Looking for a new Pet?

Please note all information found on my Did You Know pages are from my own research and experiences, if you are concerned about your pets health and wellbeing, Please seek Professional help from your Veterinarian, Behaviourist or Trainer.

Looking for a new pet?

Over the years working in pet shops, I have heard many reasons why people want to buy a new pet.

Some of my favourite are;


” oh look their so cute”
“I want to buy my young child a hamster because they are so cute”
“oh they are so cool ”
“my 6 year old has really wanted a pet for the past few months”
“my dog/ cat is lonely I think they need a friend”

 

Unfortunately, many people do not fully understand the impact of having another living breathing baby to look after and care for.

Before considering bringing a new pet into the family, please consider the following;

 


Do you have time for them? Be honest....


Handling and exercise every day, from hamsters to dogs, cats.
Dogs need training, so do you have time to take them to socialisation / training classes?
Most animals need at least 1 hours exercise a day.


What will you do when your child gets bored or loses interest in them?


Children do get bored or lose interest in them, especially as some animals tend to be less active when they are older, or maybe they have bitten your child so now they are scared of their new pet, do you as a parent have time to take them on and fulfill the pet's needs?


Lifespan of the pet you are looking for

As sad as it is pets unfortunately don’t live forever, I wish they did. Are you prepared for them to only live for the following;
Syrian hamster 1-2 years
Gerbils 3-5 years
Rabbits 10-12 years
Guinea pigs 8-10 years
Cats 15-20 years
Dogs average 15 years
Reptiles can life up to 20 years
Tortoises can live over 100 years
So you need to ask yourself will you be able to give your new pet everything they will need for their whole life.

 

Money


It's not just time pets take up but also money, pets can be expensive not just for their housing but on a weekly, monthly basis too, monthly you will need to buy, food, bedding, toys but also vaccination’s, vet visits etc.
So when you write down your monthly budget do you have spare money that you can 
use for your new pet.

 


Does your new pet need a friend

When looking at adding a friend be it a puppy, kitten, rabbit, guinea pig, please think about the following:
What will you do if they don’t get on?
Are you willing to house small animals separately for a slow introduction with the possibility they wont get on?
 Do they really need a friend?
Can you afford a second pet?

 


Buying or Rescue?

There are lots of animals in rescues please where possible, I would always encourage you to rescue rather than buy. When you rescue an animal, you get support from the rescue who have worked with these animals all day , every day and they will be happy  to give you help and advice.


I always advise people to think twice and do lots of research about the animal you are thinking about, speak to people who own them, use the internet, read books, get as much information as you can BEFORE you make a decision so that you can make an informed decision.


If you decide to go ahead and get a new animal to share your home, why not pop along to Pooch and Pets online store for all of your pet supply needs.