A pet is a family member that you can purchase. Sometimes, they can be given to you as a gift. And sometimes a pet may pick to be a part of your family by showing up in your yard. No matter what, when you receive or purchase an animal and make the decision to give that animal a home, it should be with the intention of keeping whatever pet you choose, forever. They are our forever friends, not just something to be played with like a toy and then tossed aside. Just like humans, your new friend wants to feel loved and safe. Once you have introduced a pet to a new home, it is cruel to take them from this home.

For this reason it is very important to make sure that before you make the decision to become a pet owner you take into consideration a few factors: 1) Is this financially feasible? They can be very expensive. Vet trips, food, supplies, etc. can become very costly. Don't bring a pet into your home if you do not have the means of meeting their needs as they arise. 2) Do I have enough time to devote to a pet? This is very important. This goes for almost any animal (unless you are considering purchasing maybe a snake or fish). No animal wants to be cooped up in a pen or fence all day without any attention. All animals want to feel loved and give love back. Also, if you get a pet while it is still young, you will need to teach it discipline and how to do things. If you feel as though it may take up too much of your time or if you have even the slightest feeling that you do not have time for a new friend, then definitely reconsider the choice of giving this pet a home.

Chances are if you bring the pet into your home, you will be relocating them very soon. 3) Do I have the right type of environment for a pet? Let's take a dog for example. Dogs need love and attention, but they also need to feel safe. Do you live close to a highway with a lot of traffic? Do you have other pets that may not be friendly towards your new pet? Make sure you address issues like this before you bring that new friend into your home. 4) Am I giving this pet a home for the right reasons? I'm sure your 2-year-old child would love to play with a new pet for 5 minutes but when that's over are you going to wish you hadn't gotten the pet? Or when the pet grows bigger than the pet store said it would grow, are you going to still want it? These are all things to take into consideration. Make sure that when you find a pet that you would like to bring into your home that you are doing it for the right reasons. Don't just bring them in to be a distraction for you from time to time, bring them in as a family member.

You wouldn't (hopefully) throw your family member out of the house because you got tired of them. Make sure you understand the commitment of becoming a pet owner so that you will be better prepared for when you have that new family member in your home. Pets are our forever friends, and depending on the one you choose, they are very loyal and loving to you. Always make sure you treat them all with the same love and loyalty.