Hooray! So, you've finally decided to get a pet. No wonder! Falling in love with a pet is so easy! All pets give us unconditional love, loyalty, and companionship. They are the greatest joy of our lives and stress busters after a rough day. We get heart-melting cuddles from them too. Let me tell you, some of the greatest memories in your life will eventually include little special moments for your beloved pet.
So, you’ve probably tried hard to convince your family that now you’re ready. You may have finalized the pet as well. But wait! Are you prepared to get your pet? Although you are ready to love a pet with your heart out, you should contemplate some key factors like money, enough time, and space for the new member. Caring for an animal is a great commitment from the beginning till the very end – in many cases, as long as 20 years. So, let's get you ready to bring your new furry friend home. Here is a glance at 15 factors that you should consider before making this important decision.
1. Self-introspection
Firstly, ask yourself why you want to get a pet. Even if the question is simple, so many people fail to answer it. So, don’t take this decision on an impulse. With all the adorable fur babies in need of homes, and you are tempted to adopt them as you feel its love at first sight, put a lot of thought into it. Are you sure you have the required time and energy to look after your pet for its whole life? We recommend doing extra thinking if you have even the slightest doubt about this. If you are ready to commit to your pet, plan accordingly. Also, be proud of yourself because you are giving a pet a much-required home!
2. Responsible pet owner
Will you own up to your responsibility as a pet parent? This not only comprises following society rules (leash and licensing) and putting tags with all the necessary details, but also taking responsibility in the community, and providing safety for your pet at home. You can’t forget about loving your pet, giving them exercise and good quality food as well as taking care of them by providing essential veterinary and other services. However, once you start loving and caring for your friend, you won’t feel this as a burden.
3. Family
Before getting your furry buddy home, be sure that you and your family are on the same page. Your pet is going to be a part of the family for a long period. Consult your family members beforehand and check how they feel about it. Moreover, as a family, can you commit to your pet? Are you ready for the changes the pet will bring to your lifestyle? That means waking up early, multiple walks in a day, and so on. So, make sure that the whole family agrees with the same. Ensure everyone in the family knows their role in the care of your pet. The roles may include feeding the pet, cleaning after it, ensuring daily exercise, etc. If you stay alone, make sure you are ready to handle everything on your own.
4. Suitable pet for your family and lifestyle
Before getting a pet, think about the characteristics you are looking for in a pet that will suit your lifestyle. You need to see how it will fit perfectly into your life. For example,
- If you are an outdoor enthusiast and want to take your furry bud with you, then search for a pet that will be taken outdoors to do activities with you.
- If you are staying in a small space, go for a small breed of dog or a cat or a smaller animal like a hamsters, etc., it might be easier to live with.
- Are you working the whole day away from home? Some pets show separation anxiety, particularly those who were abandoned by previous owners. So, take note of that.
- If you are alone and like less work as well as quiet time, a cat will be a perfect companion for you, as it will be very independent.
- If you already have a pet, make sure that it will be comfortable with the new one.
Always consult a veterinarian in advance. The vet will be a reliable source to guide you in choosing the most suitable pet. Now let’s look at a few points to consider before choosing a new pet:
• Energy Level (puppies have more energy than adult dogs)
• Size when fully grown
• Temperament of the pet (breed and species-wise)
• Relating to other animals and children
• Noise level of the pet
• Allergies (check if anyone at home has allergies to pet hair)
• The time you can spend with your pet (some pets are high maintenance)
Keep this in your mind, that the right pet is worth waiting for. If the ideal pet doesn’t come along, please don’t be disheartened. Keep searching till you find one.
5. Looking into all the present options
Before deciding on a pet, look for all the options. It can be a cat, a dog, or any other animal that is allowed as a pet in your country. This includes small animals like mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, or exotic animals like birds and reptiles as well. Make sure that you find a reliable person to guide you properly through this.
People usually go after puppies or kittens, but please don’t oversee older animals in need. Adult or senior furry friends are often looking for a home too. They are great companions. In fact, senior pets are as affectionate and loyal as young animals. They are usually easier to care for as they’ve already been through puppy-like behaviours like chewing everything or potty mishaps. A huge advantage of getting an adult pet is that you know precisely what you’re getting. It has already attained its maximum size and weight and has developed a personality. Also, we want to burst the misconception that adult animals are not trainable. Yes, they are! It might take some extra effort and time, but they will learn new things or a few new tricks for that matter.
Remember, this relationship will be for the pet’s whole life, which will grow from the first meeting into a loving connection. We advise you to take some time out in advance to meet your pet. By spending time with them, you can see if they are compatible with you as well.
6. Adjustment of your daily routine
Ask yourself if you have enough time for a pet. The amount of time and effort required is different for different animals, but all these babies need consistent care and companionship, every day for the rest of their life. Just because you're occupied or exhausted, you can’t ignore your companions. To manage time, it’s an amazing idea to prepare a schedule for everyone in the house of their allotted roles about the new pet. That will include walking, giving food and water, playing, and so on.
