Have you ever adopted an animal? Do you want to? There are some things to consider before adopting a pet.
It can be one of the most amazing experiences in life. A pet can change you. They can help you get through hardships and be there to enjoy the good times with you. But they need more than just a bowl of water, food, and somewhere to go to the bathroom.
Before you can think about the great things that come with adopting, there are some important things to consider before adopting a pet.
Pets (specifically dogs, cats, bunnies, foxes, etc.) need love. You can’t leave them in your home all day expecting them to do nothing until you get back. There are better pets for you if you are away a lot. Pets that are usually housed in cages. Hamsters, rodents, ants, etc. Or a fish. The amount of time you have for your pet is one of the most important things to consider before adopting a pet.
Some animals still give you the comfort of having a companion but they don’t mind being alone while you’re at work. For example, my sister’s guinea pig preferred being in his cage.
A good amount of animals who are up for adoption have been abandoned and/or abused. They need someone that will make that pain go away. My youngest dog is a hunting dog and her breed becomes super attached to their owners. She lived in two different places before we met her and she has serious abandonment issues. She is also skittish. She is like a child that needs attention but she is the sweetest dog in the world.
Many pets up for adoption have similar issues. But every pet is different. You can’t get a pet and expect them to bend to your will. They each have a different personality and enjoy different things. You have to love them like you love a person. Accept their flaws and love them despite them.
I haven’t adopted a cat from a shelter but we take care of a cat in the neighborhood. Her owners moved and left her behind. No one deserves that. Don’t adopt or buy any animal if you won’t love them and treat them like they deserve.
An animal isn’t going to fix the brokenness in your life. If you’re going through a hardship, don’t adopt an animal because you probably aren’t thinking straight. Wait until you are feeling more stable.
Don’t adopt an animal if you are just doing it for yourself. I think you have to also be doing it for that animal. Let me explain. If you are adopting because you just felt like it, you probably aren’t in it for the long haul.
Parents adopt animals for their kids because they want one so bad but the kid/teen doesn’t want to put in the work. They don’t understand what it means to have another being to take care of. Most people love the IDEA of animals/having a companion. But you need to love him/her.
Adopting a pet is like spinning the wheel of fortune. You never know what you’re going to get and it’s exciting. It’s a journey that you can only take once because each time you spin the wheel, you’ll get something different.