3 Things to Consider Before Adopting a Dog or Cat
Adopting an animal can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. In exchange for providing food, love, and some basic supplies, you will receive unconditional love, affection, and loyalty that only a dog or cat can provide.
However, adopting an animal is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Your new pet’s potential lifespan, commitment needs, and his expectations of you should all be taken into consideration before you make this life-changing choice.
Here are three things you should consider before adopting a dog or cat:
1. A dog or cat can live for up to twenty years
Making the decision to adopt a dog or cat is a completely different animal (pardon the pun) than adopting a goldfish or a parakeet. When properly cared for, some species of dogs and cats can live for up to 20 years. Put in financial terms, this is longer than the amount of time it will take some people to pay off a new car.
If you are not ready to make a full-time commitment for the next 20 years, you are not ready to adopt a dog or cat.
2. A dog or cat is both a commitment of both your time and your money
All dogs and cats require basic necessities such as food, water, and a place to go potty. Most pet owners also make purchases such as treats, toys, and other fun enrichment items.
These are all costs that most potential pet owners take into account, but what many of them forget about is medical expenses. Like humans, dogs and cats get sick, have accidents, and require yearly medical checkups. Vet bills can add up and get out of control quickly. Responsible pet owners anticipate these medical expenses and plan accordingly.
Animals are also a huge time commitment. Life without pets means that you have the option to pack up immediately and go on vacation, or that you can spend 12 hours at work and the company happy hour. With a pet, going on vacation means making the proper arrangements for boarding or a sitter, and sometimes saying no to the work happy hour because your pet has been home all day.
Owning a dog or cat means occasionally saying no to things or experiences that you may have been able to enjoy without a pet. You should be prepared to do this before adopting an animal.
3. A dog or cat will love you forever, and expects you to do the same
Despite the minor inconveniences listed above, owning a cat or dog is one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have in your life. They will entertain you with their antics, give you kisses when you get home, and will always be there to help you feel better when you are down.
You may have several dogs and cats throughout your life. But to your pet, you are their pack leader, their family, and their best friend. One of the most heartbreaking things we see in rescue is pets who have been loved by the same family for years, and then suddenly dropped in a shelter without understanding where their family is and why they left.
Just as your pet gives you unconditional and forever love, he assumes that you will do the same. Adopting a dog or cat means making a promise to him that he has found his forever home, not a temporary place to crash for a few years.
If adopting a dog or cat includes the possibility of relinquishing him to a shelter or finding a friend to take care of him in a few years, you should not adopt a pet.
If you are willing to make a full-time commitment of your time and money for the next two decades in exchange for one of the best friendships you will ever know, then congratulations, adopting a pet may be for you! Millions of people throughout the US own cats and dogs who become beloved, irreplaceable members of the family.
If you are ready to receive the type of love and loyalty that only pet owners know, view DREAM’s animals available for adoption.
Have a great day!
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