April 11 is National Pet Day, and the COVID-19 quarantine has resulted in a surge in pet adoptions and fostering. While local shelters are currently closed, now is a great time to evaluate whether or not your family is ready for a pet. Adopting a pet is a huge commitment and one your entire family needs to be on board with for the life span of the animal.
Is your family ready for a pet? Take our quiz to see if you’e ready to initiate the family pet discussion:
Our family is considering a new pet because:
- The kids have been begging for years and I am just tired of saying no.
- All of my kids’ friends have pets – I guess we might as well get one too.
- We all love animals. A pet would be a wonderful addition to our home.
The thought of having to clean up after a pet on a daily basis is:
- Unthinkable – who has time to deal with one more mess?
- A bit of a concern, but I’ll just get my kids to do it.
- No problem. I’m used to changing diapers and wiping spit up off my clothes – I’ve got this!
Dog owners spend an average of $225 on annual well visits and $66 per trip to the groomer. These numbers:
- Come as a total shock – count me out!
- Surprise me – time to take out a loan!
- Are what I had planned on and will work in our family’s budget.
You just found your cat using your brand new sofa as a scratching post for the umpteenth time. You:
- Head back to the shelter to see about a refund.
- Put the cat in time out to let it think about what he has done.
- Use your voice to let that cat know that behavior is not allowed and then place him on his own scratching post, which is within easy reach of the sofa.
The pouring rain shows no signs of letting up and your dog is giving you that look. You:
- Decide he can probably hold it a little longer.
- Think just maybe you can be the first person to convince a dog to use the toilet.
- Grab an umbrella and take your dog for his regularly scheduled walk.
If you answered anything other than “3” to any of these questions, it might be best to put the idea of a pet on the back burner for now. Not a puppy owner but still like dogs? Consider a donation to your local animal shelter. Most Greater Cincinnati shelters have closed their doors, but rely on donations to care for their animals and facilities. The SPCA has a COVID Relief Fund; learn more about that here.
If you’re ready for a pet, research local shelters and consider fostering for the time being — local agencies like Louie’s Legacy need fosters!