Bringing a new pet into your life is not always an easy decision. There are several factors to consider, including whether you and your family are willing to take on the responsibility. Can you devote time and energy to making your new pet feel at ease in your home? Can you manage the financial burden of your new pet?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, the next step is to find the perfect pet for you or your family. While there are many reputable private dog breeders available, it is worth considering using before considering other options.
Adopting fees
Adoption can cost less than buying a cat or dog than a breeder. Admission fees will vary from location to location but are typically under RM400. Because many shelters are not non-profit organizations, fees charged for pet use are typically spent on food and resources for other animals in the shelter. No matter what pet you choose from a shelter, you can rest assured knowing that the money you paid for your new pet will go back to a good cause.
Giving strays a home
Most shelters operate on charities and struggle to pay the bills needed to operate each month. Dog food, toys, and other resources add up markedly when you have anywhere from 50 to several hundred animals living in a facility. These animals all hope to find a loving home. By choosing to practice a pet instead of buying one from a breeder or pet shop, you have the power to save the life of the animal and feel endless love in return.
Stop supporting breeders
What most people don’t think is that the little puppies they see at their local pet shop may have been raised in a puppy mill. A puppy mill is a facility where dogs are bred so that breeders are able to bring as much profit as possible from the puppies.
Responsible breeders understand the importance of parental health, as well as the genetic pairing needed to produce strong litters that will enhance the breed. Dog breeders don’t take this into account, simply focusing on producing as many dogs as possible, causing a legitimate genetic flaw in their dog breeding pool. Along with this, the abuse that this animal can encounter is disturbing. If more people chose to practice pets, instead of buying dogs, these dog factories would be forced to go out of business.
What you should know before adopting a pet
Considering bringing a pet into your home is a long term commitment, there are questions you need to ask for protection or convenience before you walk out with your new addition to your family. This will help ensure that you make the right choice when you practice pets.
Learn about its medical history. From simple matters like vaccinations and microchip implants to more complex health problems, such as chronic diseases and allergies, you want to have a complete picture of the health of your potential pet. The medical situation isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but it’s good to be able to understand what you might be getting and having to face in the near future.
On a side note, I recently fostered the new love of my life from My Pets Haven and it was honestly the best decision I have ever made. When I was given a chance to foster a dog, I had the intention of bringing home a small doggo. But since most of the puppies were set to be adopted, Nana was one of the options that Auntie Aileen (the sweetest lady boss) suggested for me to bring home.
My baby girl, Nana
One of the reasons was that Nana had been scared and traumatised her whole life after being found in a drain. She ended up being rescued by some good samaritans before being brought into the centre by Auntie Aileen. Ended up diagnosed with some bad skin conditions and took a while for her to heal.
My mission was to help Nana come out of her shell and allow her personality to shine through.
The first day we brought her home was a nightmare for both of us because she was terrified of being with a new person (me) and was in an unfamiliar environment. After a week or two, she eventually warmed up to me and my family, and we could see her eyes glisten and tail wag profusely whenever she saw us. And, to be honest, it’s one of the best feelings ever.
Can you picture it? We started off with a traumatised dog who was afraid of all sorts of things and after only a few weeks of receiving love and attention, she changed.
I couldn’t bear the thought of returning her after only two weeks of fostering, and after seeing how far we’ve come, I don’t think she’d be able to get the same amount of love and attention elsewhere.
Even now, if she doesn’t see me for an hour (I’m cooped up in my room, working, while she’s in her own space we created just for her during the day), she becomes vocal and calls out for me. And she gets all excited when I approach her. My poor heart will not be able to accept the fact that she would be left all alone if we returned her to the sanctuary. As a result, I’m thinking about giving her a permanent home for the rest of her life. She’s still scared of strangers at times, but she’s the most spoiled, loveable, and dramatic doggo I’ve ever brought home.
As a dog lover and someone who grew up with many dogs, I truly believe Nana is a god sent and this was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.