Thinking Of Bringing A Pet Home? Read This First

Most parents will, at one time or another be asked by their children if they can have a pet. Or maybe you live alone and would love the companionship of a pet. Did you have a pet when you were growing up and want to recreate those experiences? Whatever the reason, pets are a wonderful addition to almost any household.

But if you are considering bringing home a pet - please consider this. If you "impulse-buy" a new purse you can almost always return it if you decide that it is the wrong size or color. But bringing home a pet to become a member of the family is an entirely different matter.

A pet is a living thing; it bonds with you, and becomes dependent on you. Bringing home a pet should never be a whim of the moment, rather the intent is that the pet you have selected will be for keeps. So consider carefully before you make any decision about a pet.

Selecting your pet should be done over time, and all members of the household should be part of the decision process. Here are some ways to involve everyone in deciding about adding a new pet to the family.

Picking A Pet Step #1: Do Research in Books, Magazines, and the Internet

In order to narrow down the selection process, visit your local library to find out what books or magazines they have on the different kinds of pets. Read the books together. You can pick a nonfiction book which contains all kinds of facts and figures about a prospective pet or a fiction book which tells about someone's experience with a pet.

You can also read about pets on the Internet or purchase a book that you may want to keep. Ask your kids to draw pictures or tell a story which shows what they would be doing with a favorite pet. Maybe you can find a movie at your library about this pet.

Picking A Pet Step #2: Visit Pet Stores, Breeders, and the Humane Society

A visit to one or more pet stores where you and your children can ask all kinds of questions should be a fun outing. Also visit a chapter of an animal humane society or rescue organization. Find out all you can about a prospective pet.

Picking A Pet Step #3: Talk To People Who Already Own The Pet

It's important to talk to people who already own the pet you are considering. A lot of people don't do this step, but wouldn't you get references before hiring a painter or talk to a car owner before buying a car? Ask them about their experiences with the pet. What do they like best about the pet? What do they like least about the pet? Would they get another one? These are good starting questions.

Now you are ready to pick a pet. This is a great adventure and joyous time for your family. Don't be in a rush, pick carefully. Keep in mind that a pet is not a purse. You are signing on for the life span of the animal you select. In the case of a goldfish, that might be no more than a year; while some birds can live up to 50 years or more. There should be no surprises if you've done your homework.

Enjoy every moment with your new pet, don't take them for granted. They will give you so much love and joy.

I hope that you will find these tips to be helpful in your process of selecting a new pet. Check out http://www.HomeHowToGuides.com to find many more tips for making your home safe and comfortable for children, pets, your family, and to help you prepare for a potential disaster.

From Karen Wintress and Home How To Guides

Thinking Of Getting A Pet?

Having an animal in your life can be a rewarding and enriching experience. However, caring properly for an animal involves a considerable and long term commitment. With the scientific improvements in nutrition and veterinary medicine, many dogs and cats live into old age; over 12 years is not uncommon (on average dogs live for up to 15 years and cats up to 18 years). Unfortunately, thousands of animals are destroyed every year as they are given up when their owners can no longer care for them. If you really care about animals, it is worth giving consideration to the common reasons for animals being given up - here are a few other points worth considering before adopting or buying a pet.

Think about how you see your life developing. Do you plan to have children, do you have travel plans, do you intend to move house or emigrate? Any big life change will impact on your pet and may mean you have to give him/her up.

Involve all members of your household in this decision and think carefully about why you want a pet; getting one to keep your children entertained, will end up being a mistake. If you are a student or travel frequently, it is best to wait until your life is more settled before getting taking on an animal.

Pets take time, every day - even if you are working, busy or tired. They require more than food and water and are solely reliant on you for companionship, exercise, stimulation and care throughout their lives. Whilst all pets require time and a regular routine, some types of animals need more than others. All pets are entirely reliant on you to meet all their needs - you can't send them to their room to play a computer game!

If you work full time, it is advisable not to get a dog. Dogs unlike cats experience boredom and loneliness without human companionship. They require a lot of attention and several walks and play time every day and most dogs require regular grooming especially if they are long haired..

If you are not sure if you could provide properly for a dog, a useful exercise is to write down what you would see them doing each hour of each day - i.e. put hours 1 - 24 down on paper and write an activity next to each hour. You will quickly see that even if you are able to provide three hours of walking per day and say 10 hours are for sleeping, this still leaves 11 hours when your dog will be inactive and reliant on you for a game or some activity.

Don't get a dog if you are going to let him vegetate; they are working animals and soon become very frustrated if they are not getting a regular change of scenery, daily exercise and games where they interact with you. In fact, most behavioural and many health problems are triggered when a dog is not getting the exercise and stimulation that he needs and in many cases the solution to a behavioural problem is to regularly tire the dog out with mental and physical exercise.

Cats are more independent than dogs, however most do need company and it is advisable to get two cats if you are out at work all day. Long haired cats require regular grooming.

Rabbits require company, stimulation, grooming and regular cleaning of their accommodation area. Smaller animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, exotics, etc require specialised care and contrary to popular belief, they are not an easy option; even though they are smaller than a dog, they still require a lot of care and attention.

Pets cost money - according to the RSPCA, it costs approximately £700 per year in the UK to keep an average sized dog. Your pet will require a healthy diet, bedding, toys, vaccinations flea & worm treatments, micro-chipping, neutering, and veterinary checks.

Trips to the vet can be expensive and it is advisable to purchase pet insurance. Other costs can include; training classes and grooming and if you are unlucky, you may have to pay out for ruined carpets or furniture, flea infestations and unexpected medical emergencies. Consider who would look after the animal if you cannot take him on holiday with you and remember that any type of boarding will cost you money.

Check that no-one in your house is allergic to animals:- it is one of the biggest reasons that animals have to be given up. The other top reason is not having enough time.

Establish whether you are allowed to have a pet where you live. If you are renting your accommodation, you may find that you are not allowed to have a pet on the property and it is important to know this before you get an animal.

If you are pregnant or intend to have children in the near future, it is advisable to wait until your children are older before getting an animal. Many pets are given up when their owners have children as it is very difficult to maintain the commitment of caring for an animal and at the same time look after a young baby.

Animal rescue centres are excellent places to get an animal from. Most provide helpful after care such as low cost veterinary facilities, behavioural & training classes and grooming. Rescue centres will ensure that the animal is neutered, micro chipped and vaccinated and this is often included in the adoption fee. The adoption fee from an animal rescue centre is normally a fraction of the cost of buying an animal from a pet shop or breeder even though animal rescue centres are usually set up as registered charities and are entirely reliant on donations to keep their services running.

http://www.animalresources.co.uk has further information and useful links related to this subject.