Adopting a pet is one of the most rewarding decisions in life and the first thing to consider is which pet is right for you; or rather, which pet you are right for. The following 8 point guide is designed to help you land at a winner that will easily integrate into your lifestyle and maximize the happiness factor for everyone!
It’s time to think about time...
Determining how much time you are able to give to your new family member will help narrow down which one is right for you. Dogs are going to be the highest maintenance of the bunch, then cats, and then your smaller friends like rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils. However, even the tiny ones will still require attention so make sure that whoever ends up coming home will get fresh food, water, cleaning, and plenty of love from you every single day. Birds may not need as much in terms of time but they are fairly high maintenance, and reptiles are a whole other ball game because a lot of them require specific temperature conditions along with feeding on LIVE animals! It’s not for everybody, but if you are into that sort of thing there are some great resources like Wide Open Pets & Reptile. Guide.
Let’s get down to the brass-tacks
If you don’t currently operate within a budget, create one and then see if you are able to bring a pet into the mix without going over. In this case, size definitely does matter because the rule of thumb is: the bigger the pet, the more money their lifestyle costs. Dogs and cats have a more demanding budget because of the amount of food, their home necessities (crates/beds/toys), vet visits, flea protection, grooming, and insurance. The smaller creatures will require much less; although there is always the incidental situation so you want to build a cushion into your budget regardless of which one makes it into the family.
Till death do you part
No seriously though, how long are you willing to commit to this being? Cats may live to be in their 20s and dogs might make it to 15. Again, the folks in the gerbil family live much shorter but rabbits live anywhere from nine to 12 years. Birds have a very wide range of survival time with parakeets living anywhere between eight and 12 years old, parrots can live up to 80! This is why you may have heard of parrots who outlive their owners. Snakes live anywhere from 10 to 18 years, depending on the breed and living conditions.
Your lifestyle matters
Do you have wanderlust? Do you treat your city like an unexplored jungle or are you more of a homebody? If you travel a fair amount, it’s wise to factor in boarding costs like pet hotels because they can significantly add up. Just as well, if you don’t spend much time at home because of work or personal life it may be a good idea to look into pet daycare if you are truly set on bringing one into your life. Although some are lowkey and don’t require much attention, it’s important to think about their quality of life. From the basics to water, food, and a clean environment to the more seemingly novel aspects of walks/playtime making an informed decision will set you both up for happiness.
Roommates
Another key point to consider is the current household dynamic. Who already lives there and would it be a good idea to add an animal into the mix? We’ve all heard horror stories of aggressive dogs and unfortunate accidents with toddlers. Or, sometimes an overactive child who misunderstands their strength and suddenly Freddy the hamster is no longer with us…
Future projections
As humans, we crave change, and animals are not necessarily wired that way. It might be a good idea to think about how you envision any living changes like a new house or family expansion before rushing to bring in a super boisterous dog or an anxious cat. You are their caretaker and their entire world so keeping that at the forefront will help guide your decision making with other factors.
Consult the experts
There are some shelters with adoption coordinators who help narrow down your choices based on your lifestyle and housing. From personality, temperament, energy levels, and even with how clean you’d like your home.
Adoption is all the rage
It’s become increasingly clear how buying dogs and cats from the store is not necessarily the greatest idea given how many animals need loving homes. However, the small animal retail industry has been investigated to reveal how cruel it is! This undercover piece by thedodo.com shows how the breeders supply large chain stores like Petco and PetSmart with these little guys. You can adopt more than just cats and dogs nowadays; most shelters offer hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, birds, and even reptiles.
The bottom line is that with a little bit of time and research you can be on your way to new pet parenthood. We hope this guide has been helpful on your journey and be sure to follow along on our Instagram @Petlox for more!