Things you need to consider before adopting a dog or a cat

File photo: Gerard Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Adopt don’t shop.

This is a phrase that has been going around to raise awareness on giving rescued dogs and cats a home to live in.

But before adopting these lovely creatures, one should also be prepared for the things that come along when bringing these animals to their forever homes.

Gretel Eleazar, of Saving Strays Cebu, said these animals are worth our time and care.

“Dogs are intelligent and are beautiful given the proper care and training,” says Eleazar.

So here are some things Eleazar is sharing for those planning to adopt a dog or a cat:

Adjust

Adopting a dog or a cat means that you will welcome a plus one in your home. That means if you are used to living a certain lifestyle, you might have to change that to make living comfortable for both of you.

Take time

Think it through a million times if possible. Adopting is a lifetime commitment. You might want to adopt that dog or cat because your friends are also adopting but not knowing that you are not yet ready for that kind of commitment. Don’t let those puppy eyes trick you too easily.

Enough funds

Yes, although it won’t be that much, but make sure you have funds for the new plus one in your family. Just like people, they have needs too, like having to see a doctor every now and then.

Patience

Training a dog or a cat has no finish line, so make sure you have that enough patience to train and take care of an animal full of energy.

Unique

If you are adopting to replace an old dog of yours, know that each dog is unique and different in their way. So don’t expect that this new family member will be just like the old one, this one can be a whole lot better and loving, so prepare for a much loveable creature.

For the record, adoption is not an easy thing. There’s a lot of things you have to prepare for but at the end of the day, adopting is also a very rewarding thing. /bmjo