Deciding to adopt a pet is one of the most heartwarming decisions we can make as human beings. Assuming this responsibility of taking care of another living being causes us to adjust our lifestyles and daily routine. 

There are big pets and smaller ones; the species and breed you adopt depends on various factors. In the words of United Veterinary Center: “Though some small animals are much more low-maintenance than larger animals, you still need to take time to prepare your home for them. Oftentimes, this means investing in a terrarium, tank or cage, and accessories designed with your future pet’s needs in mind.”

Therefore, before deciding which pet species to adopt, these are some questions to ask yourself:

• How often are you home?
• How much money can you afford to spend on your pet (per week, month, year)?
• Do you live in an apartment?
• Do you have young children?
• Do you have other animals already? Will your current and future pets be compatible, in case they would be sharing space? 
• How much time do you have to exercise your pet?
• How long will you be away from your pet?
• Who will care for your pet in your absence?
• What are you looking for in a pet?

Next, we will help you answer some of these questions when we describe the pros and cons of the 5 most popular pets.

#1: Pros And Cons Of Dogs

Having a dog as a pet seems to have many more pros than cons! It’s the most popular pet for a reason. One of the pros of choosing this species as your pet is that there are hundreds of breeds of dogs to choose from, making it easy to find the right fit for your household. If you live in an apartment and don’t have much space, the smaller breeds requiring less space, may be great options for you. Another pro of having dogs as pets is their loyalty and love. Lastly, dogs demand daily walks, which also forces their human counterparts to be active and exercise as well. This is a general pro; however if your lifestyle doesn’t allow you to take your pet for a "potty walk" every 2-8 hours, then their need for daily walks may be a con for your lifestyle. There are alternatives in the case that you cannot walk your pet as frequently as needed; you can consider potty-pad training in the house. One of the cons of having a dog as a pet, is the cost of veterinary care and food. The amount of money you need to take care of a dog depends on the breed you choose; some breeds have predisposed health issues to especially take into consideration for your dog’s preventative and medical expenses. Another con of this species is that they like to bite things! To avoid gnawing or biting things or people requires training. While there are many toys designated to be bitten, one has to be careful knowing dogs can be triggered to bite humans. The Dachshund, for example, is a really sweet but “moody” breed with a strong character; they do not always hesitate nipping a human as much as a Golden Retriever may! Some breeds like Labs and Golden Retrievers are notoriously known to ingest foreign objects like toys and socks; this often warrants an urgent surgery so this common behavior (and associated financial expense) can be kept in mind. Certain dog breeds bark louder and with a deeper pitch than ones; this may be a pro or a con depending on your needs. For example, you may prefer a large breed with a loud barking voice if the dog is to function as your property’s guard. However, a small breed who doesn’t bark as often or loudly, may be suitable if you’re adopting a dog strictly to give each other companionship.

#2: Pros And Cons Of Cats

Cats are the second most popular pets. They are not only extremely cute and friendly, but they also are much more independent compared to dogs. They don’t need daily potty walks as they can use an indoor litter box 100% of the time. Lots of cats like to be outside on their own, and cannot be supervised on walks anyway (unless you’ve leash-trained your cat). They are also quiet animals, so they won’t be noisy at home in the way that dogs can be. Additionally, their monthly food bill is usually lower compared to that of dogs and certain replies. On the other hand, there are some cons to having cats as pets. Cats have a desire to sharpen their claws and claw into natural things like tree barks, so they may instead exercise their desire indoors by clawing furniture and damaging it. Yes, some cats ruin furniture even if you put scratch posts up! There are some indoor plants that are really toxic to cats; if ingested by your cat, you would have to be financially prepared for a big vet bill. Some of these well-known toxic plants are:

Peace lilies
Aloe vera
Monstera deliciosa
Pothos
Jade plants
Snake plants
Sago Palms
English ivy
Dumb canes

Male cats spray urine to mark their territory; some do this even if they’re neutered. This is definitely a con in any home environment. Lastly, cats are keen on playing nicely and roughly with other cats, so it’s generally preferable to have two or more cats (with proper introductions to avoid serious cat fights) in a household.

