Pets

As a volunteer at a local animal shelter, I see a lot of animals who are surrendered for various reasons. While some of he reasons can be justified, I feel that most of them are ridiculous. One dog was surrendered simply because she barks. Another was surrendered at the young age of one year old because she chewed on objects, was having a hard time being house trained, and was rambunctious. One college student surrendered her dog because she wasn't aware of how costly maintaining a healthy dog could be and she could no longer afford to keep him. Also, some animals are given up because their owners move and can't keep them in their apartments, while others are simply unaware of what it takes to take care of a pet.

These incidents always astound me. Dogs will bark. Puppies will chew and have accidents. Pet owners or soon-to-be pet owners should realize this. Dogs don't just come well behaved, they must be trained and worked with on a daily basis. People cannot expect a puppy to be house trained within two weeks or assume they'll never chew on objects.
Moreover, pets are costly. There are expenses and unexpected expenses such as food, toys, vet bills, grooming, boarding, training, and tags to name a few. When people make the decision to get a pet, they should be sure they'll have the time, resources, and patience for the pet. People need to anticipate having the pet for 10-20 years.
This being said, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before getting a pet:
Can I afford the animal?
Can I afford unanticipated health problems and vet bills?
Can I have a pet where I live?'
Will I be moving?
How much time will the pet spend alone?
Do I have the time and patience for the animal?
What about the other pets (if any) in the household? How will they react?
Am I willing to work with, train, and play with my pet?
What about children in the household? Will there be additions to the family? Is anyone allergic?
What kind of pet best suits my activity level? Do I want a cuddling or active pet?
What are the reasons why I want a pet?

These are only a few of the questions people should consider before adopting or buying a pet. Do research on your pet, understand the commitment it will involve. If everyone understood what it takes to be a responsible pet owner, there would be considerably less animals in shelters, abandoned, or euthanized.