The Hidden Responsibilities of Owning a Pet
Are you ready to bring a furry friend into your life?
Owning a pet comes with a lot of responsibility. There’s a lot of things you don’t think about when you’re considering becoming a dog or cat parent. Committing to owning a pet is committing to a whole new lifestyle.
It’s easy to get swept away by their adorable furry faces and forget about all of the added duties that come along with owning a pet. But once you bring a pet in your life, there’s no turning back. It’s important to fully think through how your life will change by bringing a pet home.
Pets can bring so much joy into an owner’s life, but the owner also takes on the responsibility of giving the pet an equally joyful experience. That means the pet parent should be ready to dedicate a little extra energy into another living creature. It takes a special type of person to be a loving dog or cat mom, but they will be rewarded in eternal pet love making everything completely worth it.
Sleeping may be a little less comfortable
About half of dog owners allow their pets to snuggle up with them in bed at night. Regardless of whether you want to share your slumber space with them, when they come crawling up to join you at night it will be hard to resist their adorable faces.
On top of this, when your pet wakes up—you wake up. Though you can attempt to train your animals to run on your schedule, they will likely beg to be let outside or fed way earlier than you ever had to anticipated waking up. Even the heaviest of sleepers will have a hard time snoozing through an anxious pup.
Not everyone will love your dog as much as you do.
It’s hard to imagine someone that wouldn’t love your perfect furry angel, but there are many people out there with fears and allergies. When you have house guests, you may have to decide between your pet and your guests.
According to a recent survey, only approximately 30 percent of people are willing to make accommodations for house guests with pet allergies. If you’re part of the majority who isn’t willing to put your family and friends over your pet, you may have fewer guests staying at your house— for better or for worse.
Food, toys, vet visits, and medications will quickly add up.
A pet is an extra expense that must be added to your budget. No matter how mentally or physically prepared you are to be a pet parent, you must consider the financial aspect. The cost of pet ownership can exceed $1k annually. Attempting to cut corners to make owning a pet more financially friendly can hurt your pet in the long run. It’s best to wait to bring an animal in your life until you’re confident you can afford it.
Traveling is much less convenient
When you own a pet, you can’t just pick up and go somewhere whenever you please. Your house is now much more than a space you can abandon and come back to at any given moment. You’ll have to either bring your pet with you on vacation or find a friend to watch them while you’re gone.
Animals and vacations don’t always mesh perfectly, you’ll probably have to change your itinerary and find pet-friendly accommodations. Traveling is not impossible with a pet, it just requires planning in advance.
Once you’ve thought through this list entirely and are confident that you’re ready to become a pet parent, it’s time to make one of the best decisions of your life. The joy of owning a pet is comparable to few things in life. Just like anyone you love, your pet may get on your nerves at times, but at the end of the day, the bond is unmatchable.
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