My Present is Barking
3 min read
By Tessa Mansfield
Caring for animals is a big commitment to make and sometimes no matter how ready the person looking for a pet thinks they are for that commitment they do not realize that they are not until they are already in it for the long game. A lot of pets are adopted and bought to be given to loved ones as gifts during the holiday season. Imagine opening a gift or being handed the cutest puppy or kitten ever seen unexpectedly. Feeling overcome with joy and excitement but there is a lot more that comes with these cute little Bundles of joy. They need to be fed and taken to the vet and get shots along with unexpected medical emergencies that cost a lot of money.
Pets are great companions, and they are not meant to have multiple owners in their lives. It can be harmful to an animal to be attached to someone then surrounded or in the worst-case scenario dropped off in the middle of nowhere. Eleven percent of pets that were adopted are re surrendered after the holidays. That is not counting the pets that were bought from pet stores/breeders, or any other way. Think of pets as kids, they deserve a loving caring home and stable environment. Dogs can develop separation anxiety plus more, from their owners and this is seen to be more common in certain breeds and there is an increased possibility of this being seen in dogs and other pets after being adopted and surrounded especially multiple times.
The best way to decide if a pet is a good fit for the pet owner’s family is to do research on what breed of pet is the best fit for the family. The breed can tell the typical characteristics and personalities. Some cats and dogs are hypoallergenic, these kinds of pets are best for people who are allergic to pet dander but still want a furry companion. There are hairless cats for the people that are not fans of fur and birds for the ones who prefer feathers. Another way to decide if a pet is a good fit for the pet owner and the family is by looking at the pet owner’s finances. They would need to see if they would be able to afford shots and medical bills along with any medical emergencies.
The adopter or buyer of the pet would also need to look at prices of food and basic needs for the pet and see how much that may cost and if the pet owner can accommodate them. The pet owner would have to see if the home and area around is accommodating for the pet, if it is a dog, they are looking for how to plan to let the dog outside to do his business and exercise, also looking at where you may take them on walks. If it is a cat, is there anywhere in the home that would need to restrict the cat from entering or may be dangerous for them, if there is anything they may break or get hurt on even someone else may get hurt on and if there is anything in the cat’s reach, they may eat that, and it could make them ill. A decision should be made on whether an inside and outside cat would be a better fit or only indoors and how that will be managed to keep them indoors or keep them from getting ill if they are outside as well. Finally, the last thing that needs to be made sure of is if everyone in the home agrees on getting the pet and will treat them well. With all it may sound really overwhelming to put all these things together before deciding to get a pet, but it is always in the pet’s best interest to do the research on what it takes and what care the pet requires, and that both parties are happy and healthy in the end.
