Responsible pet owners month

We're celebrating Responsible Pet Owners Month with each and every one of you. We know being a pet parent means having a sense of responsibility for your pet that not everyone feels the same about. 

We mean it. Thank you for being the best owner to your fur babies. It's a tough job sometimes, but one we cherish each and every day. 

Here's What It Takes

Commitment

1. Avoid impulsive decisions when selecting a pet.
   
2. Select a pet ​that's suited to your home and lifestyle.
   
3. Keep only the type and number of pets for which you can provide appropriate food, water, shelter, health care and companionship.
   
4. Commit to the relationship for the life of your pet(s).
   
5. Provide appropriate exercise and mental stimulation.
   
6. Properly socialize and train your pet.
   
7. -American Veterinary Medical Association 

We can't agree with the AVMA more. Being a pet parent is a huge commitment. You've got to know what you're looking for and what you're life is like.

It's best to know what kind of dog or cat would best fit your lifestyle. If you want a dog who will hang out at the house and have tons of personality, then a Frenchie would work. But that same Frenchie would NOT be a good dog for someone who wants to run the county side for miles (they're a brachycephalic breed and should not run!)

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Investment

1. Recognize that pet ownership requires an investment of time and money.
   
2. Make sure your pet receives preventive health care (vaccinations, parasite control, etc.), as well as care for any illnesses or injuries.
   
3. Budget for potential emergencies.
   
4. -American Veterinary Medical Association ​

Owning and taking care of pets comes with a hefty price tag sometimes. We highly recommend pet insurance as a way to help pay for hospitalization bills if they arise (and someday they will). Providing maintenance care is important to prevent expensive vet bills in the future. Remember: "a ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

Obey

1. Clean up after your pet.
2. Obey all local ordinances, including licensing, leash requirements and noise control.
3. Don't allow your pet to stray or become feral.​
4. -American Veterinary Medical Association ​

Making sure we follow the laws in our local areas is crucial. You don't want your fur babies confiscated because of a broken law. Keep them healthy by making sure your home is a healthy environment too. 

Identify

1. Make sure your pet is properly identified (i.e., tags, microchips, or tattoos) and keep its registration up-to-date.​
   
2. -American Veterinary Medical Association ​

Microchips are common in pets and work great for helping veterinary clinics find owners if a pet comes in with a good Samaritan or animal control. Studies have shown a microchip doubles a pet's chance of being returned to their owners. Make sure once the chip is placed it is registered to you and any time you move: update your contact info! 

Depending on the brand of microchip we recommend you register with that specific brand and also recommend the Free Pet Chip Registry. 

Here's a good article about microchips by the AVMA.

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Limit

1. Don't contribute to our nation's pet overpopulation problem: limit your pet's reproduction through spay/neuter, containment or managed breeding.​
   
2. -American Veterinary Medical Association ​

Not only does this increase the pet population, but without screening for genetic diseases, breeding pets can increase populations with certain conditions that could easily have been prevented. Speak to your veterinarian if you are thinking about breeding your pet to know if they are healthy enough and if there are any concerns you should be monitoring for.

This is the Isle of Cyprus, don't do this at home!

Prepare

1. Prepare for an emergency or disaster, including assembling an evacuation kit.
2. Make alternate arrangements if you can no longer provide care for your pet.
3. Recognize any decline in your pet's quality of life and make timely decisions in consultation with a veterinarian.​

​-American Veterinary Medical Association ​

The final aspect of being a responsible pet owner is planning for worst case scenarios. 

Check out the article about being prepared for disasters for a checklist of items to have in your evacuation kit. 

It's vital to have plans in place in case you fall sick, or worse you pass away, for your pets. Many animals that find their way into shelters came from homes where their owners passed away and there was not a family set up to take the pet. Add your pet into your will to make sure they are taken care of when you are gone. 

Knowing how to monitor your pets quality of life is important too. We have to be prepared to make the responsible decision for their lives. Check out the Quality of Life page to learn more. 

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We know you already know what it takes to be a good pet parent, but maybe there's something on this list you didn't think about before. We hope it helps you and your pet live a happier, healthier life together!

Author

Yvonne Brandenburg, RVT, VTS (SAIM) is a Registered Veterinary Technician practicing in California and obtained her Veterinary Technician Specialty in Small Animal Internal Medicine in 2016. She is the founder of InternalMedicineForPetParents.com. For more about Yvonne visit her author page here.