A lot of people before they purchase a pet, don’t realize that you have to be prepared to do so. It’s just as important as when you ‘baby-proof’ a home. Trust me, taking home 3 beagle puppies at once – I certainly know what I’m talking about when it comes to the fact that they can do a lot of damage to your house and themselves if you’re not properly prepared.
There are a lot of dangers that can be found in a home, things like cleaning supplies, toxic foods, medical supplies, even the trash can be extremely harmful to your pets if you leave them around and they get into them. Ha, also a very wise tip if you ARE bringing home or having kids over!
You have to also take into consideration the expenses that a new pet brings into your life. One thing that can’t be stressed enough which is incredibly important is having your pet spayed or neutered. It’s already been proven that pets whom HAVE been fixed lead a longer, healthier life – so you have to budget for that before you purchase your pet! Fortunately both humane societies that I work for have mandatory ‘fixing’, so you can’t keep your pet if you don’t have them fixed.. GREAT IDEA!
Medical bills can also pile up, I remember when I first got my dogs that I was told that the first year is always the most expensive, and were they ever right! You have to get them checked up twice a year on average after their first year, and during that first year (which is the most important!) you have to get them vaccinated, and de-wormed, and there are other petmeds you have to consider as well.. there are some great products out there like Frontline Plus and Sentinel which are great for this.
I would also suggest that you look into pet insurance, even if just a little bit. I know personally I use PC Financial for my pet insurance and so far they’ve been good although I haven’t had to make a claim yet (knock on wood).
What about feeding your pet? Have you decided what food you are going to try and what alternatives are out there in case your pet doens’t like them or develops an allergy? Make sure you do that and make sure you try to feed your pet the best food you can afford. It’s worth it.. they’re worth it.
Above all however, the most important thing about owning a pet is this. Do you have TIME for a pet? A dog should be walked daily, and a cat played with! Get a laser pointer if you’re a cat owner.. they love those things! If they don’t .. find something that DOES stimulate your pet! Dog owners.. how about that daily walk? How about that game of fetch? In the winter, it’s certainly hard and I know that my two little ones pack on the pounds.. but that just means that we’re gonna have a LOT of fun this summer!
Think ahead before going out and getting your pet, you’ll be glad you did in the long run.
Tags: Cat,Dog,Health,House,Insurance,Neutering,Pet,Waste container
Categories: Heavenly Creatures
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