Pets: adoption, vet bills & ending stakes

Full builds open with pet adoption rather than jumping straight to the register. Four options appear: a cat, a husky, a puppy, and a goose. None grant combat buffs, detection perks, or unique trap bonuses — pick the companion you want to see on screen.

The narrative framing matters more than the model: you took the Midnight Mart night shift because vet costs are brutal and night rates pay. That emotional hook is why the ending system can take the pet away if you undersave.

Bills hit personal funds (not store cash). Community-verified amounts for the current launch build:

Across a full Story run you should plan roughly $310 in personal medical spend. Base wages alone (~$130 across thirteen nights in community tallies) will not cover it — you need sales commission and odd-job cash. See all endings for True Ending banking tips.

• True Ending — do not call Clyde; pay ≥ $250 yourself → pet and Clyde both live.
• Grave Decision — call Clyde after Shift 12 → he pays; pet lives; Clyde dies.
• Empty Home — skip Clyde and finish under $250 → Clyde lives; pet dies.

Skipping early payments risks killing the pet before the finale even if you intended True Ending. Treat the bill schedule like a soft quota on top of store targets — our store guide covers sales habits that feed commission.

In co-op, agree who watches the personal-funds number. One player can focus shelf economics and odd jobs while partners run ID checks — the same split recommended in the co-op guide.

Pets do not replace interrogation or barricade work. Keep doppelganger discipline from the detection guide even when the companion is on-screen during quiet hours.

The public Steam multiplayer demo focuses on three scripted shifts without the full adoption arc. Plan pet strategy for the paid July 22, 2026 release (or Game Pass install), not the demo SKU.