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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.Adopting a pet is good for everyone. You get that soul mate you’ve been pining for, and a pet without a family gets you. But taking on the responsibility of an adopted pet isn’t merely a matter of slapping down the check card for sundry adoption-related expenses and taking home the pet that strikes your fancy at the moment. You’re bringing home a living, breathing, conscious being . . . and not just any conscious being. This animal already has lost a home and needs what animal shelters sometimes call a forever home — a full commitment.
This article helps you to decide whether you’re definite about wanting to adopt a pet, whether you’re ready for the responsibilities, expenses, and time that adopting a pet requires, and what pet you really want — as opposed to what pet you may think you want — before you think too seriously about it. This article also introduces you to the basic differences between shelters and rescue groups so you can begin to consider which adoption option you want to pursue.
Making Sure You’re Ready to Be a Good Pet ParentWho wouldn’t want a pet? They’re cute, they’re companionable, they don’t talk back. Then again, you need to feed them, clean up after them, take care of them every single day . . . hey, wait a minute. Are you sure you want a pet?
If the people who work and volunteer for animal shelters could change one thing about the world, many of them would make people think much longer and harder about whether they really want a pet in the first place. All too often, people adopt pets only to find they don’t have the time, money, or patience to take care of them properly, and they end up returning the pet to the animal shelter.
Playing the name game
People enjoy naming their pets, but your pet’s name may matter more than you think. Just ask the woman who named her Siamese cat Killer, or the person who dubbed a Jack Russell Terrier with the middle initial T. for Trouble. Sure, sometimes such names are ironic (like the 15-foot Burmese python named Tiny), but names can make a difference. Everybody expects a cat named Jack the Ripper to leave a wake of destruction, and meeting their (pet owner) human’s expectations is one thing pets are good at. In ways you don’t even realize, people subtly encourage behaviors that suit a pet’s name and subtly discourage the opposite behaviors. So, think carefully about your pet’s name and choose one that embodies the pet you really want. Butch might be a better name for your Bulldog than Mr. Slobber. And what about the adopted pet that already has a name? Some people like to keep the name familiar to the pet, but others don’t like the previous name or feel it is unsuited to the pet’s personality. If your pet seems to like your new and improved name, I say go for it.
Pets have many great qualities, but they’re also plenty of work and responsibility. Living with a pet isn’t the same as living with, say, a blender. Sure, you have to wash a blender, and it can be the source of good things, but you can also stick it in the cabinet for weeks at a time, and it won’t mind at all. Being a good pet parent means providing a pet with all the things it needs to stay healthy. Pets need mental as well as physical exercise, a clean environment, healthy food, and clean water. Being a pet parent means being responsible, keeping a schedule, and making arrangements for your pet’s care whenever you have to be away. Are you ready for that kind of responsibility? The following sections can help you decide.
Adopted pets in particular often need extra time to adjust to a new situation, especially when you first bring them home. They look to their owners for help with the transition. From there, new pets need guidance and companionship to lead happy, healthy, safe lives. And those lives can last for quite some time.
If you lead a busy life, work most of the day out of the home, or come home late and leave again early in the morning, think long and hard about the commitment before you adopt a pet. Some pets take more time than others — a hamster, for example, takes less time than a dog. But most adopted pets take a significant amount of time and financial commitment, and it isn’t fair if you aren’t willing to give your pet what it needs. Adopted pets already have endured stressful transitions. Be sure that you have time before putting your new pet through any more unnecessary changes.
Pets aren’t welcome everywhere. If you rent your home, be sure that your landlord allows pets. Many adopted pets are returned to the shelter or even abandoned when they’re sneaked into a home environment that doesn’t allow them and are then discovered.
As part of the adoption process, many animal shelters and rescue groups require proof of home ownership or an official letter from the landlord stating that he or she will allow a pet to live on the premises. Don’t expect to be able to adopt a pet without first getting this paperwork in order.
