I’d like to get a pet. What are some important things I should keep in mind to make sure that I’m making a good, responsible choice that sets up me and my pet for success?
Each year, over half a million animals in shelters in the United States are euthanized. Many of these animals are ones that were adopted and then ultimately relinquished because their owners realized that bringing a pet home was not the right decision.
Pet ownership can be very rewarding and has a number of mental and physical health benefits. However, it is also a commitment that costs time and money. Many people underestimate what goes into caring for an animal; pets need to be fed and given water, and they need exercise and interaction. They might also need medical care, and some pets need more than others.
Here are some of the biggest mistakes I see people make when getting a new pet.
Adopting an older animal to reduce the need for training
People sometimes choose to adopt an adult animal because they’d like a pet that has already been housebroken. They may also think that they can avoid classic puppy and kitten behavior such as chewing, scratching and house soiling — which isn’t only inconvenient but can cost you some money if your rugs, furniture or curtains get ruined.
However, adult animals are often relinquished to shelters because of behavioral problems, including house soiling and destructive behavior. Older animals, especially those considered senior (over the age of 10 years for cats and in the last 25 percent of a dog’s lifespan, which varies with breed), are also more likely to have health issues that make them more challenging and costly to care for. In many cases such pets do much better under the care of a person who has the time and experience needed to administer medications and monitor their health at home.
Regardless of your potential new pet’s age, you should be prepared for training. Don’t expect them to be perfectly well-behaved from day one. Even pets that have been trained well and housebroken could behave differently when brought into a new environment.
Overlooking signs of illness at the time of adoption
Many animals in shelters and rescues develop infectious respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal illness — even when such facilities are well-managed — because they are stressed (which suppresses their immune system) and in close proximity to one another. Animals can also already be infected when they enter the shelter.
Signs of infectious respiratory illness include thick discharge from the eyes and nose; dogs often cough whereas cats tend to sneeze. Signs of skin disease include patchy hair loss, dandruff and persistent scratching. In many cases, these get better after adoption, even without any treatment. However, sometimes these conditions are chronic (such as skin allergies in dogs or nasal discharge in cats) and cost owners thousands of dollars in veterinary bills over the course of the animal’s lifetime. Some conditions, like distemper in dogs, can also shorten a pet’s lifespan.
Puppies and kittens purchased from breeders often have intestinal worms and other parasites that they pick up from the environment or their mother — which may not make them visibly sick at first but require treatment to clear (my last puppy had explosive diarrhea that was full of worms when I brought her home). Even though they might have received some vaccines at the breeder, they’re not properly protected from certain life-threatening viral diseases (like parvovirus and distemper) until at least a week after their final vaccine in the puppy or kitten series (typically after 16 to 18 weeks of age).
So whether you get a pet from a shelter, rescue or breeder, look for one that is interactive, responsive to voice and wants to be petted; is in good body condition; has a full coat of hair; has no discharge from its ears, eyes and nose; has no lumps or bumps on its body; and has no fecal staining around its rear end. Watch it walk, run, play, eat, drink, urinate and defecate before you take it home with you.
Look for well-run operations that are clean and not overcrowded. Look at all the animals to see whether they have signs of illness: If most of them are thin, coughing, have runny noses or have diarrhea, be prepared for some nursing after adoption.
Assuming buying from a breeder will ensure good health
Purebred animals are actually more likely to have genetic problems than mixed breeds because of inbreeding practices used to select certain appearances or behavioral traits. Just this month, I saw a French bulldog that was urinating out of its anus because of an abnormal connection between its bladder and rectum (and this is not the first French bulldog we’ve seen with this problem).
Although the runt of the litter might be the cutest and most docile, it’s best to pick the most robust and interactive puppy or kitten; the smallest in the litter is more likely to have genetic problems such as a heart defect, an abnormal vessel that causes blood to bypass the liver (called a liver shunt) or something else that stunted its growth. Look for a litter that’s big enough to give you some choice.
If you’re purchasing a dog, find out if the breeder participates in Orthopedic Foundation for Animals health screenings and certification. This means that certain tests (like hip X-rays, eye examinations or scans for a heart murmur) are performed, depending on the breed, to reduce the chance that you’ll purchase a dog with genetic problems.
Consider purchasing pet health insurance at the time of adoption, as most insurance companies won’t cover preexisting conditions. And take your new pet to a vet as soon as possible to have it examined and for advice.
Not accounting for a breed’s temperament or health problems
Purchasing a puppy or kitten from a breeder has advantages if you’re looking for a specific breed. It also gives you the opportunity to train and socialize your pet at an early age, which can minimize behavior problems later in life. But many people decide they want a specific breed without fully understanding what that breed needs.
For example, some breeds need a lot of exercise or have dominant personalities that might not be a good match for your lifestyle. Large breed dogs like Great Danes and Newfoundlands might be eye-catching, but they also pee and poop a lot more than smaller dogs, can be costly to feed and have expensive medical bills. Other breeds are prone to specific genetic problems, such as flat-faced breeds.
If you have a specific breed in mind, read about its temperament and common diseases in advance. If you already have a relationship with a veterinarian, ask them about the breed, too. Be open to other options if these don’t seem like a good fit.
If possible, ask whether you can meet the parents of a potential new puppy. Spending time to find the right pet for your lifestyle — a toy breed that fits under an airplane seat or a Labrador that needs to run and swim (like my dog Lucy) — will save you much time and emotion in the long run, as well as optimizing the joy that animal ownership can bring.
Of course, if you have the time and money required for behavior training and medical care and you’re prepared to adopt a pet that might not live very long — please — be the person to take in an animal that is elderly or has health issues. They deserve loving homes, too, but you need to know what you’re signing up for and need to be prepared for the challenges that may arise.
Alternatively, if you are not in a situation to adopt a pet, but you care about the health and welfare of animals, consider donating money to a shelter, animal health research foundation or a veterinary school. You can also volunteer at a local shelter, which might allow you to pair an animal with someone who’s perfectly matched to care for them.
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