PetsNY

It can happen to the best of us. You see a cute, tiger-striped kitten with white paws and green eyes, just begging for attention. Or maybe it’s a gorgeous Labrador mix whose tails seems to be wagging just for you.

You take one look, and the next thing you know, you’re walking down the pet food aisle at the supermarket.

If you’re like most of us, falling in love with a pet is easy. And no wonder!

Sharing your home with a four-legged friend can be one of life’s greatest joys. Dogs, cats, and other pets give us unconditional loyalty and acceptance, provide constant companionship, and even help relieve stress after a hard day’s work.

Adopting a pet, though, is a big decision. Dogs and cats require lots of time, money, and commitment—more than 15 years’ worth in many cases. Pet ownership can be rewarding, but only if you think through your decision before you adopt a companion

Things to Consider

The fact that you’re thinking of adopting from an animal shelter means you’re on the right track—it’s definitely the responsible, caring thing to do. But here are some things to think over first:

• Why do you want a pet? It’s amazing how many people fail to ask themselves this simple question before they get a pet. Adopting a pet just because it’s “the thing to do” or because the kids have been pining for a puppy usually ends up being a big mistake. Don’t forget that pets may be with you 10, 15, even 20 years.
• Do you have time for a pet? Dogs, cats, and other animal companions cannot be ignored just because you’re tired or busy. They require food, water, exercise, care, and companionship every day of every year. Many animals in the shelter are there because their owners didn’t realize how much time it took to care for them.
• Can you afford a pet? The costs of pet ownership can be quite high. Licenses, training classes, spaying and neutering, veterinary care, grooming, toys, food, kitty litter, and other expenses add up quickly.
• Are you prepared to deal with special problems that a pet can cause? Flea infestations, scratched-up furniture, accidents from animals who aren’t yet housetrained, and unexpected medical emergencies are unfortunate but common aspects of pet ownership.
• Can you have a pet where you live? Many rental communities don’t allow pets, and most of the rest have restrictions. Make sure you know what they are before you bring a companion animal home.
• Is it a good time for you to adopt a pet? If you have kids under six years old, for instance, you might consider waiting a few years before you adopt a companion. Pet ownership requires children who are mature enough to be responsible. If you’re a student, in the military, or travel frequently as part of your work, waiting until you settle down is wise.
• Are your living arrangements suitable for the animal you have in mind? Animal size is not the only variable to think about here. For example, some small dogs such as terriers are very active—they require a great deal of exercise to be calm, and they often bark at any noise. On the other hand, some big dogs are laid back and quite content to lie on a couch all day. Before adopting a pet, do some research. That way, you’ll ensure you choose an animal who will fit into your lifestyle and your living arrangements.
• Do you know who will care for your pet while you’re away on vacation? You’ll need either reliable friends and neighbors or money to pay for a boarding kennel or pet-sitting service.
• Will you be a responsible pet owner? Having your pet spayed or neutered, obeying community leash and licensing laws, and keeping identification tags on your pets are all part of being a responsible owner. Of course, giving your pet love, companionship, exercise, a healthy diet, and regular veterinary care are other essentials.
• Finally, are you prepared to keep and care for the pet for his or her entire lifetime? When you adopt a pet, you are making a commitment to care for the animal for his or her lifetime.

Get an Animal for Life

Sure, it’s a long list of questions. But a quick stroll through an animal shelter will help you understand why answering them before you adopt is so important.

Many of the shelter’s homeless animals are puppies and kittens, victims of people who irresponsibly allowed their pets to breed. But there are at least as many dogs and cats at the shelter who are more than a year old—animals who were obtained by people who didn’t think through the responsibilities of pet ownership before they got the animal.

Please, don’t make the same mistake. Think before you adopt. Sharing your life with a companion animal can bring incredible rewards, but only if you’re willing to make the necessary commitments of time, money, responsibility, and love—for the life of the pet.

Financial Commitment
The cost of taking in a new dog and caring for him properly can be quite high. Some things you will pay for include licenses, veterinary care (including spaying or neutering and vaccinations), grooming, classes for training and obedience, toys, food and, sometimes, boarding.

Time Commitment
Having a dog is like having another member of the family. Care, feeding, exercise: They require constant care and attention. You can’t ignore them just because you’re too busy or tired. Think about the things that already require your time. Do you have the time to commit to caring for a dog for its entire lifetime?

The Family’s Health
What kinds of health and safety issues could owning a dog cause? Are you or any of your family allergic to dogs? Do you have small children who have never been around a pet? These are critical factors that need to be determined before you adopt a dog.

