But these rewards only come to those who adopt responsibly.
Many of us underestimate the time, energy, and money
required to care for a pet. This is the primary reason
6-8
million cats and dogs are turned into shelters every
year. Even sadder is the fact that 4-5 million of those
turned in are euthanized because there is simply not
enough room at the shelters for them all (go here for
more on the overpopulation crisis).
When you adopt a pet responsibly, you are making a commitment
to care for the pet for his entire lifetime -which in
many cases is 15 years or more. It is impossible to
make this kind of commitment without taking time to
carefully evaluate your situation.
Some important questions to consider are:
Are you ready to make the commitment to work through
any behavior or health problems that may arise with
your pet and/or changes in your own circumstances?
To get an idea how long a pet's lifetime may be, consider
how old you will be 15 years from now.
How many times do you think you might move in the
next 15 years? Are you willing to move your pet too,
and restrict your choice of housing to places where
pets are allowed even though this may take more time
and be more expensive?
What major life changes might happen in the next
15 years? Marriage? Children?
Are you allowed to have a pet where you live?
Can you afford a pet at this time? A routine annual
vet visit can cost several hundred dollars and if
a medical problem develops the vet bill can be many
times that.
Do you have small children? Having young children
imposes some restrictions on the kind of pet that
is suitable for a family. Very young animals are particularly
vulnerable to being pulled at, dropped, or picked
up inappropriately. A responsible adult should always
be present to supervise children under six no matter
what the age of the animal to ensure the safety of
the children and the pet.
Are you sure no one in your family has allergies?
If you are unsure about your children, have them spend
time (several hours minimum) in a home with pets.
Do you know how to care for the pet you have in
mind? Are you willing to take the time to read about
the needs of the pet you want before you adopt? If
not, this is a good indication that now is not the
time for you to adopt.
Do you have the time to care for a pet? Do you travel
frequently? Is your family always on the go? Besides
food and exercise, pets require companionship, attention,
and love. All dogs require basic obedience training.
No matter how many people are in your family, it's
important that one person, an adult, take responsibility
for the pet to make sure the animal's needs are not
overlooked.
Is your family ready for the changes a new pet will
bring to your household?
Are you free of any physical limitations or health
problems that would interfere with your ability to
care for a pet?
After examining your family's situation, you may decide
that you are not ready or unable to commit to a lifetime
of care for a pet. Congratulations on your honest self-evaluation.
There are still many ways that you and your family can
enjoy the companionship of animals responsibly. Westchester's
and Putnam's animal organizations offer a wealth of
volunteer opportunities. Go
here to explore the possibilities.
2
Determine the right pet for you and your family
Once you have confirmed that you are able to make the
commitment to care for a pet for his entire lifetime
(possibly 15 years or more), you are ready to determine
the right pet for you and your family. Lifestyle and
personality (yours and the animal you are considering
adopting) are the two critical factors to take into
account when choosing the perfect pet. For example,
a busy family may adopt a puppy with the best of intentions
only to discover later that they do not have the time
to devote to the basic training all dogs (especially
puppies) need. In a few short months the adorable bundle
of fur has become hard to handle and is banished to
the backyard (an especially cruel fate for dogs--go
here to find out why). Although it is never too
late for guardians to accept their responsibility and
take obedience classes, how much better for them and
the puppy they adopt if they take the time to determine
an appropriate pet for their family before bringing
one home. Read the article Life
and Death of an Untrained Dog.
Determining the right pet for you and your family will
require two actions: learning about the needs and characteristics
of the animals you are considering adopting and completing
an evaluation of your own situation and personality.
First, learn about the needs and characteristics of
the animal you are considering adopting. Now is the
time to keep an open mind and explore your options.
Ask yourself:
Does the species of animal you are considering
enjoy human contact?
Does keeping this animal as a pet teach your children
to respect life and the environment?
What size animal can your living space comfortably
accommodate?
What are the special considerations of adopting
a puppy or a kitten?
If you are thinking about adopting a dog, are you
familiar with the characteristics of different breeds?
What about the length of fur and special grooming
needs of specific breeds? Breed
rescue organizations are a good resource for knowledgeable
advice about particular breeds. What advantages
are there to adopting a mixed breed? (don't overlook
mixed breed pets as they tend to combine the appealing
traits of their ancestors and to be longer-lived and
healthier than purebreds)
What will it cost to provide a quality diet, a secure
and comfortable environment, training, grooming, and
professional health care for the animal you want to
adopt?
