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7 Responses to “What questions should i ask my self before adopting a pet?”Speak Your Mind
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Snooty Pets
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and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
to me, the most important question is ‘do i have the money to take him/her to the vet if it is sick or injured.’
i get really ticked off when people get a pet, but can’t take it to the vet. if you can’t afford to properly take care of it, do not get it.
and another one would be ‘do i have the time to spend with it that it needs.’
Am I ready for a long time commitment?
How is going to take care of my pet if I need to go away for a while?
Would I be able to train my dog to do his/her necessities outside?
PS: Just outside Vegas, Nevada there is a billboard that says: Pets are like children. Do not abandon them.
Is this breed sutible for my life style? You do not want a highly energetic breed if you rarely get vigorous exercise. You don’t want a high shedding breed if you have allergies
What will happen to this dog if I cannot take care of it? Will it go back to the shelter, or to a family member or freind?
Will this dog be in contact with children often? Some dogs are afraid of kids do to past experiences, some small breeds can get nippy if the children are not trained to play nicly.
Do I have the proper facilities for this dog? You don’t want a breed that is an escape artist if you don’t have a fence. You don’t want a dog prone to perpetual tail wagging if your house is filled with breakables, you won’t want a cat if you hate the look of scratching posts.
Can I care properly for this animal? The animal is kept inside the house with the family, given proper vet care, fed decent food, and grooming needs are taken care of.
Can I handle any needs this dog may have? Many dogs in the shelter are perfectly sound healthy dogs, however some have issues with potty training, jumping on people, fear of a specific group of people, high prey drives, aggression to other dogs( shelters generally won’t adopt out human aggresive dogs), or escaping from the yard.
1.) Is this a reputable shelter or rescue? Or are they making a profit from these animals? Most legit organizations will charge some kind of fee to cover their own operating costs, so you don’t have to be getting the animal for free for the organization to be reputable, but animal adoption must ALWAYS involve finding a home for a homeless animal, not a purpose-bred animal, and profit shouldn’t be the primary motive– otherwise it would be buying. Make sure you’re working with an organization (shelter or rescue) that is placing animals in need. There are literally MILLIONS of homeless animals in need in North America, many in danger of being euthanized, and plenty of organizations who help them… just make sure you choose wisely.
2.) If applicable, does the premises where I live allow animals of this type? Don’t count on your landlord not finding out– there’s too much risk that the animal (and potentially you) will end up homeless again.
3.) Have I researched the lifespan of this pet, and am I committed to caring for the pet for his/her whole life? Dogs can live into their teens, depending on breed. Cats can live to be twenty. Some reptiles and birds will outlive their owners. You need to be prepared not just to care for the animal now, but in the future, even if you have major life changes (spouse, children, relocation to a new area, etc.) You should also have a plan in place for who will care for the animal if you die or become incapacitated.
4.) Have I researched how much money it will take to care for the pet, and do I have those resources? If I lose my job or am temporarily unable to work, how will I provide for my pet in the meantime? Don’t forget to calculate in the ONGOING cost of food, vet care, and grooming if necessary for the breed, as well as actual supplies you will need.
5.) Have I researched how much time it will take to care for the pet? Am I willing to commit to that? Will my commitment last when the novelty wears off? Don’t forget that even after your cute puppy or kitten grows into a cat or dog, there will still be walks in the bad weather and litterboxes to scoop, so don’t get caught up in the moment but think about what you are willing to do for the pet on a long-term basis.
6.) Have I researched any specialized needs for the breed or type of animal? For example, a reptile may need a special type of light, a certain breed of dog may need professional grooming, etc.
7.) Have I interacted with this type of animal before? Did it go well? If not, what did I learn?
8.) Have I been tested for allergies to this type if animal? If I turn out to have an allergy to this particular animal, am I willing to try to manage my allergies with regular cleaning and medication rather than just getting rid of the pet?
9.) Have I researched the animal’s space needs? Do I have enough space to accommodate? Remember that this doesn’t just mean having a huge backyard to exercise your dog in (though it could,) but may also include things like if your apartment is large enough for the tank your snake needs. Also remember, though, that your resources don’t always just include your own house– for example, it doesn’t always matter if you don’t have a big yard for your dog to play in if you live near a park and are willing to take the dog there regularly, etc.
11.) Does this pet fit my energy and activity level? For example, a high energy dog wouldn’t be a good fit for a mostly sedentary owner, and a couchpotato dog wouldn’t be a good fit for a very physically active household.
12.) How will I train this animal? If the animal has behavioural problems, am I committed to working to correct them? Am I willing to go out of my way to not put this animal in settings where he/she is likely to misbehave with severe consequences– for example if the dog is not safe around children or other dogs, to avoid setting the dog up for failure by putting him/her in those situations? If the animal has stressed-related behaviours, am I patient enough to regularly calm him/her down? Am I able to promise that I will commit to this animal for life even if they never behave as perfectly as I would like?
13.) Have I thought through this decision and fully researched it? Have I discussed it with all family members living in my household, and are they all in agreement about the commitment? Impulse pet adoptions rarely work out well. You need to take the time to consider it. The more prepared you are, the more able you are to provide a homeless pet with a lifelong home… which is what they need, not someone to dump them again. Being responsible is sometimes saying “no,” until you are SURE you can say “yes” and mean it.
knowing if u can put a lot of time and care to it
when i wanted a dog, this is what my foster parents asked me
1) do i have time to care for a dog? walking, cleaning, feeding, playing with, etc.
2) why do i want a dog?
3) do i realize a dog is a lifetime commitment and some dogs live until 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 years old
4) do i realize that sending a dog “back” to the pound is just like sending me back to CPS? it hurts the dog too.
5) what would be my plan for asking someone to care for the dog if i was at soccer camp or sick or away for awhile?
6) will i be responsible for training the dog or going to training school if necessary?
7) would i be willing to goto all vet appointments to help care for the sick dog and learn about proper care and treatment?
i answered them all and thought about it and i adopted an awesome dog. she is crazy as anything, but she is 2 years old and a white shepherd. she was at the pound and we picked her. her ears are huge and thankfully i thought about all these questions because she is very high energy and needs lots of playing
Why is this question in the Adoption section?
This section is for people, not pets. Pretty offensive.