Animal Corner - Choosing a pet - 4 March
General
- Spend some time before you get a new pet to carefully
decide on what kind of pet will be the best "fit" for your
family
- Write a "perfect pet list" of all the ideal attributes you
would like in your new pet
Consider
- Size of house and section, is it fully
fenced?
- How much time do you have to care for the cat/dog?
I.e. exercise, grooming, holidays, time away from home.
- How much time would the animal be left on its own if you are
at work (if its most oif the time, don't get a dog!)
- How much money do you have, both for initial purchase and
ongoing feeding, routine and emergency veterinary treatment.
- Are there people with allergies or asthmatics in the
house?
- Do you have small children? Or teenagers that may leave the
pet for Mum to care for when they leave home?
- Do you want a puppy/kitten or an adult dog?
- What breed/size takes your fancy?
Where to find a new pet
- Go to a dog/cat show to look at breeds and talk to the
owners (note they may be a bit biased towards the breed you are
discussing!).
- Discuss it with your veterinarian, they can give advice on
a suitable breed for your family as well as possible health
problems associated with that breed
- Put the word out to friends, vet clinics, catteries and
kennels, animal shelters and dog pounds of the perfect pet you are
after and leave your phoine number for them to call when one comes
in
- Also try breeders, obedience clubs, pet clubs, trade - me,
Trade and exchange, newspapers
What to look for in a healthy pet:
- Get a vet check!!
- Check out the head, ears, eyes, teeth.
- The coat should be shiny, no smell, non-greasy.
- Check for any smells from ears, mouth, skin as may denote a
health problem
- Watch the pet move, there should be no obvious limping or
excessive puffing.
- Run hands down its back to see if there's any
soreness.
- Handle feet , check claws.
- Consider temperament: is it kind, gentle or a bit
unpredictable?
- Most of all do you like the animal and is a good "fit" for
your family?
