Cost is the number one thing you need to consider. Can you afford to support a pet? There are weekly food bills. Vet and medication bills. The cost of bedding and toys and the cost of having them looked after when you go away. Make sure you know all the costs involved, both daily and emergency costs.
Holidays and Vacations
There are a few care choices available for when you're away from home. If you have dogs or cats, you can send them to a kennel or cattery. We board our two cats at a cattery when we are away for extended periods of time.
If you have birds, fish or lizards, you can use a registered pet sitter to pop in once a day, feed them and check that everything is ok. Some house sitters also provide a similar service, but instead of popping in daily, they move into your property while you are away. This is particularly good if you have aging or ill pets that need more intensive care and hands on care.
Supplies and Accessories
Once you have established that getting a pet fits in with your financial responsibilities, look at the day to day things that they will need.
Cats need a bed, food bowls, food, a litter tray, litter and some toys. You might find that they do not always sleep in the bed you give them, but pick favorite and sunny spots around the house to snooze in. When it comes to litter, you can choose wood pellets or odor control clay. It's a good idea to use the same product that they are litter trained with as kittens to make the transition of coming to live with you easier.
Dogs, also need a bed, food bowls, food and also a lead. Chew and fetch toys are also a good idea, to keep help them burn up their energy and keep them out of mischief.
Some animals need more specific items. Tropical fish need specialized tanks. Lizards such as geckos need heat lamps and a special type of food. Make sure you research what your new pet will need before you make the commitment to adopting or purchasing one.
Insurance
Pet insurance is available and works similarly to the way health insurance works for us. There are many reasons to invest in pet insurance. One is that it will give you peace of mind if there are any major medical problems. If you are adopting an aging pet, pet insurance is a good idea since your medical costs may be higher than with a newborn. Unfortunately, you do need to consider that your pets won't live forever.
Even if your pets are insured, It's still a good idea to keep update on the maintenance of their health issues. For your canine friends, use a product like advocate for dogs to get rid of fleas and other parasites. There are similar ones on the market for your cat too. Another type of pet may need more specialist treatments so make sure you take them to your vet in their first week of being with you, for some advice.
Adopting or buying
The last issue that you need to think about before getting a pet is whether to adopt or buy. It's your choice, but remember that adopting a pet means providing a loving home for an animal that might be at risk or in a less than idea living situation.
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