Pets aren’t playthings

Bright eyes, smooth fur and their unwavering loyalty may make you want to keep a pet. But is raising one as easy as you think? We find out from pet owners

Sneha Mashetty

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We had earlier carried stories about Fighter the St Bernard puppy which died due to ca­nine distemper owing to the negligence of his owners. Unable to take care of it, the owners left it, so is raising a pet all that easy? You may decide to get a pet home just after spending an ho­ur with your neighbour’s dog, but it’s a big no, no. Never have a pet just out of excitement, get a pet if you love it. Having a pet as most owners will say is like having a baby. All the so called ‘cuteness’ may vanish when your pet will pee on your favourite gown or fall ill. Be ready to face torn curtains, soiled floors, chewed slippers, missing footwear and all ki­nds of weird insects and anim­als in your house once you get a pet. If you are still thinking of go­ing ahead with getting one, th­en you have to be in for the long haul.

When we asked Jacob Mathew, a vet at the Vet and Pet clinic in Srinagar Colony, he says, “The first thing to be kept in mind if you want to buy a pet is that you should be an animal lover. It requires a lot of time and effort to maintain a pet. If you’re a person who travels a lot it is not advisable to have a pet at home as you won’t have anyone back home to take care of your furry friend.”

Arvind Kumthekar an active member of the Blue Cross too reinforces what the doctor says, “When you have a pet try to provide a natural habitat as much as possible and help make it feel like it is at home.”

We also talked to some enthusiastic pet owners, here’s what they had to say about their experience. Preethi Iyer a final year MBA student from Indian School of Business, who has been a dog owner for six years now says, “My dog sets my mood right whenever I’m upset. One thing you should always keep in mind when you have a pet is to vaccinate it on time as you do not want your dog to be a threat to your neighbours. It is also very important for the pet owner to be affectionate towards it, if you expect love from it in return.”

Rachel Jacob a pre-school teacher at Star Kids says, “I fell for the cuteness of my dog Simba but once I got it home I realised that it requires a lot of patience. At first it just looks like a cute doll but then you realise that it’s a living being just like us.”

“So please get a dog only when you think you can take good care of it,” she advises.

This is not a discouragement for anyone who wishes to buy a pet, it is just a reminder that at the end of the day pets are not dolls which you get and dump in your house, they are living creatures who need love and care. So think twice before you get a pet.

Things to keep in mind

• Try to consider your lifestyle that you have at present.
• You must always consider providing a safe environment for yourself and your pet.
• Think about allergies. Check if you or any of your family members is allergic to pets.
• Make sure you always have someone at home to take care of the pet.
• Most importantly, figure out if you will be able to afford taking care of a pet.

Tags: pets, playthings, raising a pet, Sneha Mashetty

Category: Life & Style, Life & Style News