Advice for prospective pet owners
Our sister charity, Animal Concern Advice Line, regularly deals with the question: “Can you tell me where I can get a puppy or a kitten?”
What follows is usually a lengthy and involved conversation about whether the caller has really considered all the necessary implications of caring for an animal. So, we’ve decided to put this advice down in writing for anyone thinking they might want a pet of their own.
They’re not accessories, they’re family members
A helpful place to start is not to consider the animal “a pet”, but rather a “companion animal”. This is the term used by most animal welfare professionals, and it better captures the commitment that you’re taking on.
This cat or dog will be a companion in your home, living with you, dependent on you for sustenance, comfort, wellbeing and like any other family member – love.
The same logic needs to be applied if you’re thinking of giving the animal to someone else. You should be absolutely certain that the giftee is able to commit to properly caring for this companion animal for its whole anticipated lifespan.
ADOPT DON’T SHOP
Before we go any further, we would urge you to ADOPT NOT SHOP. There are a heart-breaking number of cats and dogs who have been abused and abandoned by their former owners all over the world.
The shelters that keep them do all they can, but they are no substitute for a home and loving family. Especially with times as they are, rescue centres are overwhelmed and in desperate need of forever families. Use Google to get yourself acquainted with the rescue centres local to you, many of which list their available animals on their websites. See below for a link to The Kennel Club website with its directory of rescue centres.
Five questions to ask yourself before deciding to get a pet
Whether you adopt or choose to buy, there are five initial questions you need to ask yourself:
1. Do you, or the person you want to buy the animal for, really want to care for an animal living in your home for their likely lifetime? If it’s a puppy or kitten, this could be anywhere between 12 and 20 years.
2. Is your household right for animals? Does your landlord allow that? Who else do you live with? Are they aware of the commitment level, the change in house and relationship dynamic that introducing a new family member will bring? Is it secure? If getting a dog and you don’t have a garden, will you be able to walk them several times a day to let them go to the loo, come rain or shine? (Remember to always pick up their leavings and dispose of it in an appropriate bin.)
3. Do you have the time to properly care for another living being? Different animals require different levels of attention, but they all need you to spend some time with them providing stimulation and affection. In particular, dogs will need at least one good walk a day of more than an hour sometimes if they’re high energy – that’s every single day without fail unless it’s not safe for them such as during a heatwave. In every plan you make, you must consider what the animal will be doing and who will be looking after it.
4. Can you afford it? Rescuing animals can cost hundreds of pounds in fees (plus any donation you might like to make to the rescue centre). From a breeder, puppies can easily cost thousands. There’s vaccinations, worming, flea/tick treatments, neutering plus taking on any ongoing medications for chronic conditions. Pet insurance, too. Food, a bed, treats, toys, clothing (thin-coated animals who spend time outdoors will need this). It all adds up.
5. How much do you value your home fittings and furniture? All animals make mess and have accidents, no matter how well trained they are. Some may scratch and chew especially if left unsupervised, sometimes causing significant damage, which home insurance does not cover!
Not only do you have to think about your moral responsibility, there’s also legal duty of care to consider. And if you fail to provide proper care for your companion animal, there could be criminal charges involving fines and/or jailtime.
Breeders
If you must buy from a breeder, make sure you always avoid:
Puppy farms or dealers
Breeders offering multiple breeds
Breeders with no contact details other than a mobile phone
Breeders who offer to deliver an animal to you. You must go yourself, make sure you can see the puppy’s mother and that the conditions are clean and sociable, and make a judgement yourself
See below for a breakdown of the evil of puppy farming as well as a list of Kennel Club assured breeders, which we would urge you to stick to.
No matter where you get the animal from, you need to take it to the vet for a full check-up.
Other animals
For smaller or “exotic” animals, you should ask yourself most of the same questions as above and adapt them to the kind of animal you’re looking at and its natural behaviours. Again, adopt don’t shop by preference and no matter what ensure you get them from somewhere reputable and take them to a vet as soon as possible for a full check-up.
Animals like parrots, primates, amphibians and reptiles can be taken from the wild and, for every one you see for sale, 10, 20 or 100 will have died during capture and transport – so it’s even more important to do your homework if you’re thinking about a more obscure potentially non-native species.