How To Select A Pet
Most families like to keep a pet in the house for various reasons. Those who are animal lovers, feel that they are doing a service to the animals by loving and looking after them. For many, pets are a source of amusement and excitement; while for others, they are soul mates! Various criteria need to be evaluated before deciding on which pet to keep and how to look after it.
Family Decision
If the pet is being brought into a family home, then there must be a concurrence on the type of pet by all members of the family. Most often, the children state their preference and the parents evaluate the pros and cons and make the decision. Kids will like to bring in their favourite animals, but the parents need to evaluate whether the required care can be arranged for the pet. Further, some family members may have ‘pet allergies’ and may not like to share their home with a particular species. However, if an individual wishes to bring home a pet then its his own decision.
Kind of Pet
The type of pet should be decided after deliberation on some issues. These issues are primarily related to the level of maintenance and care that the pet would require. For example, dogs are popular, but they are like babies throughout their life as they need to be fed, bathed, cleaned, taken for three walks a day, etc. They are high maintenance pets. Alternatively, some others like water turtles and fishes are low maintenance as, on a daily basis, they only need to be fed and their tank cleaned once in a while.
Family Lifestyle
The family lifestyle also determines the type of pet. If space is a constraint, then large dogs cannot be kept and it would be better to have an aquarium. Families that travel frequently would need to keep a pet that could travel with them (e.g., cat, small dog, etc). Unlike wild animals that feed themselves and fend for themselves, pets need constant care as they have to be provided with the essentials of life, namely, food and shelter. Hence, they require caretakers all the time.
