Because Mommy and I have seen a LOT of people looking for new dogs, giving up their dogs (any pet really) lately on our county FB group... some thoughts have been brewing. So putting them to the internet for safekeeping ;)
When considering bringing a new pet into your home, there are many things you MUST take into consideration.
1. While you be able to keep this animal for it's ENTIRE lifetime.
Entire lifetime of whichever pet could last up to 15 or more years. Please consider that giving your animal away will cause the pet distress, anxiety, and grief. If you give a pet away because you are
A. Expecting/Just had a new baby
B. Are moving
or
C. Anything other than your own life-threatening illness, disability, or sudden loss of ability to walk, feed, and care for you pet
then just know-- the rest of us DO NOT understand, and we likely think you are scum. You brought the animal into your home to be part of the family. If you wouldn't leave behind your human child when moving or give your new baby up for adoption because you wouldn't have time for it-- then why is it okay to do so with a dog?
Saying that you "did not expect" your puppy to grow up into a large dog really just makes you look ignorant . Really? You didn't expect your German Shepherd puppy to grow into a 70+ pound dog? If you can't handle a larger dog, there are PLENTY of smaller breeds out there.
Cats have a need to claw things. If you think your couch/drapes/chairs are more important-- then PLEASE, do not get a cat. If you have an aversion to scooping litter, do not get a cat.
Allergies do not just go away-- don't get a pet if you or anyone that lives in your home is allergic to that type of animal. Medicines will not make it go away, and you are just setting yourself and the pet up for forever home failure.
Pets are EXPENSIVE. Please look into vets, cost of food, and other pet-related expenses. Accidents happen as well-- pets get sick, need medicine or extra care. Being prepared is part of responsible pet ownership, especially if you are getting a puppy! Having extra money set aside for puppy illnesses and accidents is a GREAT idea, because you want to be sure you have that cushion to fall back on just in case.
2. Picking a pet based on looks is a horrible idea. You might think you want a.... Husky, for example. But most Huskys are escape artists, prey driven, and they shed a whole awful lot! Please look into whatever pet you want to get, do some research, talk to other owners. Honestly, we never thought about owning a Mini Poodle in this household... but after some researching, we found that Bruce is pretty much perfect for our family! You know what kind of dog I can admit Mommy can't handle? The answer might surprise you! Jack Russell Terrier! Surprised? ;) Even though they are a small dog, Mommy can't handle them. A GREAT way to determine whether you can handle a breed is to physically lay hands on one and spend time with it. Again, talking to other owners of the breed will be a great help, regardless-- because they live with one, they know the ins and outs, and can give you an honest look into what it's like to own one.
:) That's all for now.
THANK YOU. so many people impulse buy pets and it just turns into a real tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI think potential owners also have to take their lifestyle into account ... whether or not they will be at work a lot or travel a bit for work and whether or not they will either have someone available to take care of said pet or to board them during that time. i've known people are gone for at least 9 hours a day [for work] and they buy a puppy ... and they don't have anyone to take care of it during the day. and then they get mad when the puppy goes to the bathroom in the house. uh, well what exactly did you expect, leaving them alone for so long??
Seriously.