| Animal lovers are everywhere you look | |||||||
| by BUDDY AMATO | |||||||
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I would like to talk about pet store vs. shelters and your next pet selection. There are many advantages and disadvantages that go along with both of these ideas as well as factors you have to consider. First of all, you must think about your lifestyle and whether or not it fits with taking care of the pet you have in mind. How large of a pet can you handle? Do you have an adequate living area that will satisfy your pet's needs? Also, do you have children, and if so, how old are they? You have to keep in mind that pets; cats, dogs, parakeets, even gerbils, are not pieces of furniture. They must be groomed, fed and nurtured with companionship. Once you decide on a pet that fits into your lifestyle, you can obtain one from several places. You can find one at a shelter or local pet store, a breeder, or even a friend that just had a litter. Your best bet is picking a pet that is six months old or older. Pets of this age have already been through their basic shots, and are usually spayed or neutered already. When someone buys a dog or a cat in a pet store, they usually don't remember to follow up with the practice of neutering their pet. Eventually, they will end up with a pregnant pet, causing them to be suck with a litter of cats or dogs, then causing the shelters to become overrun with homeless animals. People must realize that pets at the shelter are no less valuable than a two thousand dollar animal from a pet store. They would really appreciate the gift of a new home. Older animals are the ones who realize the difference between a loving home and a cage in a shelter. Another con to buying a pet in a pet store is diseases they can contract due to young animals being in close contact with each other. A diseased pet's symptoms won't show up until about two weeks. In order to receive a refund from a pet store, you must get a certificate for unfit sale within 14 days. By the time one realizes that their pet is sick, it is often too late to return them. Local shelters or the SPCA allow for animals to be returned without a hassle. The smart thing to do is to buy those six month old pets that have already gone through all the problems young animals go through. A pro to buying pets at pet stores is you have many pure-bred sizes from which to choose. Just remember that when you add someone new to your family, you must treat them responsibly, just as you would a newborn child.
Grandmaster Buddy Amato operates Amato's Karate and Weapons Academy, 589 Palmer Avenue, West Keansburg and is the author of Buddys Animal Kingdom. For more information, call (732) 671-9555.
Copyright Buddy Amato Amato's Goju-ryu Karate, Nunchaku, Bo-staff, Aikido, Sword, Kendo, Sais, Kick-boxing, Tai-Chi and more 589 Palmer Ave, Keansburg and is the author of Buddys Animal Kingdom, NJ 07734 (732) 671-9555 |
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