We used to have dogs and cats as pet back in my younger years. Growing up with a pet is such a wonderful experience that I want my kids to have. Base on my experience, I'm sure that the bond they can make is immeasurable, and something that money can’t buy.
But - and yes, there is a but - when you purchase your child an animal to look after, there is a certain responsibility that you yourself will have to undertake. Everything needs to be covered - the vets bills, the cleaning-out duties, the feeding times; if your child is not old enough to do it, forgets or simply refuses, the task falls into the hands of you, such as..
Cleaning
If you have a caged pet, then you won’t just have to clean it out - you will need to buy bedding materials, replace any leftover food and water, disinfect and keep the animal entertained whilst you are doing so; it’s recommended that you have a safe place to put them so that they don’t escape whilst you’re doing this. In some cases, you may have to clean the animal itself; it’s not just dogs and kid that need a bath when they get dirty.
If you are having an indoor pet such as a dog or a cat, be prepared for the toilet-training that comes with it. Dogs are worse than cats in the time it takes for them to realising where they need to go potty, and if you don’t have a wipe-down floor you should probably go for the best carpet shampooer you can get your hands on; it’ll be well worth the money instead of having to replace a whole carpet.
Exercising
This is a great way for the family to get out and about by including a pet on your walk. This is mainly restricted to dogs, but people have been known to walk their cats, ferrets and even rabbits. It’s all dependent on how far you want to get on your journey whether you bring one of the last three mentioned animals with you, but again, if your children aren’t interested in giving your pet the exercise it needs and deserves then the responsibility lands on you.
Feeding
Certain animals require certain foods at certain times of the day, and the costs can soon add up. If you can’t commit yourself to feeding an animal as well as your family, you should probably look at getting some sea-monkeys or just ditching the whole pet idea instead.
Bills
This isn’t just the vets bill when something goes wrong - try and stay one step ahead of paying out a huge chunk by investing in the right insurance for your pet. There are many companies out there who can offer competitive deals; you may not even miss the amount of money that is coming out of your account each month. Unless your child has an accessible trust fund which has been specifically made with the intent of spending on sick animals, there’s not much chance that they will have the money to cover any accidents.
Ensure you are aware of all of the costs involved before making your decision - you’re caring for another life.
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