet care gives great tips if you're coming up short on expenses.

Create a Pet Budget
Pet accessories, fancy leashes, and expensive toys can add up quickly. If you're feeling a budget squeeze, make sure your animals have what they need, then cut out the extras. Replace a new plaything with a little extra one-on-one attention and they'll never know the difference.

Make sure you're also scanning the supermarket circulars for coupons and sales. If you can get your brand of pet food at a discount, it'll go a long way toward helping make ends meet.

A "Petcation"
If you find it's too expensive to keep your pet in the home, why not find a friend or relative to temporarily care for them? Instead of giving them up to a shelter or stranger, someone you trust will look after your baby. This arrangement doesn't have to be permanent—think of it as a vacation for your pet. It can also be a chance for another family to experience the joy of pet ownership. Maybe they'll even adopt a companion pet, too!

Pitch in to Help
Shelters are losing funds as sponsorship and donor money dries up. Here in Massachusetts, three animal shelters just closed their doors. There wasn't enough money in the budget to keep them open. This problem will just get bigger as more families are forced to give up their pets.

You can help by supporting your local chapter of the ASPCA. Even better, have Care.com make a $20 donation to the ASPCA in your name—at no cost to you!

We love our pets and want to make sure the have the best care possible. I want to hear how you're saving on pet care these days. Leave a comment and share your tips, hints, and pet stories with the community!

Ron and I want to take advantage of Columbus Day in October with a long weekend away as a family. But, what to do with Sydney, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Blake, our Cairn Terrier? It's only for the weekend, and they'd really enjoy coming along, but with the surging popularity of pet hotels, we're also considering our options.

Based on my research (and that of our editorial team), here are my tips for deciding whether hiring a sitter through Care.com or trying a pet hotel is right for your family:

Consider the Cost
One-on-one time at home with a dog walker or sitter is always the best option for your pet, and when combined with house sitting, can even save you money. But, sometimes it's hard to find overnight care (or a pet-friendly people hotel) at the last minute, so a pet hotel ($40-60 per night) is a great Plan B to save you the mental cost of stress and anxiety.

Reservations for a "Pet Palace"
Pet hotels are upscale kennels with loads of creature comforts. Private rooms ($40-60 per night) come with tons of amenities: pet masseuses, room service and play time with treadmills and swimming pools. Wow! When the vacation's over, your best friend might have a better time than you did.

Be Inspector Gadget
Wherever you decide to board, it's important to inspect the facilities in a similar way you'd look for a child's daycare. Is it clean? Is it spacious with good light? Does it smell good? Are there certifications and background checks for the employees? And, maybe most importantly, how's the food?

Know Your Pets' Limits
Not every animal is happy being away from home, no matter how posh the surroundings. We talked to Lisa Katayama, publisher of TokyoMango and a regular writer for Wired magazine who "broke" the pet hotels trend, about checking her Miniature Pinscher, Ruby, into the Wag Hotel in San Francisco. They offered a live, in-room webcam and Lisa spent most of the night watching her puppy's every move. By 2:30 a.m., Ruby was howling inconsolably and Lisa rushed to bring her home. After that experience, Lisa had enough.

"Call me a crazy dog owner," Lisa said, "but I'd rather leave her with a trusted friend than put her in solitary confinement overnight."

No Worries
Camps and hotels give added peace of mind by having experts attending to your furry family members. For example, we talked to PetSmart who launched their PetsHotel offering in 2005. Each hotel has vets on site and every employee has to pass an annual safety certification with a perfect score. With constant "guest supervision," it's nice to know there's always a pair of eyes watching to make sure no one gets their little, wet nose into trouble.

Take a Test Run
Only you can decide if your puppy or kitten will be happy in a new environment. If your pet is a either total homebody or a social butterfly, perhaps they'd be better off staying at home with the personal touch of a sitter. Try checking Care.com for one in your area. If you do want to try out a pet hotel, they often provide free screenings and, in some cases, actually require one. It's a good way for everyone to test the water before booking Fido for the night.

Finding the right place for your pet goes a long way toward giving you peace of mind while you're separated from your best friend (or friends!)

What about you? Do you take your dogs and cats with you on vacation or go the kennel route? Share your experiences with the Care.com community by posting a comment!