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Adopting a pet for the first time is extremely exciting. However, it’s important not to rush this process. You need to be sure that you’re ready for the commitment. So, here are five ways to determine if you’re ready to adopt a pet.

1. Check Your Financial Capabilities

One of the most essential things to consider before you adopt a pet is your financial capabilities. Adopting a pet is a commitment to providing monetary support. You can’t simply buy an animal and be done with it. First, take the time to insert pet expenses into your current budget. Consider the initial cost and the recurring costs of food, water, toys and vet appointments.

There could also be emergency medical situations, in which case you may want to look for insurance quotes. If your budget is realistically manageable, then you should be fine.  Another option is to get a tele-vet service which can drastically help manage questions and concerns between appointments.

2. Determine Your Emotional Capacity

Adopting a pet is often equated with adding another member to the family. This implies a strong emotional attachment, which is beneficial for pets. Even those who don’t see animals as family members should plan on providing a high level of care. Doing a self-evaluation can be hard, but you should try to consider your emotional capabilities. Are you able to handle giving another being unconditional love?

Remember that pets won’t always be perfect little cuties. Young animals in particular tend to get into disastrous situations. If you think you might lose interest the moment your pet does something naughty, you may want to reconsider this choice.

3. Analyze Your Housing Situation

This may not seem highly important, but you must have the correct housing for a pet to live in. This refers to several different characteristics. The most important thing to look into is whether your home allows pets. The last thing you want is to have to find another home or immediately give up your pet. Next, look into the needs of your intended animal friend. Some pets require certain climates or amounts of space. For instance, it wouldn’t be ideal to keep a large animal in a small apartment.

You should also factor in age. Similar to babies, younger animals require certain amendments to the home. If you can’t make changes such as keeping windows closed and storing dangerous chemicals in high areas, it may be unwise for you to adopt a younger pet.

4. Consider Your Schedule

Pets create multiple types of commitments, and time is a significant one. You most likely aren’t planning on neglecting your pet, but it could happen by accident. This is especially worrisome if you have an animal like a dog. Since dogs generally need to be taken on walks, you and your roommates must be able to go for a walk multiple times a day.

Think about how busy everyone in your home is. Is everyone gone for most of the day? Would you be too tired to take a walk after work? It’s also important to consider if you’re usually home. If your profession requires you to travel often, you’ll likely have to hire a sitter on many occasions. Make sure that you can spare ample time for your new friend.

5. Think About Your Roommates

While you may be the one going through the adoption process, your roommates should also be considered. These individuals will likely end up taking care of your pet. At the very least, some form of interaction will probably take place. Therefore, you must evaluate the capabilities of those you live with. This is especially important if you’re adopting a pet with a history of trauma. A careless roommate could easily spook an animal, especially if it’s already on-edge.

You should also be careful if you have children. Kids are often less gentle with animals, so you’ll need to give your little ones clear talks on how to treat a pet. If your child is prone to outbursts or similar behavior, a pet may not be the best idea right now.

If you realize that you’re not quite ready to adopt, there’s no shame in that. If you are, congratulations. No matter what, you should do what’s right for your little buddy. There’s always fostering dogs, dog walking,  pet sitting jobs or doing pet grooming on the side.

photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/v3k7Ub4lnGk

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