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The Pet's Bill of Rights

1. We have the right to be FULL MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY. We thrive on social interaction, praise and love.
2. We have the right to STIMULATION. We need new games, toys, new experiences and new smells to be happy and to learn.
3. We have the right to REGULAR EXERCISE. Without it we could become hyper, bored, sluggish or fat.
4. We have the right to have FUN. We enjoy acting like clowns now and then; don't expect us to be predictable all the time.
5. We have the right to QUALITY HEALTH CARE. Please select a good vet and stay on good terms with him/her.
6. We have the right to A GOOD DIET. Like some people, we don't always know what is best for us. We depend on you.
7. We have the right NOT TO BE REJECTED because of your expectations that we be great show dogs or show cats, watchdogs, hunters or babysitters.
8. We have the right to receive PROPER TRAINING. Otherwise, our good relationship could be marred by confusion and strife, and we could become annoying or dangerous to ourselves or others.
9. We have the right to GUIDANCE AND CORRECTION based on understanding and compassion, rather than abuse.
10. We have the right to LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND DIE WITH DIGNITY when the time comes.

Children and Pets

We are all allowed our personal opinions, and mine is this. I do not like the combination of young children and animals.

A young child is egocentric (the world revolves around him and he is incredibly selfish) A pet is just another toy to play with when he wants to, to have ears and tail pulled, be poked and never be allowed to defend itself. Only an older child can begin to understand why a cat must sleep 18 hours a day or why the dog needs to rest and has the right to not be tormented. No child should be left unsupervised with a pet.

School aged children are experiencing social birth and will be resentful of things that take them away from their friends...such as taking the dog for a walk, cleaning out litterboxes or picking turds off the lawn. They may become cruel towards the animal.

Yes, there are kids that are truly thoughtful, caring and considerate towards animals. They are the exception, not the rule.

And NO, you don't need to have a pregnant cat or dog for your child to experience the miracle of birth!!!

If you must get a pet...get it for yourself, NOT for the child as the child will not be the one that does all of the care and work, no matter how much it promises. At this point I will add that you should not get a pet without researching the needs of that pet. Don't get an active dog if you are housebound and unable to exercise it....just turning it loose in a large yard doesn't cut it. Don't get a cattle dog if you live in an apartment. Don't get a long haired cat if you don't intend grooming it daily or if you don't like hair around on your furniture. If it is a dog, research the breed, its feeding and grooming requirements, what health problems are common to that breed etc. Make sure you can afford a good quality feed, veterinary visits and everything else that goes along with the care of that pet for the length of its lifetime.

If you work and there is not going to be anyone at home during the day, do not get a pet, or at the very least, do not get a dog. An empty, boring house with no stimulation, will cause your dog, who is a pack animal, to develop serious psychological and behavioral problems. Getting it another dog to play with and leaving them alone for most of the day usually just doubles the problems. And make sure when you do come home that you take time every day to play with and stimlate your pet through walks and training, if a dog,... or play and quality lap-time together if a cat.

Before you get the pet, decide what you will do with it if you go on vacation. Cat's react adversely to being taken out of their territory. Any pet is better off at home provided it has access to fresh food and water and company. Dogs may enjoy going with you if it is a camping trip, provided it is leashed and under your watchful eye at all times.

Never leave a dog tied or chained up. They can become antisocial and vicious as well as depressed. They are also at the mercy of any passing animals or spiteful people. Just like a dog left alone in a fenced yard all day, they will become barkers which is unpleasant for your neighbours (neighbor for you Americans) to have to endure.

Having a pet is like having a child around. They depend on you for their every need, their learning, their safety. Here at my place it is like a daycare center 24 hours a day. Animals are animals.......and yes, I tend to personify them somewhat, but I am well aware of their capabilities or lack thereof.
They are deserving of your informed and dedicated commitment and responsibility for the length of their lives.

Save a Life

Unless you have a specific breed in mind, please consider adopting from your local SPCA or Rescue Organization. (If you are determined to have a specific breed dog, for example, there are likely rescue organizations for that breed) These animals will be neutered/spayed, have their shots, been dewormed, have been treated for fleas and in all likelihood have had some training by the volunteers at the shelter.

These animals truly need you and I find that they are grateful their entire lives. My Rupert came from the SPCA. The rest of my cats were either ferals trapped by me, or taken in as abandoned strays. I cannot say the same of all the dogs I have had. Reddy was a stray. Ruffianne was a pup sent to the Vet to be put to sleep. Asia was an older, neglected dog with a number of health problems but Sophie came from a farm. Furby came from a neighbour. Lisette and Bobby came from breeders.

Every time I lose a beloved animal, it seems there is some poor stray to take its place. Thousands of cats and dogs are put to sleep in SPCA's all over the country every year. I also suspect as many ferals, strays and abandoned animals die on the streets as well.

DO NOT SUPPORT PUPPY MILLS!

If you must buy a purebred it will not be cheap.
Do not buy from pet stores or any other sort of store as these animals generally come from disreputable breeders.
If you have small children (and I hope you don't) do not take them with you when you initially go to look for a pet. They will want the first pet they see...the cute, cuddly, tiny one.....not necessarily the RIGHT one for your family.

