Pets
Sourcing a Pet
By Caroline Knight
Where to source a pet is an essential consideration if you want to buy an animal. Licensed puppy farms, for example, are not illegal, but might not provide the ideal start for a dog. Unlicensed farms are illegal, as are third-party commercial puppy dealers. Any young animal coming from a breeder needs to be healthy and to have had care, attention and socialisation during its first few weeks of life. We should all be aware that what you see on the internet isn’t necessarily a true-life picture of the animal that you are buying. Animal rescue organisations report that over 80 per cent of calls regarding young pets concern those found online. Health issues can result from mass breeding and rearing within inhumane conditions, including lack of space, light, warmth and inappropriate feeding. Although the internet is an excellent place to learn about animals of all descriptions, word of mouth is generally the best way to actually find a pet. Using personal recommendations means that you can check out addresses and hopefully see several members of an animal family, including at least one of the parents. Animal shelters should also be considered very seriously because the rate of pet abandonment during the last few months has increased by more than 25 per cent. This means that more animals than ever before are looking to be rehomed. There are hundreds of dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, rats and even horses looking for new owners, and one of them could be the perfect pet for you.
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