Top ten things before adopting a pet

Which pet is right for me?

Once you have decided to bring home a pet, you need to decide what sort of pet will suit your lifestyle! Dogs and cats have long life spans, often living up to 15 years (and even longer in some cases). Rabbits can live for up to 12 years, while guinea pigs live for up to eight years. Rats and mice have much shorter life spans, rarely living longer than three years and the lifespan of fish can vary greatly depending on the breed, and the way they are looked after.

If you have a lot of time available to spend with a pet, a dog or a cat could be ideal, and if you lead an active lifestyle that your pet can participate in, a dog will fit in well. If your life is already quite full, or your house and yard are quite small, you are probably better suited to a smaller pet, including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.

Grooming also needs to be considered prior to bringing home a pet. If you are not prepared to spend lengthy periods of time grooming your pet, look for a short haired variety, no matter what species you choose. Long hair needs brushing, washing and clipping regularly on every living being, from humans to guinea pigs!

Where should I purchase a pet?

The RSPCA recommends purchasing an animal from a shelter or reputable breeder. All animals available from RSPCA Adoption Centres are happy, healthy, microchipped and desexed. If RSPCA Adoption Centres don't have the pet you are looking for, please ensure you research a suitable breed and contact a registered breeder to discuss. 

Always remember to ask for references from previous litters to help assess the temperaments of animals. If possible, you should always visit the actual breeder’s location to see how the animals have been raised and looked after. A good breeder will be as concerned about your lifestyle as you are about your potential pets upbringing, they should also offer to take your animal back if things don't work out. When adopting a puppy, ensure you are not supporting the puppy factory industry.

If you choose to adopt an animal through a free to good home advertisement, always remember that the ongoing costs and needs of the animal listed will still apply. You are merely saving the initial purchase price, which may have included desexing, vaccination and microchipping.

1. Are you prepared for a long term commitment?

The average lifespan of dogs and cats is 12 to 15 years. Your pet will need your love and care 365 days a year. If you travel and are away from home regularly, you must consider- is there someone who will be able to properly care for your pet? If not, are you prepared for the cost of boarding?

What will happen if you change jobs, move house or decide to expand your family?

If you are renting, you will need to ensure that the landlord permits pets on the property as part of the rental agreement. Many animals are surrendered to shelters each year for this reason. Pet ownership is a commitment to the welfare of the pet and therefore the needs of your pet must be met if you move interstate, overseas or your living circumstances change.

2. Are you prepared for the costs?

There are many costs involved with pet ownership. In addition to food, you must consider, vaccination, microchipping, desexing, council registration fees, general health care, vet bills, grooming, obedience training, boarding, bedding and proper housing.

The costs may vary depending on the type of animal you choose - costs associated with dog ownership may be as much as $1200 - $1500 a year, with pets requiring specialist veterinary care for an ailment or injury costing much more.

Taking out a pet insurance policy will help with unexpected veterinary costs.

3. Do you know how to properly care for a pet?

Different animals have different needs. An informed pet owner can provide a healthier and happier environment for their pet and as a result, will get more enjoyment from the experience of owning a pet.

It is important to realise that if you are going to have your pet in your home with you it will need to be toilet trained. Toilet training may take a while so you may have to deal with the occasional accident.

Dogs require socialisation with other dogs as well as humans.

Some animals shed hair, which will be left on the carpet and on furniture (and probably clothes). You will also need to consider if you or any members of your household may have an allergy to pet hair. If so, short haired pets or a breed that is suitable for allergy sufferers may be more appropriate.

Are you willing to undertake obedience training? Most dogs behavioural problems can be overcome with training and kitten kindy classes can be invaluable for cats! The RSPCA are here to provide advice on adopting a pet. Our Adoption Officers at RSPCA Adoption Centres can help match you to an animal that will be pawfect!

4. How much room do you have for a pet?

Some dogs require a large amount of space and would not get enough exercise within the confines of a house or apartment. Other dogs, if provided with enough exercise and environmental enrichment (toys, human interaction etc) may not require as much space.

It is therefore necessary to consider whether your home has adequate space for a dog. You will also need to consider whether there is a suitable and secure place in your house or yard to keep your pet when you are not there, and whether there is a suitable sheltered location for a cage, kennel or cat run.

If you plan on exercising a dog out of home, you need to check if the local council has areas where you can exercise your dog off leash.

Owning a pet will mean some changes to your household and lifestyle. For example, you will need to consider where you will keep your pet. Dogs generally require more outdoor space for exercise. If you want to keep them in a smaller space, then you will need to be committed to exercising them more often in contrast, cats and some smaller animals require little to no yard space.

Another thing to consider is the fencing around your property, is it suitable for a dog that may jump, climb or dig?

Also consider the suitability of your house to contain a pet. Many councils now require cats to be contained within the confines of their owners property. The best method of containment is to keep your cat indoors with a cat run / enclosure.