7. Permission from the property owner
Are pets allowed where you live? If you’re staying in a rental, get permission from your homeowner in advance to take in your pet. Several rental societies don't allow pets. Also, take note that sometimes even pet-friendly rentals have restrictions on species, breed, or size. Before bringing your fur companion home, ensure that you know all the rules and restrictions. Some communities allow pets, but they take the additional costs like pet damage or monthly rent.
8. Available space at your home
Incredible! Now we are very close to bringing your four-legged friend home. So, think about whether your current home can fit a pet suitably. See if there is enough room for the pet according to its size and requirements. While for small breeds of dogs, cats, and exotic animals (birds and reptiles) apartments will be sufficient, large breed dogs require more room to move around. Ensure enough space for their exercise too. Another important aspect is that they will be in a completely foreign place, so it’s advisable to provide their own area at your home.
9. Capacity to spend
The most challenging part of getting a pet is expenses. Be prepared for significant investment in your furry friends. Pets require special food as they can’t eat most of our food. Similarly, they have special needs like vaccinations, medication, neutering, grooming, training, licenses, etc., which can add up swiftly. A visit to the vet regularly is inevitable too. All these expenses will be an addition to one’s current ongoing expenditure. So, you have to plan your budget accordingly.
You can adopt your pet from a shelter, which will help you to some extent with the expenditures. Most often, pets that are up for adoption are neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Moreover, in major cities, getting your pet insured is also one of the options available nowadays. Finally, you have to be 100% optimistic that you can pay for all the expenses to take good care of your pet.
10. Pet-loving society
Your pets may have fur, scales, or feathers, but they are going to be an integral part of your family. This means their safety and well-being are extremely important as far as the neighbourhood is concerned. Also, did you know that socialization is very crucial for pets? Your pet will get all the affection from you, but, ultimately, it will have to socialize with other pets and people in your area. Which requires a pet-friendly environment around you. Or else, it can cause physical and mental stress. The last thing you want to hear is complaints from neighbours about your pet.
11. Expert Assistance
You should ensure that all the facilities needed by your pet are within your reach. Let it be a vet, a groomer, or a trainer. Although online services are available today, in case of an emergency, you require a few important services nearby. The first thing you must do is make an appointment with a vet. Choosing a vet is like choosing your doctor. Since all vets are not the same, consider what type of experience you desire for you and your pet. If a big well-known vet clinic is what you wish, it might be easy to get access, but you might not form a personal connection with the vet. Contradictory to this, you might make that connection with a vet, from a smaller clinic. As it is a lifelong relationship, the choice you make is crucial.
12. Getting used to the ick aspects
Are you ready to handle the unavoidable oops moments of your adorable pet? If you ask any pet parent: vomit or poop happens. Also, you have to deal with scratched furniture, accidents from untrained pets, ticks, and whatnot. From picking up the poo to cleaning up accidents, it’s crucial to get comfortable with all the excretions and secretions of your beloved pet. You can concentrate on all the amazing moments of having a pet, which will make the cleaning part worth it.
Also, don’t forget about the hair part. The attire that you are planning to wear will certainly be covered in hair, even though you have a non-shedding pet. Here comes the lint roller to the rescue. Just clean the hair with it and embrace your T-shirt saying “Pet hair, don’t care” as a proud pet parent.
13. Pet-safe home
Prepare your house for the arrival of your new furry friend by making it pet-friendly. Ask yourself if you have the right atmosphere, where your pet will be safe. Especially if you are living in a high-rise building, take precautions to make your home safe for pets. Include all the safety measures to prevent your pet from falling.
Keep this as your priority to check your home as well as yard thoroughly and find out which things could be toxic to your pet, like food or plants, etc. Consumption of such things could be extremely hazardous to them. Thus, either discard them or put them away in the areas where your pet won’t have access. Choose and block such areas of your home from where you want them to stay away, as they sometimes do notorious things like chewing or swallowing anything. Those places can be introduced to them once they settle down or get trained.
14. Give time to adjust
Remember, you need to be very patient with the process. For your new pet, everything is new. It will take some time to settle down. Also, did you know puppies cry in their new home for a few days? Yes, they cry during the night just like human babies. So, to make your pet more comfortable, you can provide a quiet personal space in your home. Where the pet will feel safe. The same goes for the adult or senior pet. It’s a little bit easier for cats, as they are more independent. However, it gets complicated when you already have a pet at home, and you are introducing a new one. Please make sure that you give both pets time to adjust to each other. Don’t forget to give yourself some time to adjust to your pet too.
15. Need of Self-Education
This is the last but most important step as it will help you throughout all the life stages of your pet. At times, no one but you has to handle your pet’s situation on your own without panicking, which may be temporary till you contact an expert. Take an instance where your pet gets injured. You should at least know about first aid till you can get to your vet. So, constantly be ready to read articles and research on pets. Read... learn... use…
So, there you go. Now you know which things you should consider before getting a new friend. Since this list was extensive and descriptive, bookmark this page and come back to it whenever you are in need.