So you think you are ready to take that next step and add on to your family…with a furry friend? Pets can be a great source of companionship, but this comes with a huge amount of responsibility. Here are 10 questions you should ask yourself before you adopt a pet!
Depending on what kind of pet you are wanting to adopt, you might need a larger space than just your apartment and balcony. If you are going to be in class for most of the day, does your new pet have a large enough space to play while you are gone?
If you are getting a bigger dog, you are going to want your new friend to have enough space to run, play, and do their business with a backyard area. If you are more of a cat person, you need somewhere to put a litterbox like a guest bathroom or garage to maintain the potential odors that can come with litterboxes.
If you are working or a full-time student, you know how time-consuming class and work can be on top of any other social obligations that you have. Before you adopt a pet, you need to make sure you have enough time to care for and play with your new pal instead of leaving them at home for the majority of the time.
Make sure you have arrangements for potty breaks and playtime during the day as your pet can get lonely if their pet parent is not around much. If you are gone for a lot of the day maybe hit the web and search for local pet daycares for your pet to play at during the day!
This might be a dumb question to ask yourself, but it will help you in making any impulsive decisions. What is making you feel the need to potentially adopt a pet? If you feel that you are responsible enough and ready for this new challenge, then march on down to the animal shelter!
If you need some more time to think about it and consider your options, that is fine too! Maybe try fostering a dog through your local shelter to try it out. You might find that you love it and you might find that you don’t.
Now for the fun part! Are you more of a cat or a dog person? Perhaps a fish or a guinea pig is more your style! Decide on what kind of pet you are wanting to adopt and go from there.
Hop on the internet to see what your new furry friend needs to have a healthy life and what you can do to prepare for their arrival to your home. Before you go to purchase a pet, go to your local shelters to see if there are any that need to be adopted!
If you are in school, chances are that you are making this decision while in college. You need to ask yourself what your plans look like after graduation and how your new pet is going to fit into those plans.
If your plans are a little fuzzy, maybe hold off and wait to visit the animal shelter until you know what happens after graduation. Animals and pets will always be there to adopt; just sort through the logistics on your end first!
If you are away at school, you need to have a plan for the extended breaks such as Winter Break, Spring Break, Thanksgiving, etcetera. If your parents are cool with you coming home with a new friend, then that is perfect!
If you are one for weekend trips with your gal pals during the school year, what arrangements do you have for your pet when you are away? Make sure you have a friend or a roommate that will care for and check on your pet while you are gone!
In short, pets are expensive. First, you might run into an adoption fee and then any medical needs such as spaying and neutering. After this, you need to make sure you have the funds for food, treats, toys, and anything else you want to get to pamper your pooch!
Plan for the unexpected when you welcome a new friend into your home. Sometimes dogs are going to get into something they were not supposed to and this requires a trip to the vet. Fees can get pretty expensive, so make sure you have the budget before you adopt a pet!
Maybe you are considering all of these questions but with your SO. Evaluate your relationship and have that hard conversation about what happens if you are to break up. This new pet is basically going to be your child and you are going to treat it as such.
If something is to happen with the relationship, be prepared with your shared pet knowing what to do! A tip would be to adopt the new pet by yourself so that they are yours no matter what!
If you are living in an apartment, you need to check first on your apartment’s pet policy and if you are going to pay pet rent each month. Some apartments have weight and breed limits so prepare these things first before heading to the shelter.
To our introverts, how is sharing your space going to affect you? Pets love to spread out and make their own little homes where they please. If you are down to have a cuddle buddy in your bed every night, dog hair and all, then we say that are ready!
You are finally ready to take that step in adding to your family. The fun can begin in visiting shelters, meeting animals, and making a fur-ever friend!
As you are adopting your pet, make sure you have a tag on your buddy even chipped so that they can always be returned to you no matter what!
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