By Robin Rhea, PetSafe Senior Brand Manager
Protecting your pet and keeping them in your yard is important, but it can also be expensive. What is the cheaper option for you - electronic or traditional fence?
Pets make our lives rich in love but they can also make us poor in our pockets. The many needs that our pets have can come with a high price tag when you add up all of your pet related expenses. One major cost that many owners don’t add to their pet budget is the cost of keeping your pet safe in your yard. A traditional physical fence is a great nice-to-have feature, but they come with a not-so-nice price tag.
While a physical fence is typically 15 times more expensive than an electronic pet fence, there are many factors to consider. Materials, installation time, upkeep, and pet training are all factors that you will want to consider when deciding which type of containment is right for you. Consider the fact that a physical fence requires maintenance and upkeep that further drive up the cost. Further, the cost of a traditional fence is going to vary greatly depending on the size of the area you want to contain. Likewise, your installation time will also be effected by the size of your yard.
With an electronic containment system, you’ll need to factor in the time needed to effectively train your pet. Luckily, you don’t have to keep chasing your tail! We’ve crunched the numbers to compare each of these factors for you so you can have all the data you need to make an informed decision about what will be best for your pet. The table below summarizes the cost of a fence for a ½ acre lot. While the cost of physical fence will also vary depending on the material of the fence, this information can get you headed in the right direction.
| Fencing ½ acre of property | In-Ground Containment System (from PetSafe) | Wireless Containment System (from PetSafe) | Traditional/Physical Fence (wood/vinyl/chain link) |
| DIY Installation Cost* | ~$200-300 +~$100 for each additional pet | ~$300-350 +~$160 for each additional pet | ~$2,000-5,000 |
| DIY Installation – Time* | 1-2 days + training | 2-3 hours + training | 3-5 days |
| Professional Installation – Cost* | Estimated to be fraction of the cost of a physical fence. Contact Invisible Fence® for a free estimate for your yard. | Estimated to be a fraction of the cost of a physical fence. Contact Invisible Fence® for a free estimate for your yard. | ~$3,000-7,000 |
*All numbers quoted are averages provided for informational purposes only. Prices may vary.
ABOUT ROBIN
Robin Hawn is the Senior Brand Manager of the PetSafe Family of Brands for Radio Systems Corporation, head quartered in Knoxville, TN. She works to build a brand of products designed to give consumer more of the best moments they can possibly have with their pets. She has a MBA with a Marketing Emphasis, a B.A in English, and 10 years experience developing and launching marketing plans, brand strategy and PR campaigns across a variety of diverse industries. Her French bulldog Buckley typically logs the same hours at the office as Robin. She volunteers with the Most Pet Friendly Community initiative that has a mission of making Knoxville, TN the most pet friendly community in America.
