An emergency fund -- for your pet

How much is that doggie in the window? More than you think. Before you even consider getting a pet, you should have a cash reserve separate from your own emergency fund.

What could that cute little puppy or kitty cost you? Anywhere from $640 to $1,500 for the first year and $400 to $700 per year after that, according to one expert source. 

Stephen Zawistowski of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals created a spreadsheet of the estimated yearly costs of pet ownership (see it here on Petfinder.com),  taking into consideration everything from litter to leashes to heartworm prevention.

Petfinder.com published the spreadsheet with the caveat that the estimates are "crude." That's because costs vary from region to region, different people have different ideas of what's necessary, and veterinary costs go up as a pet ages.

Those figures also don't include the cost of getting the pet in the first place. But even if you don't pay a dime, there truly is no such thing as a "free" puppy or kitten.

You CAN put a price on love
Obviously you need not pay every cost included in the ASPCA list. You might already own a litter box, crate, leash or other pet equipment. Some owners learn to groom the animals themselves, or skip "puppy kindergarten" in favor of borrowing books from the library and training their own dogs. (For more money-saving tips, see "10 ways to save on pet supplies.")
Even so, pet ownership costs money. Those ASPCA estimates don't include factors like accidents, serious illnesses or the need to replace pet-ruined items. One woman I know left her newly adopted dog in the car for a few minutes while she did an errand. She returned to find that the critter had chewed the driver's side seat belt to shreds -- a very expensive fix.

If I wanted to get a pet, I'd make sure I had the first year's expenses in a separate account. Each year after that, I'd divide the estimated annual expenses by 12 and have that amount automatically deposited into the pet EF. I'd also investigate pet insurance.

Life happens
Best-case scenario: I wouldn't need all the money because my pet led a charmed life, free of illness, accidents and destructive tendencies. I wouldn't count on it, though.

A co-worker's dog got into the trash and swallowed a piece of corncob; surgery was required to remove it from her intestine. A relative's cat developed urinary tract problems and required special (i.e., expensive) food for the rest of its life.

Life happens. An article on the American Veterinary Medical Association website notes that even the most diligent pet owners may end up with sick or injured companion animals, "but you lower the odds if you are proactive about preventive healthcare and set aside some money or invest in pet insurance."

Your heart may go out to that cuuuuuute little hound at the shelter. But use your head: That animal will depend on you to take care of his needs. Get your financial house in order before you take on responsibility for another living creature.

More from MSN Money:

• Do you really get what you pay for?
• How to stop living paycheck to paycheck
• 21 things you should never pay for