From vets to rescue pets, our complete guide to owning a companion animal
THERE are plenty benefits to living with pets, the trick is to pick the right one for you.
Lifestyle
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THEY can tear furnishings to shreds and leave fur everywhere but for many people, pets make a house a home.
Whether it’s a cat, dog, budgie or guinea pig, pets can offer fun and companionship to their owners.
University of Western Sydney senior lecturer in the school of social science and psychology Dr Emma Power says pets are often seen as part of the family.
“That means that they’re people’s significant others, they’re someone that people can have a chat to or cuddle up with if things aren’t going quite right,” she says.
“They’re someone who you come home to at the end of the day and they can help to make the house a happy and bright place.
“If you’re living alone and you come home to a pet it can help you feel like you’ve got a bit of a community or a bit of a family.”
Bayer Technical Services vet Dr Liisa Ahlstrom, who works with The Advantage Family pet care products, says living with pets can improve our health. HOW TO GIVE YOUR HOME THE HAMPTONS LOOK
“The health benefits of living with pets include improved cardiovascular health, fewer visits to the doctor and fewer sick days,” she says.
“The psychological benefits include higher self-esteem, positivity and empathy in children and more resilience to cope with grief and stress and less depression in adults.”
However, animal behaviourist Dr Joanne Righetti, who runs the Pet Problems Solved website, cautions it’s important to be realistic.
“It’s true they help with stress and help lower our blood pressure,” she says.
“But they can raise your blood pressure too so it’s about choosing the right pet for you.”
DESIGNS ON A PET
For pet owners, Emma says there are ways you can make home nicer for them.
“For example, if it’s a dog or a cat you might want to think about how the sun can get into the house,” she says.
“It’s nice for them to have some time lying in the sun during the day.
“They also like stimulation, so if a dog or a cat has a window they can look out of, they’re more likely to be content at home.”
TROUBLES OR CHALLENGES
For those contemplating pet ownership, you need to consider your financial situation.
“If you can’t afford to buy the pet, you probably can’t afford a pet,” Joanne says.
She lists vet bills, food bills and holiday boarding fees among potential expenses.
“But pets don’t need the best of everything, they don’t need all the bling,” she says.
“You can have pets on a budget.”
The reality is pets can also be hard work.
“You need to walk your dog no matter what the weather’s like,” she says.
“You may work a long day but you still have to play with your cat,” she says. “You may want a holiday but you need someone to care for your pet when you’re away.” è
HEALTHY PETS
Liisa says cats can live for 20 years and small dogs may live for more than 15 years so caring for a pet takes both time and money for the rest of their lives.
“Ongoing costs of pet ownership are often underestimated and include scheduled as well as unanticipated vet visits and procedures such as desexing, vaccinations and teeth cleaning, food, parasite protection and boarding if the owners holiday without their pet,” she says.
“Pets should have a veterinary check-up at least yearly, typically coinciding with annual vaccinations.”
BIG QUESTIONS
Liisa says before choosing a pet, it’s important to thoroughly consider what’s involved.
“How much time do you have to exercise a pet? How active are you? How much time would your pet be without human or animal contact?” she says.
“Is your home and yard fenced?
“Do you have children or elderly people living with you and how much time are you prepared to spend grooming your pet?
“What size pet would you prefer? What nature pet would you prefer? How much are you able or prepared to spend on your pet and do you have other pets already?”
Emma says one way to determine whether a pet such as a dog is appropriate for you is to consider your own lifestyle.
“Think about the characteristics of dogs you’re interested in,” she says.
“Some dogs obviously need more exercise than others do, so those dogs are going to be more appropriate for people with a very active lifestyle,” she says.
“Other dogs may be happier to go for a little walk around the block every day and they’d be more home based.
“If people get a dog that actually suits their lifestyle and the place they’re living in then that relationship is more likely to be successful over the long term.”
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Joanne says if someone wants a dog, she advises that they do their homework.
