Ever since we have been quarantined, many people realize they have more time on their hands and are wanting a furry friend to make it less lonely and even when it seems to be positive for pets who are trying to find a loving family it might be complex once things start reopening, it will be harder to take care of pets.
Some people will keep the pets they got during the outbreak, others will realize that they don’t have enough time to take care of them but what about people who are sure that they only want to have them for a short period of time and they don’t want to adopt them permanently? If that’s the case, fostering a pet would be more convenient.
Things to consider before fostering or adopting
Are you a cat person or a dog person? This is a determining factor before making any choices! For some people this is a difficult question, you have to consider lifestyle, expenses and personality traits since they are both very different.
If you like low maintenance and independent pets. Cats are ideal for you!
Cats are self-sufficient when compared to dogs. There’s no need to groom them since they do it on their own and they use the litter box when needed. On the other hand, there will be hairballs and scratched furniture.
If you like cuddling all day and spending lots of quality time together. Pups are the best option!
They vary with size and breed so you’ll likely have more options if you go to a shelter. At the same time they need to exercise, but love snuggling and socializing! Some of them need more grooming than others but it depends on the dog. Take into consideration that if you like big pups they will scratch the floor!
Fostering a cat
Fostering a cat implies a smaller time commitment than adopting one. You’ll keep it for a small period of time that goes between 2 and 8 weeks and some shelters provide all the supplies and vet care needed which makes it better for your finances.
It’s important to think of their age since small kittens are more demanding than adults. If you prefer small kittens they’ll need to be fed a couple of times a day (sometimes with a bottle if they are too little) and they need to be trained to use their litter box. Adults are easier to handle since they are likely to be litter trained and they eat canned or solid food
Fostering a dog
It requires more time than fostering a cat but it’s worth it! If it’s a puppy, it will need to be crate trained at first, that way you’ll make sure they won’t chew any wires or shoelaces when no one is around. If you are spending more time with them you can let them out of the crate and watch their behavior. Big places can be overwhelming so finding a room or a small area that they can explore would be good for them.
No matter how old they are they need to be taken outside in order to be housetrained. They also need more grooming and they need to walk in order to socialize and exercise
Adopting a cat or a dog is a long term permanent decision
Having a pet is similar to having a kid: it’s not for everyone and you need to be patient to educate them since it will be a permanent decision. If you want to adopt, ask yourself do I want to have them in 5 years? Would I be comfortable having a pet in 10 years? Can I afford a petsitter if I have to work? can I spend time with them? If you said yes without hesitation you might have to sit and think about the pros and cons and make sure that you can handle it.
You have to consider their age. This can be very important in the case of people who like small dogs because when you adopt an adult they have already stopped growing, but when they are puppies it can be difficult to know how big they will get. You don’t wanna get a small size pup thinking they will be like that forever and ending up with a giant dog!
In general, it’s easier to have an adult cat or dog since you don’t have to feed them so often, they are less hyper and they are available everywhere. It is highly probable that you’ll find plenty of adult pets looking for their new forever home.
Remember that these are tough times not only for humans, but for animals without a home too! If you need some temporary company, fostering might be a good plan just to take a look at pets, watching their behavior for a short period of time and if everything works and you think you are ready to take the next step you can adopt them and make them a part of your family forever!
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