5. What personality traits are you looking for in a dog?

Some people want their pet to be affectionate and cuddly while others would like their pet to be active and playful. It is important to remember that it is impossible to predict the type of personality that a young animal will have when it grows into an adult.

Young puppies and kittens are often playful and energetic but as they become adults, they will develop individual personalities that reflect both their breeding and their previous experiences.

If you would like your pet to have a specific personality then an older pet may be best suited to you. By selecting an adult pet, you can choose an animal that has the type of personality that best suits your needs.

6. Are there children in your home?

Often people think believe a puppy or a kitten are the most suitable pets for children. This is not necessarily the case as puppies and kittens may bite and scratch during play, especially if they become over excited. Similarly, children can be quite rough with pets.

Older pets may be more suited to households with children because they are less likely to become over excited. You can also choose a pet that will interact well with your children or other pets.

When training your pet, it is important that it receives consistent and clear messages from all members of the household to ensure they are safe to be around children. It is important to remember that, although looking after a pet provides a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about responsibility, the ultimate responsibility for your pet’s care lies with the adults of the household.

It is imperative to teach children not to tease a pet, in such ways as pulling on its ears and tail, or playing rough games. In an animal’s world, some of these actions are a challenge, or some are painful and may make the animal snap or nip out of pain or fear. Young children who cannot yet understand that they must not do these actions are at great risk.

Young children should never be left unsupervised with a pet, particularly a dog, even one that is familiar to them. Most children are snapped at by dogs who are familiar to them such as family pets or neighbours’ animals. This doesn't necessarily mean the dog is bad, but rather it interprets signals from humans differently from humans.

7. Will an adult or a youngster suit your lifestyle more?

The early stages of a young animal’s life are crucial to its development. Young animals require a large amount of training and care if you want them to develop proper social skills with people and other animals. Puppies and kittens for example are highly energetic and can be destructive and, as a result, require a lot of patience.

Many modern households are too busy to spend the time that a young animal requires for proper development. A puppy should not be left alone for more than six hours a day, while kittens and smaller baby animals are not as demanding on your time.

Although adult animals will still require training and attention, they can more easily adjust to your schedule.

8. How much time do you spend at home each day?

Although the amount of time that you need to spend with your pet will depend upon temperament and age, there are some general guidelines about the amount of time that dogs need daily.

A dog is not a suitable pet if all of the members of your household are away from home for more than eight hours a day. Some dogs get bored or anxious when they are left alone and although some of their boredom and anxiety can be alleviated through toys and training they still require a few hours of daily attention and to be exercised.

If you are inside and your dog is outside, it is still alone. You need to be physically around your dog for a few hours each day, not just on the same property with a wall in between.

Remember too that walking your dog is important to both allow your dog an opportunity to investigate and explore as well as for exercise purposes.

Cats and smaller pets are generally more independent and may be a more suitable pet if you are going to be out of the house for more than eight hours a day.

9. What sort of activities will a dog be involved in?

Dogs aged between six months and one year old are highly energetic and playful and enjoy a lot of outdoor activity.

Puppies that are younger than six months, although they are playful, they need a lot of sleep and cannot be expected to be active for long periods of time.

Depending on the breed, many older dogs will also enjoy a lot of activity and play.

If you would like your pet to walk, run or play, or you would like to train your dog to play fetch with you or to catch a ball with you then a dog may be the type of pet you are looking for. However you will need to do some research as not all dogs like or are suitable for these kind of activities. In addition, if you do want a dog that you can play with in open areas you will need to build a strong relationship with your dog and be committed to obedience training.

If you do choose to have a dog as a pet you must remember that it will need daily exercise – not just on nice days, but every day of the year. Will you be prepared to walk the dog in the middle of winter?

10. Do you already have a pet?

Older pets generally respond better to younger animals and it is easier for them to establish a good relationship. However, a new animal that is too young may be seen by an older pet as a toy or as prey to be hunted. Older pets may also not enjoy the constant harassment and playfulness of a young animal.

Most pets enjoy having companions, however if you are considering getting a pet it is worthwhile to consider adopting two. If you want to adopt two pets, or are thinking of adopting a new pet to keep another pet company, it is important to ensure that they both get along with each other.

When adopting a pet from an RSPCA Adoption Centre you can bring in your other pet for them to meet any potential new pet in a neutral environment, prior to officially adopting the new animal.

When you get the new pet home, introduce them again on neutral territory and be kind, patient and understanding until they adjust to each other.

While animals often love the company of their own kind, please be aware that getting a second pet is not a solution to behavioural problems at home with existing pets, This can often lead to two pets with issues or one with a greater issue. If there are problems with one pet, they will most likely be magnified with more than one, and the issues need to be addressed prior to adopting another animal.


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