Since I was a child I felt a great passion for animals, a connection that few of us can establish towards nature, and although life took me down other paths, I ended up exercising my degree in veterinary nursing.
Through my experience in this field, I was able to realize that loving pets is not enough to give them the life they deserve.
Before choosing to have a pet you should be questioning yourself the following:
If you can commit for life to caring for a living being that totally depends on you; if you are willing to give them quality time, space, and food that covers their basic needs, educate yourself to know how to give them a quality of life, preventive health, and the million dollar question; if you have the money to cover all of this.
If you have doubted any of these questions, I would suggest that you not have a pet for the moment, even though you love animals, because love is not enough to cover their bills.
Having quality time is not letting your run in your backyard, it is walking it, playing with your pet, spending quality time with it, talking to it, and treating it as it is, an animal that is important in your life.
Having space is having a designated place to play, sleep, and do their needs; a miniature cage or a mini fish tank with 50 fish is not quality of life.
Feeding it as it should is not buying chicken legs or giblets, adding vegetables and rice, which is not necessarily a balanced meal. And high-quality kibble either, it depends on many factors, lifestyles, and species.
Educating yourself is taking the time to read about the pet you want to have or already you have, educating yourself based on a veterinarian's lecture and not with the first tiktok you see. Learn to be safe rather than sorry, buy a spoiled child a pet who has no idea what to do with it, it is not love, it is covering a need for the child that you cannot provide. Collecting pets is not love either, it generates stress, possible illness, and poor quality of life. don't try to bite off more than you can chew says a well-known proverb.
And above all, are you willing to do all of the above and more?
Preventive medicine is important, vaccination is important, and sterilizing too, but can you afford it? Could you buy him the medicines if he gets sick or think that putting a lemon around his neck will clear the virus?
Could an emergency be paid when it happens?
Do not think that I am insensitive, but you have to be aware when adopting or buying, it is not a couch, it is a life.
If you can keep one pet well then go ahead and if you can have two pets then go for it.
But always with the whole set, loving your pet is not enough.