To Have a Pet, or Not Have a Pet

Most of us enjoy the companionship a pet offers. We dream of perhaps walking our dog in the park, playing fetch with it, or if we like cats we think of cat toys and sitting down in the evenings relaxing watching television with our cat cuddling on our lap.

Whatever our favorite pet might be, you should always ask yourself well in advance, “Why do I want this pet?” Answering such a question will help you determine what your needs are, and what you want to achieve.

This sounds very one-sided, and honestly at this point it should be. If you choose pets for the wrong reasons, you may just find yourself disliking that pet later, which is never good for person, or pet. This is the very reason so many animals find themselves in animal shelters.

I personally have seen far too many times puppies and kittens being given away in front of grocery stores. Often times a third a these animals end up in an animal shelter or getting dumped off at the end of some back road. We see the cute, fluffy kittens and the cute, adorable puppies, but many people do not see passed the cute. They do not consider the amount of daily care involved, the cost involved in that animal’s care, and the environment that animals would be best suited for.

I would first like to discuss daily care. The type of daily care a person should expect depends on the pet of course, and the environment it is living in. Age also plays a large role in the care of the pet. Proper feeding and personal care of the pet will first come to mind, but you must not forget that animals need entertainment. This may include carpeted cat gyms and assorted toys, to chew bones and other toys for dogs. This will keep them in good mental health just as good nutrition will keep them physically healthy.

Depending on the dog, vigorous exercise may be necessary every day. I have two dogs, a small “lap” dog, who prefers a good nap to a good romp; I also have a Border Collie/ Australian Kelpie mix who will go into doggy depression if I do not take her out daily to play fetch. I do have to mention, that although the little one loves a good nap, her mental health seems to have improved and even her zest for life, since she’s been running along with the other one barking while the Frisbee is being fetched.