Choosing Your Next Pet: What to Buy | Pets Care

If you’ve decided it’s time to get a new family pet, choosing what to get can be quite a tricky and fraught process. There are so many different options out there, all requiring different levels of care and commitment. Deciding what’s right for you requires thinking about your lifestyle and how much time you can realistically give to your new pet. If you are buying a pet for your kids, then you’ll probably want something low maintenance, or maybe you have your heart set on buying a dog but do you have the time for daily walks and play?! This article aims to go through some of the most popular options discussing the pro’s and cons of each animal type. Hopefully it will help you get a little bit closer to making your decision.

Dogs

Dogs make extremely rewarding pets, with huge characters and personalities. However, they probably require the most amount of commitment in comparison to other animal types. They must be walked at least once a day and quite often they can’t be left alone for more than a few hours at a time. If you’re thinking about getting a dog, consider how you could fit it into your daily life…is there room in your schedule? If you feel you can look after a dog, then you’ll be rewarded with a really loving animal and a great companion.

Cats

Cats again require a fair amount of commitment, however probably a little bit less than dogs. Cats are much more suited to busy lifestyles as they can be left to their own devices during the day. Many people keep cats in apartments so your also less limited by your surroundings. They do however quite enjoy bringing in dead or half dead birds as ‘presents’ so could you cope with that?! Cats will require regular vaccinations so you need to make sure you can commit to all the costs involved with keeping a Cat.

Fish

Fish are often a great pet for people who lack the time to keep anything else. Also, aquariums look stunning in any room so you also get the added benefit of an interesting piece of furniture! The different species available to you are really varied and colourful, however they do require a bit of knowledge and some need specialist care so it’s probably best to choose a hardy species first. Aquariums require regular maintenance including activities such as water changes and filter cleaning, so make sure you do your research before you set up to ensure you know what you are doing.

Small Furies

Small animals such as hamsters, mice and guinea pigs make excellent pets for young children. They get pleasure from handling the animals, and the work required to look after them is a lot less than dogs or cats. All you need to do is provide your small animal with daily food and water, and clean out the cage/hutch on a weekly basis. If you’re buying for children, it might be worth making sure that they are willing to commit to cleaning out the animals residence as many parents will be all too familiar with ending up doing it themselves!