Choosing a Family Pet - What you need to know...

So, you have finally succumbed to family pressure and decided to get a pet in 2017.  This is a big decision. Sure, the kids are promising faithfully to do all the cleaning up and the feeding. The spouse is starry eyed thinking of the cuddles and warmth associated with welcoming a bird, animal or fish into your family unit, It is up to you, the sensible one, to keep everything sane. Firstly, you should know that you are not alone. Over 60% of Irish households list a pet, a dog, cat or other animal part of their family. Pet ownership is on the increase and as you join the statistics, there are some important things which others have learned to consider.

Firstly, you should decide what kind of pet is going to add to the disruption of your life. Size matters and is in direct proportion to the upset and upheaval caused.  A goldfish called Benny, will take little space, make no noise, be cheaply fed and might just tick the children’s box of ‘someone else to love’.   However, as the song about doggies in windows famously says ‘You cannot take a gold fish for walks’.  It is likely that your offspring will want a dog or cat as a pet. Almost half of all Irish pet owners list a dog as their pet of choice.  So, if you have no luck enticing the children to welcome a Parakeet (noisy, kinda messy but not too life changing) or a Hamster, mouse or Guinea Pig (messy, smelly but small enough to be hidden away) then you are going down the quadruped route.  Here are some pointers for choosing a dog or cat to share your life.

Cats:   We don’t chose them. They choose us and then disdainfully spend the rest of their lives in annoyance that we are absolutely untrainable.  From a cat’s perspective, you are here to serve them and let’s face it, you will never meet their high expectations. Cat owners experience a high level of haughty looks, interspersed with some random contact, rubbing against legs and purring, in order to maintain the Stockholm syndrome which is the default position of most cat owners.  On the plus side, cats ate attractive, generally clean and independent. This might be the pet for you as it meets all the criteria of family pet without too much interaction.

Dogs:  If unconditional love and devotion are missing in your life, then you need a dog. Incredibly loyal, fun and useful as both guard dogs and exercise machines (they promote a lot of walking, running and fetching).  A dog is the most popular pet for human families. On the down side, they are smelly, particularly when wet. They chew things and demand a lot of attention.  Unlike cats, they don’t like being left alone and in general, we can presume that the family dog considered itself to be another child, sibling or family member.  Dogs are a great comfort and many would say that a good humoured dog is much more preferable company than their human counterpart.

In all this decision making, there are some rudimentary considerations. These are based on common sense and should be considered carefully before the children have a chance to set their sights on the batting eyelashes and pleading look of a Great Dane or a rescue Donkey. Space! How much space can you give to the new pet?  Dogs, cats and horses need space both inside and out (well, mostly out for the horses)!  Will the animal require outside winter housing. If you live in an apartment or flat, the size of the animal will obviously be a factor.  Cost!  All pets cost money. Food, Kennels, cattery or dog minder (when away). Vaccinations, medications, toys etc all cost money, Calculate a budget before your final decision and remember that vet bills can be a factor from time to time. Certain animals require a specific diet, which can also increase your budget (parrots, for example, eat pellets, vegetables and nuts). Some pets may also need trainers, an added cost that can quickly add up. Who is in charge!  Establish who is in charge of the pet. Some animal need a lot of caring. Dogs need to be walked, mice need cage cleaning and fish need to be fed. If your children are young, factor in their growing up and leaving you with the pet as the new life of college, dating, mating and producing families of their own will see you looking after a family pet in your own old age.

On the upside, studies have shown that children who grow up with pets have better self-esteem, show more empathy and a more caring attitude. Responsibility is fostered in those caring for animals. Families with pets interact with each other more as the pet provides a focus for fun activities and general shared mayhem.     Choose your new family member wisely and enjoy the benefits to come.