“You need to meet people, ask people who own their dogs, what are they like?” she says.
“When people come and ask me, ‘Should I get this dog?’ I always tell them the worst thing about each breed, and if they can live with that then they can live with that pet.”
Joanne says you might need to meet breeders and see what their dogs are like.
“You might have to put your name down for a year or you might like to take a trip to a rescue shelter and see what’s available there, or call them up or look on the internet,” she says.
One Sydney-based organisation committed to saving dogs and cats at council pounds from death row is Monika’s Doggie Rescue, which operates with a no kill policy.
Monika Biernacki has run the rescue service, which is based at Ingleside, for close to 20 years and also has a vet clinic in Parramatta for cats.
She lists people moving into retirement villages, moving overseas and divorce among the reasons owners abandon their pets.
“I think the key thing is people don’t think about what they’re doing in the first place, they don’t get a pet that suits their lifestyle,” she says.
“They might get a cute puppy from the pet store, maybe because the kids are hassling, but it may not fit their lifestyle and when it gets too hard they chuck them out.”
After caring for abandoned pets, Monika’s Doggie Rescue puts them on their website and looks for people to adopt them.
“The animals have been through hardship and they’re just so devoted to you, they’re so grateful you have saved their life,” Monika says.
DEATH ROW TO FAMILY FUN FOR BEANIE
He may have had a rocky past but Beanie the rescue dog’s transition into his new home has been amazingly smooth.
He was adopted by Lisa and Andrew Hills and their children Josh, 9, and Gemma, 6, from Monika’s Doggie Rescue in July.
The rescue organisation saves dogs and cats on death row from council pounds and finds them new homes.
The Hills family, who live on Sydney’s upper north shore, had previously volunteered at Monika’s Doggie Rescue walking dogs and they decided to give one of the dogs at the shelter a home with their family.
“I spoke to Monika before we went in to discuss the dog that suits us,” Lisa says.
“We met two dogs and spent time with them both.
“A couple of days later, we spent a long time with the one that we thought was best and we saw how he felt towards us and we took him.”
Believed to be a three-year-old Shih tzu Maltese poodle, Beanie has settled in well.
“We haven’t had the teething issues of a puppy, he’s toilet trained, it’s been unbelievable,” Lisa says.
“My daughter carries him around and he is just so content. He doesn’t bark, he doesn’t cause any problems.”
PET-PROOF TIPS
Furniture can soon look worse for wear if there’s a playful pet in the house. Home decor expert Jennifer Lutz has some tips for keeping your home beautiful.
1 Wool rugs Wool is durable enough to stand up to frisky pets. Wool rugs do attract fur, but they’re more vacuum-friendly and stain resistant, preventing dirt from seeping through the fibres. A low-pile rug may suit homes with cats.
2 Battery-operated candles Modern flameless candles allow you to create a romantic ambience in your home without putting your pet or you at risk.
3 Pet cube ottomans Lightweight ottoman stools can double as cubbyholes for pets.
4 Blankets and throws Scratching and “accidents” may ruin fabric if you don’t protect your furniture. Choose a blanket or throw that complements your decor, and drape it over your pet’s favourite spot. You can shake out any hair and toss it in the wash.
5 Museum putty To keep home decorations in place even as your pets scurry around, use museum putty. Stick a small amount under the item and the surface for a temporary bond.
6 Modular carpet tiles Accidents can happen but with carpet tiles, you can take one out for cleaning.
7 Microfibre upholstery Microfibre is durable and easy to clean. It’s hair resistant, so you can dust it off to clean it. The tight weave discourages cats from turning it into a scratching post.
8 Bed fabrics To protect your bed from pet hair and stains, cover it with washable fabrics.
Source petproblemsolved.com.au
Main picture Jeremy Piper
MORE
The Advantage Family, theadvantagefamily.com.au
Monika’s Doggie Rescue, doggierescue.com
Pet Problems Solved, petproblemsolved.com.au
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