Foster to Find Out If Owning a Pet is Right For You

How do you know if owning a pet is right for you? You've read the pamphlets on how to prepare for a dog or cat -- you might even have bought all the supplies you'll need -- and you think it's going to be fun and rewarding to walk the dog or have a cat purring in your lap every day.

Pets do, indeed, provide us with these and other expected rewards; however, there can be some surprises once you get the little guys home. How you deal with these can tell you if you're really suited to having a pet. There is probably no such thing as a completely surprise-free pet.

Possibly the best way to determine if you are really pet-owner material is to "test the waters" by becoming a foster home. Given the desperate need for homes, overburdened shelters are usually very happy to find willing foster homes. And it gives you a perfect opportunity to find out if you will be able to handle the variety of problems that can arise.

These are the most common reasons pets may be returned to a shelter or abandoned by frustrated owners:

Behavior issues often top the list, especially anything related to the animal's need to eliminate. Cats might urinate in all the wrong places, and sometimes even an adult dog will need to be house trained. Suddenly, you're scrambling to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it, not to mention being on your hands and knees cleaning up things you didn't expect.

Time can turn into a larger problem than expected, too. Do you have time to walk a dog? Do you have time to work with a cat? Do you have time to keep their areas clean? If not, you can't expect good behavior from them. Bored pets can sometimes do the most damage.

Finances can turn into a larger responsibility than was planned, too. Not only can pets get into something that might require a costly trip to the vet, but they can damage things in your home, leading to untimely repairs or replacement. Preventing these things takes some preparation, such as restricting a pet's access to your possessions. Setting up a separate area for them in your home often solves this one. Be sure you have the room to do this.

Fortunately, most fostering arrangements include financial help if the pet needs veterinary care. After all, it's still their animal. However, you will be expected to buy food, litter and most incidentals, as a rule. But if you get in a bind, most shelters will provide food, too. Although, if you find you aren't able to handle the expenses, perhaps pet ownership is not for you after all.

It's also essential to keep the animal safe (cats inside, dogs in a secure yard or the house) to avoid the potential hazards of being outdoors, such as poisoning, injury and theft. (Yes, there are people who snatch pets from yards.) While it might break your heart to lose your special companion, you need to ask the shelter what the consequences are for losing their animal.

Another problem that crops up is the issue of family agreement. It's amazing how many pets are returned because a family member doesn't like animals, or wasn't expecting one. Never give anyone a pet as a gift, unless you know for sure they are truly ready for one. Bringing an animal into the home is a family affair, so be sure everyone is going to be happy about it. Fostering a pet can help those who are not sure about it to discover how they will get along with one.

Finally, becoming a permanent foster home can have some great advantages: You get to work with many animals over time (provides variety, so you can decide which kind of animal suits you best), and you will be helping the shelter socialize the animals to make them suitable for adoption (plus helping the mental well-being of a pet who might go crazy in a cage). Also, it gives you the freedom to leave home without kenneling or finding a pet sitter, since you can take them back to the shelter for a few days or weeks. Just be sure to let them know so they can prepare a space.

Check with a local shelter or humane organization to explore this great way to test your desire to become a pet parent. And who knows? If everything goes well, you may find yourself adopting that animal yourself.

Visit Dr. Peters at http://www.theproblemcat.com for more articles and information about pets.