What “Responsible” Pet Ownership Means

“Responsible” can mean many things to many different people, so here are our top 10 list of what we consider essential responsibilities that have come with 20 years of pet care experience as a professional pet care provider and owner of Paws Pet Care Pet Sitting & Dog Walking in Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana:

1. You should be committed to your pets care for the duration of it’s life. Some pets can live for many years.
2. Commitment to a pet is to provide love and care “for better or for worse.”
3. You should be committed to providing the basic necessities for a pet to live a healthy life. Water, food and protection from the elements is a must.
4. You should be committed to the emotional health and well-being of your pet. Leaving a dog chained to a tree, or throwing a cat outside to fend for itself is inhumane.
5. You should be committed to your pets health in terms of nutrition, exercise and regular veterinarian visits.
6. You should practice responsible parenting. With millions of homeless animals in this country in overcrowded shelters, it’s our personal belief that each one should be placed in a home before breeding occurs. Prevent your pet from having litters! If you are not convinced this is an important issue, I encourage you to visit your local animal shelter or Petfinder.com to see for yourself how many pets are currently homeless.
7. You should make sure that if your pet becomes lost it can get back home. Microchipping, as well as properly fitted collar with up-to-date contact information on tags will help if this happens.
8. You should have an “End-of-Life Care” plan for yourself AND your pet. What is going to happen to your pet if you pass before they do? Do you have a plan for who will care for your beloved pet? Also, it’s up to us as pet-parents to make sure our babies are as comfortable, pain free and well-loved when it is THEIR time to go.

What would you add to the list?