Tips on How to Go About Adopting a Pet

Instead of spending a lot of money purchasing a pet, many people decide to adopt them from families that are looking to get rid of a pet, or animal shelters. Typically, animal shelters have to put pets asleep after a certain number of days if they cannot find a home for them. This is why it is so important to adopt a pet from an animal shelter. While there are some animal shelters that do not euthanize pets, the ASPCA is the largest animal shelter and they find themselves having so many excess animals on their hands that euthanasia is their only course of action.

If you are interested in choosing a cat, remember that even though cats are easier to take care of than dogs, that they are still a big responsibility. There are a lot of reasons why adopting your cat from an animal shelter may be the best choice. First of all, it could very well be saving the cat's life. Next, animal shelters will often spay or neuter the animals before you adopt them. There may be some nominal fees involved, but adopting a pet from a shelter is still the cheapest way to buy a cat. If you have a lot of time for your new cat, then try to adopt when it is as young as possible. This way you will be there to help raise it. On the other hand, if you have a very busy family, an older cat may be the best choice.

If you are interested in adopting a dog, then you are going to have to put a lot more time into your decision. First of all, you have to consider who will be taking care of the dog. If this is going to be a pet for children under the age of 7, then a puppy may not be the best choice. They have sharper teeth and claws, and more brittle bones that could break with rough handling. Therefore, older dogs are recommended for children. Also, if there are seasoned citizens in your household, then you may not want to adopt a dog that is too large or strong.

How about birds? These are fascinating animals that you may be able to adopt as well. They are easy to take care of, but there are some interesting details that you have to take into consideration before letting into your home. First, birds are not domesticated animals. Some avian diseases can be transferred from birds to humans. They may induce allergy attacks as well. You should also know that birds, particularly the parrot family, are loud and messy. They will squawk throughout the day, and when they eat they shred their food leaving bits and pieces everywhere. Birds also have sensitive lungs and need good air quality. Smoking indoors with a bird in the house can be very dangerous to its health. Birds can also live up to 50 years, so make sure that you are ready for the long haul when taking them in.

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