Thursday, January 19, 2012

How to Prep for a Pet~ Heather Young

  1. Ask your parents.
Make sure that it’s okay with your parents if you get a pet. You wouldn’t want to be getting a pet on your own and then say, “Look Mom! I got a puppy!” And then she says, “No, no, no! I will not let this filthy animal in my house!” So, to avoid situations like this, it would be a good idea to get permission from the adult who’s going to have to put up with some aspect of the pet throughout its lifetime. Of course, if you already live on your own, this step does not apply.
  1. Pray about it.
Ask God if this is what he wants you to do with your money. Feel a sense of peace about investing money and time in a pet, especially if it is very expensive.
  1. Save up for it.
There are different methods of saving up for something. You could put away a certain amount of money each month. Also, you could put away a certain type of dollar bill (i.e. $1s, $5s, $10s…etc.). In addition, keeping change in a jar has been a BIG money saver for me; it may take a while, but you probably don’t carry change around to spend, anyway. There are plenty of other ways you could save your money, but these are the methods that I use.
  1. Read up on it.
It’s good to know what you’re getting into when you save up money to buy a pet. You could look it up on the Internet, but there are many different sources with different opinions on how to care for a pet or what supplies a pet needs. I would suggest reading a book about the type of pet you’re planning on getting that was published after 2000, so that the information will be more current.

     5. Find stores that you want to obtain supplies from, and where you want to get the pet.
Unless you want to drive all around to find what stores you want to get supplies from, I would suggest looking on the Internet. To begin, you could search: pet stores in [your city]. Make sure the products have good reviews; sometimes they are falsely advertised.
In my experience, it is better to buy a pet from a breeder rather than a pet store. Animals in stores are often less friendly, not as properly cared for, and in some cases have been improperly bred, causing them to die sooner.
  1. Find out how much each item will cost, including your pet, and add up your cost.
Make sure you have enough money to buy your supplies and pet before you get to the store(s).
  1. Once you have enough money for all of your supplies, buy them from the stores you previously selected.
Buy your supplies before you obtain your pet. This way you will have all it needs when you welcome it home.
  1. Set up your supplies so that they will be in place when you bring your pet home.
If you are getting a small pet, set up your supplies so you won’t scare your pet when you move stuff around inside their cage.
  1. Purchase your pet and bring it home.
This step is pretty self explanatory.
  1. Take good care of your new pet and try to bond with it so that you will have a lasting relationship with one of God’s wonderful creatures.
Try to make it feel comfortable by talking to it, petting it, and spending time with it.
Whether you are going to be getting a hamster or a German shepherd, I hope these tips help you get ready for your new addition!

Did you know that Heather is crafty?!
Did you know that Abby loves to swim and dance?!

Photographs property of Lilies Among Thorns Magazine. Photograph taken by Abby Whear.

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