Is This The Best Time to Adopt a Pet?

Pets add fun, companionship and love to our lives, but they’re also a big responsibility. Choosing to add a pet to your family is a very important decision. They require time, energy and finances to thrive as part of your family. Sometimes, adopting a pet may be too much added pressure, especially if you’re experiencing other life-changes at the same time. The quiz below can help you assess if what’s happening in your life now, could make brining a new pet into your life not a good option.

Check the following events that have either occurred in your life in the past six months, or that you think may occur in the coming six months:

 Divorce or end of a relationship

 Marriage

 Change in living arrangements (new roommates or moving in with significant other)

 Move to a new residence

 Pregnancy or new baby

 Longer hours or increased responsibility at work

 Financial concerns

 Children leaving home or moving back home

 Care-taking responsibilities for elderly or ill family member

 Significant changes in family routine

 Death of a family member

 Death or disappearance of a family pet

 Relinquishment of a pet (given away or brought to an animal shelter)

 Significant health problems of a family member

 Change in working status of a family member (begins work, changes jobs or retires)

 Frequent travel, either for business or pleasure

 Limited leisure or free time

 Graduation from high school or college

 Disagreement among family members about adopting a pet

 Add one point for every pet you currently have (one aquarium counts as one pet).

Scoring

0-3: Your life seems stable and predictable. Now is probably a reasonable time to acquire a pet.

4-6: You have a lot of responsibilities right now. Although adopting a pet may still work for you, a small pocket pet, an adult cat, or well-trained, adult dog would probably be more appropriate than a kitten, a puppy or an active breed of dog.

7-10: Think twice about adoption. With all the changes and responsibilities in your life right now, you may not have time to care for a new pet. It would probably be better for both you and the pet if you wait until your life settles down a bit.

10+: STOP! DON’T PASS GO!

Acquiring a pet now is not a wise decision. Why not consider sponsoring a shelter animal until you have more time and less stress in your life? This information is meant to only be used as a guide when adopting a pet. Every situation is different. However, it is important to remember – you are adding a family member.