Where You Live
Is your living space too small to keep a large breed dog comfortably and safely? The kind of home you have can affect the size and breed of dog you choose. Is your home a house or an apartment? Some breeds are very active and need lots of exercise or attention. Do you have a backyard or local park? Neighbors? If you rent, most likely has guidelines regarding pets. Some properties do not allow them at all. Check before you bring home a pet. It would save you from a lot of unnecessary heartache later.

It’s easy to fall in love with a puppy or dog in an instant, but you have to be realistic about providing the right kind of environment for his health and happiness.

Your Children
Getting a pet for a child is a common reason for adopting a dog. For some families, it’s a rite of passage that teaches a child responsibility, care and love. Are your children really ready for such tasks? Take into account the ages of your children and at what point you should introduce them to the accountability that’s required of a pet owner.

And, most important, think about how safe you feel leaving your small children with certain dog breeds. Your child may not know how to play with a dog properly. Child and dog will need to be gradually introduced before they can be left to enjoy each other’s company.

That Cute Puppy Requires Work

Watching a puppy grow can be a rewarding experience, and is often compared to the time requirements of raising a human baby. And just like a baby, you won’t discover the dogs’ true personality until it is nearing adulthood. Young puppies require large amounts of time; needing to be fed 3-4 times a day, kept in a confined area indoors and let out every few hours to eliminate. The first few weeks can be filled with sleepless nights as the confused puppy seeks comfort and food. A puppy’s growth phase requires much supervision and training. Housetraining is accomplished only after accidents. Teething (”chewing”) lasts the first six-eight months. And puppies don’t become mature adults until they are two years old, meaning they act like teenage dogs for a year or more.

If everyone in your home is gone for eight hours a day, your puppy probably won’t get the attention he needs to meet your expectations. If you are gone much longer than eight hours a day, even adult dogs have high attention needs and may not be a good choice for your current lifestyle.

Adult Dogs Have Many Advantages

Most dogs given to shelters are young adolescents. They don’t usually have behavior problems, they were just victims of well-meaning owners who didn’t have the time, knowledge or patience for the needs of a dog.

While many shelter dogs could use a little more training, they usually bond quickly with new owners, and have fewer needs than a young puppy.

• Many shelter dogs are already house trained, though they often need some reminders and a few days of adjustment time after their stay at a shelter kennel. Even if they were sadly kept outdoors only, adult dogs often only need a day or two to learn that they live inside, but eliminate outside.
• Many shelter dogs have already lived with children. People often assume that they should start with a puppy if they have children. Puppies have sharp baby teeth and can play too roughly with young children. There are many adult dogs in the shelter that are recommended for households with children. And, teaching children about the moral benefits of saving the life of a homeless adult pet is a lesson that will never be forgotten.
• Adult dogs are easier to train than young puppies because they have longer attention spans. And many shelter dogs already know some basic commands taught in their first home or by shelter volunteers.
• Dogs are generally more predictable. A dog isn’t full-grown until it’s a year old, so when adopting an adult dog you already know it’s full size, health and real personality.
• Dogs mature out of their “teenage phase” until they are often two years old. Adopting an older pet means that someone else already had his or her shoes chewed and you get the benefit of a dog who is more mellow and allows you to finish the entire newspaper.
• Don’t discount a dog that is approaching a senior age. Even an eight-year-old dog has the likelihood of many more good years to give you.
• You are taking a stand against the pet overpopulation crisis and saving an animal that will bond quickly with you, and shower you with gratitude and unconditional love.

All dogs are pack animals and have high needs for regular companionship and attention inside the home with their humans. If you are gone much longer than nine, ten hours a day, a dog may not be an appropriate pet for your busy lifestyle.

There are few things more adorable than a kitten. Kittens are entertaining and full of fun. They also have needs similar to raising a puppy. A young kitten will have more needs for attention and supervision than adult cats. As a kitten learns about the world by playing, your curtains, couch and flower arrangements can become sacrificed in the process. An adult cat can settle in faster, and choose to nap in front of the window versus climb the drapes.

Kittens are often poor matches for young kids. Kittens can play rough and have sharp claws that can hurt young children. Young children, in turn, can handle a kitten too roughly and cause injury. An adult cat can be more patient with young kids, and best of all, knows when to walk away from interactions that are too much for either of them.

Kittens can also be bad matches for homes with resident animals. Dogs may play too roughly, or worse yet, mistake the kitten as prey. Adult cats are more able and confident in setting boundaries with dogs. Resident adults cats often resent the playfulness of a young kitten, and would settle in faster with an adult housemate.

Adopting an adult cat can bring the easiest and sweetest rewards. Cats often live to be nearly 20 years old. By adopting an adult cat you are taking a stand against the pet overpopulation crisis, and your efforts will be appreciated daily through the purring thanks of your new cat.