STOP! READ! THINK
CAREFULLY BEFORE ADOPTING A PET
MARY JANE CHECCHI OFFERS SOUND ADVICE IN ARE YOU THE
PET FOR ME?
While the choice
of a pet can have a more lasting impact on a family than the
choice of a stereo or a car, there never has been a "Consumer
Reports"-type guide to selecting the right pet...until now.
Mary Jane Checchi's Are You the Pet for Me?: Choosing
the Right Pet for Your Family (St. Martin's/$5.99/1999)
goes far beyond other pet books to prepare parents and children
to make a successful decision about getting a pet-- even if
that decision is not to get a pet at all. Her book draws on
extensive research to provide up-to-date information on common
pitfalls, resources and advice for the selection and care
of a pet. It shows how making the wrong decision can lead
to heartache for a family, especially for children, and abandonment
or death for an unwanted animal.
Checchi offers a step-by-step approach to the decision-making
process, providing answers to frequently asked questions such
as: "Is my family prepared to care for a pet?" "Which pet
will best suit our lifestyle and provide the companionship
we want?," "How old should my child be before we select a
pet?," "Where can we go to get the pet we want?," and "Is
it realistic to expect my child to help care for our new pet?"
Are You the Pet for Me? shows how pets can enrich
people's lives. They are amusing, affectionate, and a source
of comfort. They can provide learning opportunities for school
children, and be an anchor and non-judgmental confidant for
teens. Parents may be surprised to find that the pets they
thought they were buying for their kids often become companions
for Mom and Dad.
Checchi advises parents to recognize that a pet will mean
more work for them. In 66% of homes with pets -- and there
is at least one pet in 55 million American households -- adult
females are the primary caretakers," To help parents make
an informed decision, Checchi has provided contact information
in the book for more than 60 pet care organizations. She lists
more than 150 books about all types of pets including more
than 80 books for children. She also provides cost and care
profiles for each pet category, including space requirements
and special needs of different pets.
Selecting the right pet should mean putting old biases aside.
Just because Mom grew up with a dog doesn't mean she has time
for one now. It means not being swayed by a child's pleas
for an iguana because a friend has one. It means considering
that any pet, from a fancy rat to a purebred cat, is a part
of the family and worthy of serious care and consideration.
When a family has unrealistic expectations about a pet, or
fails to understand ahead of time the level of effort required
to care for a pet, the 'mistake' is most frequently solved
by surrendering the animal to a shelter. About ten million
pets are euthanized each year in this country. Many of these
are neither old, nor sick, nor strays, nor vicious -- they
are just not wanted.
Checchi's book advises parents against "pet dujour" purchases.
Dalmatiaris became popular when Disney released 101 Dalmatians
a few years ago. Ferrets became the pet of choice when Arnold
Schwarzenneger was seen with one in Kindergarten Cop. Hedgehogs
are now being promoted. But parents may not know that dalmatians
and ferrets are high-maintenance pets, and hedgehogs are not
suitable as pets at all. A pet is a personal choice that involves
choosing not just the right type and breed, but the individual
animal that matches your family. For that reason, Checchi
advises that parents take children along to choose a new pet,
instead of giving a pet as a surprise birthday or holiday
gift. "Think adoption not acquisition when it comes to adding
a pet to your family, and you're likely to find joy in the
relationship," says Checchi.
