Monday, June 3, 2013

Responsible Pet Ownership

It is a huge responsibility to be a pet owner and should be viewed as a privilege. Our pets are sensitive just like a child and should be treated with just as much care and compassion. Every single animal that is a pet needs to be provided with proper housing for all seasons, proper food and water, grooming, regular vet visits, and the owners need to be responsible and know how many animals they can properly take care of. On top of the necessities that they need, they need play time and a lot of love. I personally have all dogs and know how much time it takes to meet their needs, however I would not trade anything in the world for the time I spend with them. In my household our pets are family members. I was raised knowing that about each pet and that we do not give up on them. If they ave a behavior problem then we just need to spend extra time working with them. Another habit I was raised with was that in the morning I let them out to use the bathroom and feed them before I even make coffee for myself. In addition, I feed them before we eat our family meal. Aside from normal play time and walks at the house and around the neighborhood, my family and I really enjoy taking our dogs to the dog park to play. 

Another very important responsibility of being a pet owner is controlling animal over population. We discussed in class and read an article about overpopulation and the responsibility of getting our pets spayed/neutered. If all pet owners took the responsibility of taking this initiative then there would probably be a lot less animals coming into the animal center. 


This photograph belongs to Gentle Giants Rescue and Adoptions.
Accessed on 6/3/2013
http://www.gentlegiantsrescue.com/kids_and_gentle_giants_page_3.htm
I chose the photograph above to represent responsible ownership because it shows not only the adult being affectionate for the three Danes but also the children having the same principles and respect for the animals. 

I had the opportunity to ask a staff member and a visitor from the public what responsible pet ownership meant to them. Surprisingly both of their answers were almost identical! They both emphasized the importance of providing a proper home for the animal, food, water, access to regular vet visits, spay/neuter, love and affection for the animal, and not taking on the responsibility if they are unable to handle it.  Their responses made me feel reassured that a lot of pet owners must have this same understanding. There are always exceptions to every situation, however I choose to believe that this is a natural instinct that most of us have due to human nature and our instinct to nurture.

1 comment:

  1. Shelby,
    I think you made a great choice in choosing this photograph because the dogs look so happy with the big family. I think good ownership is showing the pets that you not only care for them, but that you think of them as family.

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