Pet Ownership

Consider carefully before buying a pet. A pet is not just another toy or possession –he is a living, breathing, thinking creature with needs, wants and feelings all his own. Too often people think of animals as simply a luxury item –another thing to brighten up their days with no cost involved. Instead of being looked on as objects, animals that are adopted as pets into our homes are a privilege and an important responsibility. Just because you think having a pet would be fun or comforting doesn’t mean you should take on that responsibility.

Buying a pet means taking on the responsibility to feed, train, love and care for that animal to your utmost ability. Any responsibility means the giving up of certain freedoms or taking on certain costs. In the case of a house pet, one thing you’ll need to give up is your ability to come and go as you please. An animal needs to be fed regularly, be walked, have the litter cleaned, get routine medications and be taken to the vet when necessary. You can’t just go away for the weekend without considering how best to make accomodations for your pet. A pet also involves considerable expenses. You’ll need to buy him food, basic care products and pet meds. For example, if you get a cat or dog, you’ll need to get him a pet flea medication like Frontline Plus at the very least. If you get a dog, he’ll also need a heartworm medication, like this one. Visits to the vet can be very costly, and you can’t just decide not to go because you can’t afford it.

Knowing that a pet is an important responsibility, again I ask you to think carefully before adopting an animal. At the same time, I emphatically encourage you to take on a pet if you’re willing to take on these responsibilities. A pet can be a real joy in a home. They are often good companions, firm friends, careful caretakers and also just darn cute. Just be aware that a pet is a living creature just like you.