Compatibility
Now if you are reading this article, you are probably contemplating whether or not to welcome an addition to your family/single life.
An important thing you need to keep aware of is the changes a pet will make to our life. A pet requires love, and attention, just like you, and it is for this reason they should never, never be a purely ‘impulse’ purpose. When you bring a pet into your home, you are effectively making a commit to care and look after him for the rest of his or her life. Not unlike having children, you are in this for the long haul. This is a good reason why gifts of puppies for birthdays or Christmas are a very bad idea. Just as your parents didn’t just try to sell you when you reached your teens, or at least, weren’t successful, neither should you treat your pet in quite the same way.
Thus, it is imperative you resolve whether you are merely an impulsee, pet now, dump later, personality, or whether you are truly ‘pet compatible’.
Firstly, in what capacity do you see your involvement in your pet’s life? Can you realistically commit to feeding him and caring for him for the foreseeable future? [If you plan to travel for the next few years, or inadvertently killed the goldfish when you fed him your attempt at an inspiring dish, it’s likely someone is trying to tell you something]
Is there room in your house/backyard for a pet? If you live in a hotel, bringing a golden retriever home could be awkward. Likewise, you should ensure your partner/family share your interest in a pet, and that no one is fatally allergic to your new friend.
If you’ve decided that yes, you would like a pet, and yes, you are in a state of mind capable of making this decision, the next question is, just what kind of pet is right for me?
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