Thoughts
Thoughts
- Microchipping your pet is a good safety measure which allows veterinarians, dog officers and shelters to identify your pet if lost or stolen.
- Remember your puppy or kitten will have the most important surgery of its life at 6 months of age when spayed or neutered. By providing your pet with this surgery you are prolonging his/her life and joining in the battle against pet overpopulation!
- Please consider adopting or rescuing a pet rather than purchasing one from a pet store. The Animal Rescue League has many beautiful birds, guinea pigs, ferrets, cats and dogs, We can put you in touch with rescue groups for purebreds and exotic birds as well.
arlboston.org - Animal Rescue League of Boston
northeastanimalshelter.org - Northeast Animal Shelter
Animal Poison Control Center www.aspca.org/apcc
Mass Wildlife www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/wildlife_home.htm
Veterinary News Network myvnn.com
Bird Behavior website goodbirdinc.com
Bostoncanine.com Pet day care and behavior training
Above-beyondsvcs.com Pet transport and pet sitting
Pet Companions Bed and Biscuit www.petcompanionsinc.com
Tuft CATNIP Newsletter www.tufts.edu/vet/publications/catnip/index.html
Indoor Cat Behavior/House soiling issues vet.osu.edu/indoorcat.htm
The Search for a Perfect Pet
Choosing the proper pet for your family and lifestyle can be challenge. Whether you are a single working person living in an apartment, a retired couple enjoying an active urban scene, a Salem State College student or a family with very young children, the choices are plentiful.
The type of life we lead makes a huge impact on the type of pet we choose and the time we have to devote to its care. Cockatiels can live for 35 years, dogs can reach 15 to 17 years, and the longest lived kitty I’ve ever known was 26 years old. We live in a society that disposes of material items quite readily when we are through with them. Pets however are not disposable. When choosing a pet realize that it will be totally dependent on you for it’s feeding, exercise and environment every day of its life.
Sometimes you don’t have a chance to choose because the pet finds you! Stray parakeets, cockatiels and larger birds have flown from trees onto clients’ shoulders or through their windows and become cherished pets. Sometimes a stray cat keeps showing up for meals at the back door and becomes tame enough to be tested, vaccinated against diseases and taken in as the family pet. One outdoor formerly stray cat named Merlin brought an injured stray cat home with him. His family noticed the injured visitor and brought him in for physical exam, surgery for his shoulder wound, blood tests and vaccines. He is now happily living the life of an indoor extremely pampered cat. Stray ferrets, bunnies and iguanas have wandered into people’s yards and lives unexpectedly and been welcomed as members of the family. Thank goodness for the many flexible animal lovers who have allowed a pet to become part of their lives in this way.
Many times you do have time to plan for a new pet. Planning can avoid unexpected surprises and heartache. Sometimes you already have your heart set on a certain type of pet. Many children yearn for the puppy or kitten. Some people are fascinated with reptiles birds or rabbits. Other people want to start an aquarium or a koi pond. Start an investigation on the species of your choice at the library and on the Internet.
It may be helpful to contemplate why you are looking for a pet. Are the kids haranguing you about a puppy and you’re about to cave in? Did the kids just leave for college and you’re a bit lonely? Will this pet be a companion for another pet, children or senior citizens? Do you want a pet that will take runs with you, snuggle, and talk to you? Contemplate your needs carefully. Are you allergic to certain animals? Are you a person who loves to get out and take a walk, or would you rather be indoors with your pet? Do you like lots of activity and noise or do you want a peaceful environment? Do you mind if the pet has accidents in the house while being trained? Are you willing to behavior train and socialize a dog? Are you strong enough to walk or run a 90 lb Labrador retriever twice daily every day of the winter? Do you expect your pet to be confined to a fenced in yard?
Research on the Internet will help you find rescue organizations such as Petfinder.com. Northeast Animal Shelter and the Animal Rescue League. The House Rabbit Society has great information for potential rabbit owners. The Association of Avian Veterinarians has lots of information on birds. There are now shelters exclusively for abandoned ferrets and birds. Foster Parrots Ltd is in Rockland MA. The website is fosterparrots.com. This adoption agency requires that you work with the birds on a weekly basis. Your work is the adoption fee. While you are working in the aviary a particular bird may pick you! You will also find breeders and huge amounts of information, some of it conflicting.
Find owners of your potential pet breed and talk to them about how they coexist with it. Visit the home of a person who owns a bird an iguana or ferret. You’ll learn about housing, clean up times, odor control, noise levels, cost and peak activity times of day.
Ask the owner how often they interact with the pet, when it sleeps, when it is most active.
It was amazing to read a statistic by Veterinary Pet Insurance on the front page of the Wall Street Journal that stated the cost of large breed dog that lives 12 years is in the range of $23,000 over its lifetime. This includes food, toys, grooming, veterinary care and pet sitting costs. Small breed dogs cost in the range of $8000
Get in touch with a dog behavior trainer before you pick out that puppy! You may learn that some breeds of small dogs such as Jack Russell Terriers are high energy and need lots of exercise while giant breed dogs such as Mastiffs do not need long runs. Different breeds have different personalities, energy levels and behavioral traits. Behavior trainers are a great resource. I consider behavior trainers life savers of dogs because they teach owners how to communicate with their dogs, help integrate the dog into the family unit and prevent the negative behaviors that lead people to return their dogs to the rescue league, pet store or pound.
Call your veterinarian and set up a pre- purchase appointment to discuss your needs and the needs of your potential pet. Your veterinarian can give you information on numerous breeds of dogs, cats and exotic pets and their behavior, life expectancies, exercise, nutrition and husbandry requirements. You may learn that the beautiful baby macaw in the pet store may become very loud during breeding season once it matures. You may learn that hamsters are nocturnal and like to play on their squeaky exercise wheels at night. You may also gain information that leads you to the perfect pet for you.
