Is Your Family Ready For The Responsibility Of A Pet?

Post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

Have your children been begging for a new puppy, kitten or other small housepet? How can you tell if your children are ready for the responsiblity of pet ownership? If you don't have children but are considering getting a pet of your own, how do you know that you're ready for the responsibility?

It's an unfortunate fact that many pets end up in shelters because they were bought on a whim (many puppies were purchased because of 101 Dalmations, sales of Jack Russell terriers soared because of the popularity of Eddie on the television show Frasier, bunnies and baby chicks are routinely given as pets at Easter) If the novelty wears out or the cute puppy grows into a large dog, or the tiny kitten becomes a full grown cat, you need to be able to make the commitment to that pet to raise him from the time you adopt him until he crossed the Rainbow Bridge. 

Here are some questions you should ask to determine whether you're ready for the responsibility of pet ownership: 

• Do you have the time to commit to owning a pet?
  Keep in mind that puppies take more time and effort than do older dogs and they
  also take more time than do kittens. In addition to needing to be kept occupied
  so she becomes a good member of the family, you will need to housebreak your
  puppy and leaving her alone for hours at a time will lead to poor socialization.
  Kittens, while they may require less overall training and maintenance still
  need company. Other pets such as rodents or reptiles are pretty happy being
  left to their own devices, but spending time with them when they’re young may lead
  to them being happier to be picked up and handled when they’re older.
• Who is responsible for the new pet? If it’s a
  child, is he really ready for all that is involved with owning and caring for a
  pet? Are you, as the adult ready to step in if necessary? Consider that
  bringing a new puppy home is like bringing a baby into the house – it needs to
  be cared for and loved. How long will your pet be home alone during the day?
  What kind of work schedule do you have? Are you able to get up in the middle of
  the night to take your puppy out to do his business? All dogs/puppies depending
  on their size need exercise on a daily basis. Do you have time for that?
• New puppies are cuddly, squirmy masses of joy
  and comfort but they can try your patience. Do you have the patience to deal
  with yet another puddle on your living room floor? What if she chews up your
  favorite pair of shoes? You need to be willing to take the time to housebreak
  your puppy, show her that it’s not all right to chew shoes by offering alternatives
  and puppy friendly toys. Patience truly is a necessary virtue when it comes to training
  a puppy.
• Before you make the investment in adoption of a
  pet, ask a vet how much you can plan to spend for XYZ type of puppy or cat for
  veterinary care, spaying or neutering, annual check ups, vaccines, licensing
  and other pet care costs. Also, you need to figure the cost of food into your
  weekly budget. Again, the type and size of your pet will determine how much you
  will spend on food. If you have a kitten that will be using a litter box, don’t
  forget to figure in the costs of litter into your expenses.
• Will you be bringing your new pet home to be an “only
  child” or do you have other pets in the house? Have you considered how the
  other pets will feel about a newcomer? Some older pets have very little
  tolerance for the antics of puppies and kittens while other older pets are more
  than patient with them. You need to know your pet’s personality to know whether
  she will be welcoming of a new addition to the family.

Shelters are filled with adoptable pets of all
ages, shapes and sizes but before you go looking for a new
family member make
sure you are ready for the decades long responsibility that comes with it.
While we can’t stress enough how satisfying it is to have a pet in your life
and in your home (they are proven stress relievers!) you need to be prepared
for the good, the bad and the occasional chewed up shoe!

We’d love
to hear your adoption success stories and how you prepared for a new addition. 

(photo: Ryker in his turtle costume from the BlogPaws Facebook page)