22 November 26, 2014 2014 HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
Cost
For the gift-giver at Christmas, cost is
usually kept in the back of the mind.
While a toy or a piece of children’s clothing
usually falls on the cheaper side, a pet
could give the whole family more bang for
their buck. After all, a toy can break two
minutes after it is unwrapped, but a pet
can last for years.
Initial cost is usually the first number
that comes to mind. For example, at the
Logan County Humane Society, a dog
can be adopted for $97 and a cat for $50.
However, a pet cannot be expected to
survive off of table scraps for a routine
schedule of chow. A pet can be just as
picky as their youthful masters when it
comes to food.
According to Wanda Stevens of the Logan
County Humane Society, “[parents]
have to have the finances to properly care
for the pet, such as shots, spay/neuter,
heartworm preventative, flea preventative,
and whatever else comes along.”
Combine these costs and then multiply
that by at least ten years, and those costs
will climb. Keep in mind that Rover or
Kitty may knock over the living room as
they learn to “play” in their environment.
Suddenly that eight-dollar action figure
sounds like a better idea.
Are you prepared?
It is common to hear at Christmas, “if
you don’t like it or it doesn’t fit, we can
always take it back.” This is not the
same attitude one should have when
picking out a pet. Sure, you could take
a pet back to the pet store or the shelter;
but pets, like any other family member,
will form attachments.
In addition, dogs and cats tend to live
for at least ten or twelve years, and
other pets, birds for instance, can live
even longer. This may sound like
another charming series of memories.
Buying a puppy or kitten for a toddler
and watching them grow up together
sounds like something from the Family
Channel. But that may not be the best
idea.
Young children are not the best at
taking care of pets for obvious reasons.
For several years after they are born,
kids cannot take care of themselves, let
alone other living beings.
Continued
→
