5 Owners Reveal the Truth About Owning a Pet

This week marks National Unwanted Pet Week. There are many things to consider and what better way to highlight the truths of owning a pet then from the owners themselves. Some of the Petwise family reveal the truth about owning a dog or cat. It isn’t just waggy tails and cuddles, reality steps in…

Ben, 3 Dogs

“Every dog is different. You almost have to treat them like a human. Some are possessive, some are moody, some get jealous, some just want attention….

Rooney (3yrs old):  Is very territorial and wants to be in control to the point everyone who comes to the house is made very aware of this (despite the fact he is tiny and weighs the same as a feather!). Rooney needs constant attention and has to know that he’s the Don!

Poppy (11 months old): Is an absolute nutcase – she just never stops. It’s like she has 3 red bulls every morning! It’s a case of playing with Poppy all the time and being as energetic as she is.

Scooby (7yrs old): Is very shy and doesn’t like any drama. As soon as someone comes in, he just buggers off and hides. So basically, LEAVE SCOOBY ALONE.

They each have their own personality and you have to treat them the right way. Then they’ll be happy and I’ll be exhausted

Rooney, Poppy & Scooby all looking very innocent!

Christine, 1 Cat

Socks oblivious to the cost of his flea solution!

Socks (9yrs): “When I first got my kitten (2006), my first shock was that he had to have an annual injection and prescription flea treatment. I thought a one off injection would suffice and I could buy a cheaper brand of Flea Solution from (wrong!). Didn’t think about worms, ticks etc. Let alone the expense of him being a fussy eater!!

I was also shocked when he first bit me after 8 years… the vet said he was “unhappy at home” – I felt SO bad. We found out the cat next door was coming into our home when no one was watching and marking his territory. This resulted in the expense of changing our door so a micro chipped cat-flap could be inserted and give Socks a lot more attention as he was being bullied.”

Richard, 2 Cats

“Animals like humans, can be resilient, and can overcome their past. I was apprehensive assuming that they would be damaged in some way, and in a number of ways; harder work.

Polly (7yrs old) & Melody (13yrs old): Initially they were easily scared/startled, but after a bedding in period of a few weeks, were very much happier than they had been at the rehoming centre. Almost 5 years on, and they are completely different characters to the scared little balls of fur we met at Bluebell Ridge.

How attached you get to them! They all have particular personalities and when you live with them, it’s like living with kids or teenagers.“

Polly & Melody much happier after being rehomed.

Jenna, 1 Dog

Rio wanted us to know who was boss

“When I first moved in with my partner I took on his pet dog too ‘Rio’.  There was a clear war at hand to establish the new ranking within the household - I bonded well with ‘Rio’ but Rio had not forgiven my partner quite as easily for the inclusion of this third party. 

Rio (11yrs): In those early weeks I rushed to the scene of ‘yelping’, not from Rio but from my partner. Rio was hanging from my partners’s top lip with no sign of letting go! The incident resulted in a trip to A&E for a Tetanus injection.

We went to speak to the local vet who armed us with lots of advice on how to establish a harmonious household. This took time and effort!

What surprised me was the level of commitment that having a pet required and the emotional effect that it can have on all members of a household.”

Celine, 1 Dog

Riley (4years): “I rehomed him when he was 6 months old, because the family he was with had another dog and the two of them didn’t get along.

You really have to consider everything when getting a pet. You can plan/budget things as much as you want, but there are always going to be surprises along the way.

Riley suffers from Vasculitis and was referred to a Dermatologist a couple of years ago. He had all sorts of tests done, each consultation alone was about £190, so the costs soon raked up to about £2,000 – luckily I had pet insurance, but for anyone who hasn’t taken out any insurance and hasn’t got a backup, I can imagine this being a pretty traumatic time!

Turns out it was his food allergies causing the problem, so now he’s on special diet food, which is more expensive than ordinary food.

It took him a good 6 months to settle into his new home and during that time, he was chewing furniture, bedding, doors etc., while being left on his own.

As for the amount of time you have to dedicate - it really is like having a child. It’s not just a case of feeding them and walking them a couple of times a day. You need to play and interact with them too. You need to arrange for someone to look after them when you go on holiday, or even just for an evening out. And arrange for a dog walker or someone to stop by during the day.

So I would advise anyone considering to buy a pet – always make sure you have time for it and that you’ll be able to afford to keep it, in all eventualities!”

Playing and interacting is integral to having a happy dog, like Riley!

If anyone has any pet stories, or pictures of their loveable mogs or dogs to share, please email us at petwise.bdml@gmail.com