Thinking about acquiring a new pet? A pet is a commitment for 10 - 20 years, and the decision to bring one into your home and life should not be made lightly, or on the spur of the moment. Acquiring a pet for the wrong reasons, or bringing home the wrong type of pet for your lifestyle or environment, is a common mistake that often leads to the pet being given up. Most animals that are brought to shelters end up being destroyed. Many people start with good intentions, but do not think about the almost certain fate for the pet if "it doesn't work out."
So, how can you be sure you are ready for the commitment of a new pet? As with most decisions in life, knowledge is the key to making the best decision you can. Start by asking yourself some basic questions.
- Does everyone in the household want a pet, or is the pet going to be source of argument?
- Is everyone ready and able to share in the responsibility, or is just one person going to end up doing all the work?
- Do you travel or work long hours, leaving little time to spend with a pet?
- Do you have the disposable income to afford a pet?
By answering the questions above honestly, you are taking the initial steps to responsible pet ownership. For instance, being able to afford a pet is not enough. Most behavior problems that arise in pets are created by the pet owners. Behavior is one of the top reasons listed for giving a pet up to a shelter. If you don't have the time to spend with a pet, and you do not properly train a pet, the animal becomes, bored, frustrated, or confused as to what you want, and reacts in a manner the owner considers as "problem behavior."
Conversely, having all the time in the world to spend with your pet, is not enough to be a responsible pet owner. You have to be able to afford your pet too. In addition to the cost of food and supplies, are you able to spend, on average, a couple hundred dollars a year in basic health care for your pet? Are you aware that, barring accident or disease, the first year of your pet's life will cost more than the next few years? New pets, or puppies and kittens, need a series of vaccinations, and should be spayed or neutered. Your new pet may come with an existing parasite infection, a skin condition, or an infectious disease that needs treatment. A new pet comes with expenses that some people find themselves not prepared for.
There are options, i.e. low cost vaccination clinics, that can help ease the costs of pet ownership. Those clinics are ways that you can protect your healthy pet from contracting illnesses proactively. Nonetheless, an prospective owner should still keep in mind that there will be costs associated with maintaining health and fighting any arising conditions. We will speak more about those conditions in Part 2 of this article, coming soon.
