Veterinarian Suggestions for Selecting a Pet
Fido or Fluffy - Which Animal will You Select?
Sep 11, 2009
The loving bond between humans and animals is undeniably strong. Many people grow up with pets as an integral part of their lives. Children in particular can become very attached to their pets. Animals can teach children and adults some valuable life lessons including responsibility, unconditional love, and discipline. Animal experts say owning a pet should be a total family commitment. Choosing and caring for a pet should be done with considerable forethought.
The family of the American President, the Obamas, recently drew international attention to the need for wise pet choices because of their own child’s allergies – not to mention their new puppy’s prerequisite of having to handle paparazzi photographer's flashing cameras. The Vancouver Reynolds family has always had dogs. Doug Reynolds says he appreciates their dogs’ non-judgmental, unconditional love, along with their loyal, welcoming manner - and “they don’t give you attitude.”
It's important to integrate the new member into the family unit. You don’t want to have one family member feeling resentful because they are the “only” one taking the dog for a walk or cleaning out the kitty litter. There can be serious health and safety issues with owning a pet. Snakes can get loose or Easter rabbits can end up being set free to roam wildly in city parks.
Veterinarian Suggestions for Choosing Your Pet
There are a number of important points to consider before you bring a pet into your home, says Veterinarian Jeff Grognet.
- “You need to look at the physical room you have at home – for example: you don’t want to have a Great Dane as a pet if you live in an apartment.
- How much time do you have available for a pet? Dogs need daily walks, but cats don’t. There may not be time to walk your dog if your time is occupied with taking the kids to karate, dance, etc.
- When looking at your animal options, what type of dog or cat would fit with your family? Some will need constant grooming, while some will not need as much care. For example: with some little dogs, there is the expense of grooming every 6 weeks. Long-haired cats will require combing out daily,” added Grognet.
- You will also have to consider the source of your pet. Will you contact a reputable breeder or an SPCA shelter? One option when buying a pet is contacting a local shelter about pet adoption. To find an animal shelter near you, check out the website Pet Finder. Shelters have been known to also have some unusual pets for adoption, in addition to cats and dogs. One shelter recently successfully adopted out Petie the Peacock, Crash the Cockatiel, and Pecker the Rooster (who found new life on a farm). Fostering is another option - that involves caring for animals without the larger commitment of long-term ownership. Many shelters offer fostering programs.
Veterinarian Advice on Animal Care & Training
Now that your family has thought long and hard and finally selected your lovable, new pet – including discounting the addition of a pet monkey, peacock or snake to your happy home – it’s time to put some practical care guidelines and training into action. Veterinarian Jeff Grognet says,
- “you should get everyone in the household involved in how to look after, and how to treat and manage your pet. This is very important for puppy training but also for stability of the pet. Seek out training classes for puppies.
- See your veterinarian to get an assessment of your pet’s health and advice for your animal’s feeding and exercise.
- You should also know pet first aid – which you can learn by taking a class, reading books or searching the internet.”
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association offers many great resources to help make owning pets a positive experience. There is a fun Kid’s Corner web section with interactive online puzzles, jokes, riddles and articles. You can also “ask an online animal expert” or read one of 116 FAQs (frequently asked questions) – for example: “What can I do about my dog’s bad breath? Or - Is chocolate toxic to my pets?” You can even post a lost animal listing or send a “love letter” about why you love your pet. The American Veterinary Medical Association also provides valuable animal information.
Veterinarians across Canada and the U.S. promote animal health and responsible animal ownership as part of Animal Health Week. Each year during the first week of October in Canada and in May in the U.S. Many vet clinics host open houses, photo contests, clinic tours and more. Some veterinarians will also visit school children to talk about animal health care.
Animal’s needs can be quite basic: food, shelter, water and space, but it sure helps to also add some loving extras like cuddles and exercise – just like our human requirements.
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