Even when a pet is officially allowed in a rented home, adopted pets still can cause problems. Barking dogs, roaming cats, squawking parrots, and the presence of, say, a large python, are enough to make neighbors nervous, annoyed, or downright furious. Complaints and even calls to the police can be cause for a landlord to threaten or even move forward with an eviction. Other things that bother neighbors include failure to clean up waste, odor from pet litter boxes or cages, and failure to keep pets under control while off the leash. These concerns all are serious, and after you start a war with your neighbors or your landlord, life can get pretty stressful for everyone.
Making sure that you manage your adopted pet in a way that won’t infringe upon the rights of your neighbors or break any terms, explicit or implied, in your lease is best for you, your neighborhood, and certainly your pet.
If you get into a tangle with your landlord or neighbors, you need to know your rights. Sometimes other people who simply don’t like pets will unfairly persecute you. This situation is completely different than perfectly justified complaints that you aren’t managing your animal.
Every state and local region has its unique set of laws and ordinances regarding pets, what constitutes a pet, and where and when you are liable for your pet’s behavior. For instance, in some states, killing any dog that harasses a domestic animal is perfectly legal, if the dog isn’t wearing a rabies tag. Pet owners typically are liable for any damages their pets inflict on anybody or anything. That means if your Golden Retriever isn’t wearing his tag and he escapes from your yard and chases your neighbor’s cat, your neighbor is legally allowed to take action.
Find out the exact laws in your area by contacting your city or state government office. Ask about:
Leash laws
Noise ordinances
Liability issues related to pets
Tenant and landlord rights regarding pets
If you find that laws exist that you aren’t willing to follow, then please don’t adopt a pet.
Maybe you’re perfectly willing to take on the responsibilities associated with owning a pet. You have the time, the space, and the capacity for affection, but do you have the cold hard cash? Pets are pricey, especially during the first year. Even if you’re adopting a pet for a meager adoption fee, that pet still needs the care, food, and supplies necessary for a healthy, safe life. Consider the costs involved during the first year of life for various pets before making a commitment to adopt one.
Be sure to take into account that pet expenses continue throughout their lives, and as they age, they may cost more money as their need for more veterinary care increases. Adopting a pet with special medical or emotional needs may tack on additional costs for extra veterinary care or help from a specialized trainer or animal behavior consultant. When considering costs, looking at the big picture and considering the animal’s entire probable life span are good ideas.
The Good Part: Adopted Pets = Love
With all this nay-saying, it may sound like the message in this article is that you shouldn’t get a pet. Au contraire! Pets are wonderful, and adopting a pet that needs a home truly is a noble deed. The message in this article is really more akin to the message delivered to Boy Scouts: Be prepared. Hundreds of thousands of people successfully keep and enjoy pets, and you can be one of them. If you know what you’re getting into, living with an adopted pet can bring many good things into your life. Here are a few:
Pets make you healthier: The rumor is true: Pets really do make people healthier. Studies show that pet owners have lower blood pressure and reduced stress, get more exercise, and visit the doctor less often than people who don’t own pets. Consider adopting a pet to be an investment in your good health and longevity. (You will, of course, return the favor by keeping your pet in good health!)
Pets make you happier: Studies show that people who have pets suffer less often from depression and have greater psychological stability than people who don’t have pets. Less depression means more happiness . . . and how can you fail to be happy when your dog, cat, or even your sociable rat gazes at you with so much interest and adoration?
Pets teach you how to love better: When you take on the responsibility of caring for and nurturing something or someone, you discover a little bit more about love. This affection goes far beyond the extra credibility you get with the opposite gender when they see you walking your dog through the park. Pets impact your life, your personality, and your entire being. They pull you out of yourself and into a relationship with them, and their dependence on you helps you to see beyond yourself. You find out about sacrifice, about how to be less selfish, and about how to give. Maybe that’s why so many people get pets, then graduate to having children. Pets help you understand what it means to love something other than yourself.
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For Dummies is a registered trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.