11/12/2022
Our greatest gift 🎁
Pets are definitely a gift, but not the kind to be offering your loved ones on festive occasions on a whim.
It’s a life long commitment, with ups and downs and many unpredictable turns of events, and even though there’s no arguing that it’s worth every headache, it’s definitely worth thoroughly thinking through before embarking on this adventure.
It’s not an item to be added to the shopping list just to make your kids happy, or to keep your parents company, or to help you get outside more often - a pet will accomplish all these things, yes, and that’s why their friendship and companionship are the best gift one could hope for, but your motivation to get a new family member, as well intended as it might be, is not the decisive factor on wether to go for it or not. The question that needs to be answered first, is
“Do I have the means to do right by my pet?”
Answering “yes” means that you’ve considered the following:
- do you have the time to meet your pets requirements in terms of attention, training, bonding, etc ?
- do you have enough space to offer them, so that they feel just as much as home as you do?
- do you have the financial ability to support your pet’s needs, especially in case of unpredictable emergencies?
- and no less important, are you ready for the emotional commitment that a lifelong friendship implies?
And if all things considered you find that your answer is still yes, and you’re about to add a new member to your family, first of all congratulations 🥳 and second of all, avoid introducing them to their new surroundings on days where they’ll most likely be completely overwhelmed - that means, Christmas family gatherings when emotions are running high, birthday parties with a bunch of happy but usually very loud friends, etc. There’s a time and a place for everything, and there’s no need to rush into anything.
Always keep in mind that from the moment you first hold your new furry friend, they’re entirely dependent on you, and since they’ll love you unconditionally, the least you can do is return the favor. That’s the gift.