If you have found a good breeder you will be required to sign a strict contract after being thoroughly interrogated.
A good breeder will insist on knowing the kind of family the pet's new owners will be, what happened to other pets you may have had, your home conditions, whether or not you can afford to take care of the pet properly, whether it will be a pet or show animal etc. They will want to be sure you are knowledgeable about this type of pet.
Unless you are another reputable breeder they will insist that the animal be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. (I am a proponent of early spay/neuter by 4 months)
They will have a clause in the contract that states that they will have the option to take the animal back if its needs are not being met or if you wish to get rid of it at any point.
They will not release an animal younger than 10-12 weeks of age when its basic training by its mother will be fairly well complete and its personality will begin to shine through.
Having gathered all your information, they may suggest the pup or kitten that would be most suited to your needs.
They will make themselves available by phone for any information or advice regarding the pup or kitten.
The sire and dam of the pet will be available for viewing and there will be veterinary certificates clearing the animals of any of the more common hereditary diseases.
Your pet will have had at least its initial Vet check and shots, and may have been tattooed or microchipped.
The pups or kittens will have been brought up in the house as family members so their socialization will be well under way.
Good Cat breeders will insist that the kitten be kept indoors. (Hey......when you are paying upwards of $600 who wants to run the risk of losing it or having it injured?)

If the breeder you have found does not insist on a contract, checking you out, have parents available for viewing etc., chances are you are buying from a pet mill or a disreputable breeder. The risks are not worth the money you are saving, and by buying a pet from them you are condoning a morally reprehensible practice.

Taking Your New Pet Home

If at all possible, your home should be prepared before you bring your new pet into it. You should have decided on a sleeping area and bought or made a bed suitable for the pet. You should have a good quality feed already on hand. If the pet came from a breeder or the SPCA, they will have told you what the pet has been eating and you should make sure you have a good supply of that brand, as any sudden change-over will cause diarrhea. It will be stressful enough to find itself suddenly in a strange home with strange people.

Cheaper foods may make your pet gassy and most certainly increase the amount of manure produced as too much of the food is wasted through elimination, rather than being absorbed.

If you have adopted a stray or abandoned animal be prepared for several things.
1) It will likely get diarrhea for a short time as it begins to eat a decent diet.
2) The coarse hair of the stray will shed like mad or come out in handfuls before being replaced by the softer, glossy coat of a well-fed, healthy animal.

If your new pet is a cat, or you have other animals in the home, your pet will initially need a room of its own where it can feel safe. Cats can be overwhelmed by suddenly being thrust into a territory that is not yet their own. Confining it to a small room or one room at a time, makes the new territory less intimidating. The same holds true if you are moving with your pet. When I moved my cats here from Alberta, Oliver pried off a heating duct cover and disappeared on me, terrified. As feral babies, Comet, Toby, Sky and Oliver repeatedly attempted to throw themselves against the windows in their quarantine room in an effort to escape. Furby was frightened by the bigger dog and the cats who spat and swatted at him.....so the pet needs to be introduced to the new home and any other pets and people, slowly and gradually, and the quarantine room needs to be made safe. Your other pets will also need to know that they still come first (hard, I know, when there is a new kitten or pup) and making a fuss over them while the newcomer is resting quietly out of sight is the best way to go about it.

Another reason for a quarantine room:
If your pet came from a breeder, you can find out when the last vaccinations were administered. Immunity does not take effect until 3 weeks after the last (booster) shots.
If you have just taken in a feral or stray, it will need to visit the Vet to begin the immunization process as well as have tests run for diseases that may be deadly to it and your other pets. It will need to be de-wormed, (possibly de-loused) and treated for any ear mites and infections that may be present. All this before coming into contact with your other animals. If the animal is too young for shots, it will have to be kept quarantined longer.

A feral or stray will need to come to trust you within a small, confined area. It should allow itself to be petted, played with, be groomed and have ears and nails handled before ever venturing (under supervision) from the quarantine room. You should visit your new pet frequently in that room.
I had a small room with a chair and dresser in it for this purpose. I raised the dresser up on bricks so that if needed, I could have access to my terrified new family member. If your feral is older, spend time reading or sitting in the room, talking softly, till the animal feels comfortable with you. If it is a small, feral kitten or pup, bring it out of its hiding place frequently. Hold it gently but firmly, speaking to it, grooming with a warm, slightly damp washcloth or baby brush. Oliver was soon jumping onto the top of the dresser, reaching for the brush. He came to love it. I would also sit on the floor in a corner while they ate so that I was not towering above the animal. I never stopped talking softly the entire time I was in the room.

When it is finally ready to see more of the house, 3 weeks after the final booster shot, you can switch your pet to another room. I carried my kittens as I brought them out into the livingroom for the first few times, but left their quarantine room door open so my other pets could go into there and become accustomed to the smell of the newcomer. I was also fortunate enough to have a large Vari-Kennel (Sophie's bed...a large plastic kennel with a cage front)in the livingroom which I could put the new pet into for a few hours each day (after a strict minimum 2 week quarantine period). It contained a mattress and blanket, food, water, and for the kittens, a small litter box. The newcomer could retreat into a sheltered corner under the blanket if it was timid, or venture near the front to inspect and be inspected by the other pets. By the time your newcomer is allowed the run of the house, it should be fully accepting and accepted by the other pets. Do not, however, allow it to roam freely for quite some time unless you are there to supervise.