How much time will be required to provide care and
companionship, attention and love for the animal you
want to adopt?
Then take a look at your personality and situation:
Do you have the time to care for the animal you
want to adopt? Have you taken into account the time
it will take to house train and obedience train a
puppy vs. adopting an older dog? Dogs, cats, and other
animal companions cannot be ignored just because you
are tired or busy.
Do you have small children? If you have small children
there are special considerations when adopting a pet.
Very young animals are particularly vulnerable to
being pulled at, dropped, or picked up inappropriately.
A responsible adult should always be present to supervise
children under six no matter what the age of the animal.
Can you afford this pet?
Is your personality conducive to caring for a pet
and in particular the animal you have in mind? Are
you reliable? Do you often feel stressed out? Are
you a 'neat freak'? Are you flexible? Patient?
Do you travel frequently? Is your family always
on the go? Will it be difficult for you to find quality
care for your pet when you are away?
Will you educate yourself through books, training
classes, etc. so that you will be able to understand
your pet's behavior and respond appropriately?
Determining whether you are able to provide quality
care and companionship to the animal you want to adopt
is really what adopting the perfect pet is all about.
Taking time to answer the above questions before adopting
will ensure a happy ending for you and the animal you
want to bring home. See dog
adopter's pledge and 10
tips for a happy cat
3
Accept the Responsibility
Are you and your family ready to become responsible
pet guardians? Step 1 required making the commitment
to provide a lifetime of care (no matter what!). Step
2 involved completing a careful review of personal circumstances
and educating yourself about the the particular animal
you want to adopt in order to choose a pet wisely. If
after completing these two steps the answer is a loud
and definite yes to responsible guardianship, you and
your family can begin to work out the details:
Who will be your vet? Do you need diet recommendations?
What is the vaccination schedule? (It is a good idea
to schedule a vet appointment before or soon after
bringing a new pet home.)
Have you arranged for basic obedience training if
you are adopting a dog? Which family members will
participate in the training?
What is the feeding schedule for the pet you want
to adopt? Who will be responsible for feeding?
Who will be responsible for walking your pet? Who
will be responsible for ensuring that your pet receives
daily doses of love and attention? Cleaning the cage?
Cleaning the litter box? Bathing and grooming? Who
will perform these responsibilities when the designated
person is away or unable to do so for some reason?
Working out these details now will help smooth the
transition for the your pet and your family.
4
Locate the Perfect Pet
Where can you find a large selection of adoptable pets
in all breeds, ages, and personalities? Westchester
and Putnam Co. have over 20
nonprofit organizations dedicated to finding homes
for perfect pets with responsible pet guardians. Adoption
counselors from these organizations have experience
pairing individuals and families with well-matched pets.
Their motivation is not financial gain but to place
pets in appropriate homes to ensure a happy ending for
both the animals and the families they adopt to.
Veterinarians warn people against purchasing puppies
at pet
stores and through classified ads because many sell
puppies that come from puppy
mills or inexperienced backyard-hobby breeders.
Breeding practices at puppy mills and unprofessional
breeders doom many of these animals to hereditary afflictions
and disease. If you are considering buying a dog from
a breeder it is important that you to select a reputable
breeder so that you avoid future problems. Go here to
learn ...more.
Breed
rescue organizations are a good resource for knowledgeable
advice about particular breeds and adoptable pets.
Most people aren't aware that purebred dogs and cats
make up 20 to 25 percent of the pets under the care
of Westchester and Putnam's animal welfare organizations
and that these animals and the many wonderful mixed
breeds available for adoption have already been vaccinated
and evaluated. Their health and temperament are already
known and most are house trained. Some of Westchester
and Putnam shelters and organizations even include
obedience training with their adoptions fees! The great
majority of these animals will make great pets and are
in the shelter through no fault of their own. Maybe
their family was moving, or thought since they had grown
up they were no longer cute or just didn't bother to
look for them when they got lost. Sadly, most of the
animals in Westchester and Putnam shelters are there
because their families refused to live up to their responsibility
to them. Won't you give them the second chance they
deserve?
