Page 46 Daily Mail, Tuesday, March 3, 2020
training, play time, feeding,
cleaning their home, grooming
and visits to the vet can start to
add up and might take more
time than you think.
A) I have little free time and am
out for long periods most days.B) I’m out of the house for
most of the day but I have
quite a lot of free time once
I’m home.
C) I have lots of free time to
devote to my pet.What can you
afford to spend?
It’s not just the initial cost of
getting a pet which you need to
consider. Food, equipment, toys,flea and worm treatments, pet
insurance premiums, replacing a
chewed-up bed or unexpected
vets bills — it all adds up over
the lifetime of your pet, espe-
cially as they get older or if they
develop health problems.A) I can afford £20-£80 every
month — up to £1,000 a year.
B) I can afford £80-£125 every
month — up to £1,500 a year.
C) I can afford £125 or more a
month — £1,500-plus a year.What do you know
about the sort of
pet you want?
We’re a nation of animal lovers,
but the reality of owning a pet can
be quite different from what we
expect. researching as much as
you can about the species and
breed of pet you want is really
important, and the real-life
experiences of other pet owners
and advice from a vet are essen-
tial. Make sure you know about
the Animal Welfare Acts and the
five welfare needs that each pet
requires to be healthy and happy.
A) I don’t know much about
the pet I want and have never
had a pet before.
B) I’ve never owned the sort of
pet I’d like before, but I have
done lots of research.
C) I’ve done research and once
owned the pet I want to get.G
ettIng a pet is a very
e x c i t i n g t i m e , b u t
providing everything for
a new animal can feel
overwhelming. We can
help you choose the right pet for
you, and understand the needs of
the pet you think you would like.
think P-e-t-s — Place, exercise, time
and spend ... with bonus points for
additional knowledge. Consider the
following points from the PDsA:How big is your garden?
All pets need space to run and play, but
dogs in particular need regular access to
a safe and secure outdoor space. Many
cats also enjoy being able to exercise
outside, and rabbits and guinea pigs need
access to a run to be happy and healthy.
A) I don’t have a secure garden.
B) I have a small secure garden.
C) I have a large and secure garden.How active are you?
Dogs enjoy regular walks and playing
off the lead whenever it’s safe for them to
do so. the amount of exercise a dog needs
depends on their age, health and breed.
All pets enjoy fun games and playing with
toys to keep them active, but with small
pets you can do this in your house.
A) I’m not very active and don’t really
spend much time outdoors.
B) I spend a lot of time outdoors but I
prefer shorter walks.
C) I love long walks and am not put off
by bad weather and muddy paws!How busy is your life?
Pets are generally sociable and dogs,
especially, love your company. It’s really
important that they aren’t left alone for
longer than four hours, as dogs can
become anxious and distressed. Walks,so HoW mucH care do tHey Need?
healthier happier pet
how to
have a
Now take our
quiz to help
you pick a pet
FisH
FIsh are great if you’re worried
you might not have lots of time,
space or money to own a larger
pet — but owning fish is still a big
commitment as the average fish
will live for around ten years.
All fish need a tank large enough
for them to swim around easily
and avoid other fish in the tank. It
should be in a quiet place. have
you got space for this? expect to
pay up to £1,000 to set it up.
You’ll need to clean the tank at
least every week. But fish don’t
need you to keep them company,
so if you’re quite busy, fish could
be a good choice for you.iNdoor Birds
All birds need an indoor aviary
large enough for them to fly
across, so you will need a large
area. some species can live up to
60 years. Initial costs are gener-
ally around £500 and monthly
maintenance costs can be around
£60, not including vet bills.
Check if your chosen species
likes the companionship of
another bird. Budgies, for exam-
p l e , e n j o y b e i n g k e p t w i t h
another budgie of the same sex.
Birds can become easily bored
if they don’t have enough contact
with humans, so you need to
think if you have time every day
to dedicate to your bird.
they need to exercise by flying
in their aviary or around your
home in a secure area.small Pets
hAMsters, rats, mice, gerbils
and chinchillas generally live in a
cage in your home.
s om e s m a l l p e t s s u c h a s
chinchillas can live up to 22 years
and cost £5,000 over a lifetime.
Most small pets need to live in
groups or pairs, so this might
increase the space they need as
well as the costs and time. some
are nocturnal and will be active,
and sometimes noisy, at night.
even if you’re not that active,
you’ll be able to keep a small pet
happy and healthy.
guinea pigs need to be kept in
an outdoor hutch with freeaccess to a large run, so you need
a garden large enough for a hutch
that’s at least 6 ft long, 2 ft wide
and 2 ft high, with the run beside
it. they need the company of
another guinea pig as they’re
very sociable.
It will cost you around £400 to
buy your guinea pigs. their
average lifespan is around four
years. they’ll cost you around
£70 a month, plus vets bills.raBBits
rABBIts need to be kept in a
large, outdoor hutch (see guinea
pigs) with a large run (8 ft by 4 ft
by 2 ft high) which they can
access throughout the day. theyneed the company of other
rabbits, as they become lonely
and stressed if kept on their own.
they will live an average of nine
years and cost you around
£10,000 each (plus vets bills)
throughout their lifetime.
rabbits enjoy lots of interac-
tion with us, playing with toys —
but even if you’re not that active,
you should be able to keep a pair
of rabbits happy and healthy.cats
CAts are generally happy to be
left alone for longish periods, but
you still need to feed them at
least once a day. they also need
exercise — outside if safe. theycan live inside only, but you will
need to provide places to play
and run. Cats live between 12
and 15 years and will cost you up
to £17,000 in all, plus vets bills.dogs
Dogs don’t enjoy being left alone
— you shouldn’t leave them for
more than four hours. Walks are
not just for the physical benefits
but for mental stimulation, too.
small dogs need 20-60 minutes of
exercise a day; medium dogs need
1-2 hours and large dogs longer.
smaller dogs generally live up
to 15 years and will cost around
£20,000. larger dogs cost £30,000
throughout their lifetime.tomorrow:
CoPING wItH A PEt
wHo HAS CANCEr
your a NsWers
MAInlY As: Maybe you should
reconsider having a pet at this
stage. however, if you’re still keen
we’d recommend you make key
changes to your lifestyle and do
lots of research about the welfare
needs of your chosen pet before
you make such a big decision.
MAInlY Bs: Fish, small pets,
guinea pigs, rabbits or cats may
be an appropriate choice, but
remember to research fully your
chosen pet’s welfare needs first.
MAInlY Cs: Fish, small pets,
guinea pigs, rabbits, cats or dogs
may be appropriate, but always
do plenty of research first. Your
vet would be able to offer advice
on how to source a healthy pet.