Having a pet is a rewarding and heart-warming experience. With that relationship, you have implicitly agreed to take on the care of your four-legged family member.


Providing the Basics for Your Pet

Unfortunately, there are pets in this country who do not have even their basic needs fulfilled. When you decide to own an animal, it is every owner’s responsibility to provide:

Quality nutrition – All pets need access to a healthy, balanced diet and fresh, clean water. Pets who are overweight or underweight may need the help of a veterinarian to address underlying medical issues determine appropriate alterations in diet.

A safe environment – Your pet deserves shelter from the elements in a safe, controlled area. Pets should be mentally stimulated and comfortable.

Exercise – All pets need some form of exercise to stay healthy and happy.

Love and affection – This should be the easy part! Providing your pet with positive attention should be a frequent occurrence.

Providing Your Pet with Veterinary Care

In addition to the basics listed above, your pet needs good health care to help prevent problems. If you catch health issues early in their course, we can either help resolve them or help you manage ongoing diseases or conditions. Many health problems in pets are completely preventable if routine veterinary care is part of your pet’s life.

Depending on your pet’s age and health, we recommend bringing your pet in for a wellness check at least once a year . We will likely have some preventative care recommendations for your pet. These may include:

By allowing us to have a good working relationship with you and your pets, it lets us know your pet’s health and detect subtle changes. We are also better able to help you make decisions regarding your pet’s healthcare and manage ongoing medical issues.

Planning for Responsible Pet Ownership

Pets are living creatures, and a responsible pet owner is willing to take on the time, effort, and financial implications of this. When you commit to caring for a pet, you are doing so for the life of that animal.

Before getting a new pet you should take a step back and assess whether or not you are able to provide everything your new pet will need for a long and healthy life.

Unfortunately, pet care does cost money. Be sure to budget monthly expenses for pet food and supplies, as well as expenses for veterinary care, grooming, and training. And you will want to think ahead regarding emergency expenses before the emergency happens. Pet owners have a variety of ways of doing this.

These can include:

  • Budgeting cash flow for pet care
  • Creating a savings account for pet care expenses
  • Obtaining pet insurance
  • Utilizing a product such as CareCredit for medical expenses

If you work from your available monthly funds, if something unexpected occurs, many pet owners find themselves scrambling to afford expenses. It is best to have some type of contingency plan for these situations, whether it be a pet-specific savings account or something else.

Pet insurance can be a great option for many pet owners because it often covers a large portion of the expense associated with an unexpected injury or illness. Most pet insurances do require the pet owner to pay the veterinarian out of pocket and then reimburse the owner. Many of our clients use Trupanion pet insurance. There are many more pet insurance companies now than ever before, and by carefully researching, you are bound to find one to fit your needs.

Responsible pet ownership is so much more than providing food and water. Pets need many things, and most of all they need an owner who is willing to plan ahead for their care. They offer us so many wonderful things in return, it is the least we can do to provide them with the best life possible.

Our pets offer so much to our lives. They make us smile even on the worst day. They listen to all of our dreams and worries and never judge. They can always be counted on to be there, even when no one else is. Every pet deserves a responsible owner. This month, take some time to be sure you are giving your pets everything that they deserve.