Owning a Pet

You go to the mall, and there in center court is a bunch of cute, soft, wiggly puppies and kittens; some of them are in cages and some are being walked around by handlers. There is a crowd of adults and children surrounding them. You just have to hold one of them for just a minute, and then you are hooked. Everyone knows that pets are loveable, soft and cuddly; what we forget about is the responsibility that comes with pet ownership. Outside of the time commitment to caring for a pet, there is also the financial aspect.
When you own a pet, they have to be fed, groomed, exercised and loved; most of the time, with puppies, there is the training aspect of getting them to let you know when they need to go outside to eliminate waste and not to chew on furniture or other house fixtures. Try to avoid the use of second person “you” in your writing. Pets also add to the normal housekeeping routine due to pet hair and shedding which may require additional vacuuming. And, with cat ownership, there is the need to keep the litter box clean.
All of this takes time from an already busy schedule. Add to that the expense of owning a pet: food, grooming, veterinarian and training expenses, to name a few. Consequently, what seemed like a good idea can have a drastic impact on your life. Most of us work; what do you do with the pet during the day when you are away from home? Or, what if you plan a trip and are unable to take the pet with you? Do you have a family member willing to take on the responsibility of caring for your pet while you are gone?

Or, do you pay to have the pet boarded while you are gone? Cats are fairly self-sufficient and can be left alone for long periods of time; dogs, not so much. If you own a dog and are away at work, what do you do about the dog using when it needs to go outside? These are all important considerations prior to walking out the door with that cute, fluffy pet. We all know that pets are loving and loyal companions. Above all, one should consider the consequences of pet ownership, in terms of time and expenses.