Are You Ready To Adopt A Pet?

It's way too common for people to decide to adopt a pet when they are unable to provide care. After the initial awe wears off and finding that it's too difficult to care for the pet, they get rid of it or let it loose. This is one reason animal shelters are overpopulated and approximately 4.5 million pets are euthanized each year. The fact is, adopting a pet is a huge decision. So before you visit your local animal shelter, take these things into consideration to make sure you're ready to be a pet owner.

Your Finances

Sure, you'll need to have enough extra money coming in to pay for your new pet's food, toys, and other immediate needs. However, you also need to have enough money set aside to cover pet vaccinations, spaying/neutering, annual vet checkups, flea/heart medicine, and emergency trips to the vet. The fact is, owning a pet can be expensive. You need to make sure you can afford it.

Your Commitment Level

Before you should adopt a pet, you need to be willing to care for it throughout its entire life. For some animals, this could be a decade or more. Keep in mind, dogs can live to be 12 to 15 years old and cats can live to be 15 to 20 years old. That's a long commitment. So you need to decide if you're ready to commit long term. Additionally, you should consider how any major life changes that could happen in the next couple of decades will affect your pet. For example, if you get married, will your spouse be allergic to your pet? If you plan to have children in the future, you should avoid adopting a pet that won't be good with kids.

Your Lifestyle

It's important to adopt a pet that fits into your current lifestyle. For example, you shouldn't adopt a dog if the lease on your apartment doesn't allow pets. You'll just end of having to rehome it. Or if you're a frequent traveler, you should consider how much time you'll have to spend away from your pet before the adoption. Cats are typically okay on their own for a couple of days at a time, but dogs need constant care. However, dogs are easier to travel with than cats.

Deciding whether or not to adopt a pet is never easy, but you shouldn't adopt a pet on a whim. Instead, take the time to make sure you're ready for the long-term commitment your new pet will need.

For more information, talk to a professional like Pilot Knob Animal Hospital.