#3: Pros And Cons Of Fish

Fish are quite popular pets in North America. In fact, they are the third most popular species to keep in homes. A pro of having fish as pets is that they are easy to care for, so they make a great first pet for a family. Furthermore, there are hundreds of different types of fish, so the options on size seem endless. Also, if the lighting in and around your aquarium is right, then your fish could show themselves and their colorful environments; this illuminates any room you place an aquarium in! A con is that some fish easily get sick (or die) from different stressors such as translocating tanks. The water is an environment where germs can easily be passed from one fish to another, causing multiple of them to be affected quickly. You should routinely clean the fish tank to prevent this from happening; implementing this habit requires discipline. Cleaning a glass tank and its parts safely requires mindfulness and meticulousness and so this responsibility has to be of a mature family member.

#4: Pros And Cons Of Rodents

Many people have rodents as pets. This category of pets includes hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats and guinea pigs. Contrary to many people’s assumptions, rodents demand a lot of care. In the words of Veronica Jones from Bet Guru, “Care must be taken to make sure they get enough vitamin C in their diet or they can get scurvy. Store-bought cages are generally not sufficient space for a guinea pig.” Additionally, “Children need to be observed with rats to make sure they do not pick up or restrain a rat by its tail as it can very easily become injured.”

Some of the pros of having rodents as pets are that they are low-maintenance as far as space needs go. While most animals are happy in larger and open spaces, rodents can comfortably inhabit a caged area where there should be accessories like an exercise wheel. Of course socialization outside of the cage is preferable for the pet, if it’s in a safe environment. A pro of having a rodent as a pet is that they, along with their personal housing environments, are easy to move from places if you need to relocate them.

On the other hand, there are some cons to owning a rodent as well. Rodents are agile and can sometimes escape their cage, so you will have to think of creative ways of catching them. Their cages can take on a terrible odor if they are not cleaned properly and on a regular basis. Rodents need socialization, and fresh food and water daily just like other pets, so they are no small responsibility. 

#5: Pros And Cons Of Reptiles

One of the most common questions about reptiles is whether or not they make good pets. It’s a good question, but the answer is not as simple as we would like it to be.

A unique characteristic of the reptile group is that they are self-contained as pets. They can spend their entire lives in their terrarium. They don’t exhibit any strong needs to leave that area, which is different compared to dogs and cats. Another pro is that reptiles don’t have fur, so there is no typical pet-associated fur allergy-risk humans have to concern themselves with. There are cons to owning a reptile as well. The very first one is that their habitat requires special care and maintenance (ex: temperature and substrate variations). Almost all reptiles are cold-blooded; which means that they themselves are directly affected by their external environment. This attribute of reptiles renders them susceptible to temperature fluctuations caused in their surrounding area. Please keep this in mind if you decide to adopt a reptile, as their habitat needs can be very particular. Another con of owning reptiles is that a lot of them eat live food, so traveling with them isn't as easy as doing so with another type of pet. Most people feed reptiles with mealworms and crickets but that isn't appropriate for all types of pet reptiles. Some varieties of snakes eat baby rats as food, for example. Lastly, another con people speak of is that reptiles don’t really do that much. They are a great still company, not someone you can be active with. Whether or not a reptile is a suitable pet for you, may depend on your personality or lifestyle. Many reptiles can be such great, sweet and adorable pets!

Overall, deciding to adopt a pet is one of the most fulfilling decisions we can make as human beings. Many end up adopting pets that end up providing each other a lifetime of companionship. We just suggest being fair to the needs of different types of animals before deciding which type of species to adopt as a pet. It’s also important to assess our lifestyle and financial situations before deciding which species to select as a pet. For instance, if you have a small budget towards pet care, a rodent or a cat may be better options than a large dog whose food alone can be costly. 

[Please note that this article does not replace or take importance over advice by veterinary or animal experts. Also, consider animals like those in the bird group which can be great pets, too, depending on your lifestyle.]

References:

• https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/selecting-pet-your-family
• https://a-z-animals.com/pets/
• https://www.vetguru.com/what-small-pet-should-i-get-pros-and-cons/
• https://unitedveterinarycenter.com/blog/best-pocket-pets/
• https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-popular-animals-owned-as-pets-in-the-us.html
• https://www.2ndstreetvet.com/owning-a-reptile-the-pros-and-cons-part-2/

[Published: October 4th 2021
Edited: November 1st 2021]