Get ready to adopt a pet this school holidays

Get ready to adopt a pet this school holidays

“The school holidays are a great time to adopt a pet into your family because it gives you, your kids, and your pet the best opportunity to settle in and bond successfully,” says Christine Kalin, CEO of SPCA Auckland.

“And when you adopt a pet from SPCA Auckland, you not only have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve saved a life, but you also get a ‘ready made pet’ that has been vet checked, desexed, temperament assessed, vaccinated, and microchipped. Plus, we can also provide advice on how to care for your new pet and how to settle it into your home.”

Here’s our Top 5 reasons why pets and families are a great combination:

1. Caring. Interacting with a pet helps kids learn to be gentle with living things.

2. Responsibility. From about 5 years old onwards kids can take over feeding and cleaning tasks, which helps them learn to be responsible and gives them a chance to earn pocket money.

3. Empathy. Kids will often try to play with a pet in different ways. If the pet doesn't like what they're doing, their reaction helps kids learn to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of other living things.

4. Play. A pet can provide hours of fun for your kids, which can be a bonus during holiday time.

5. Love. Pets are indiscriminate about sharing the love and that rubs off on everyone in the household, helping everyone feel closer and more relaxed.

But before you head out to the SPCA Auckland Animal Village and start auditioning pet prospects, you need to ask yourself if you’re ready to adopt. If you can answer ‘yes’ to the following five questions, you’re on the right track.

1. Money: can you afford a pet? We take care of the upfront costs like desexing but you’ll have to meet the ongoing costs like food, toys, bedding, worming, annual health checks, vet bills, and more. For instance, the cost of caring for an average sized dog can be more than $20 a week. Can you handle that?

2. Time: do you have time to care for a pet? House training, obedience training, feeding, walking, vet visits – pets need a lot of attention. Plus companion animals like dogs and cats thrive on human company and will depend on you for food, shelter, and love their whole lives. If you work long hours or are away a lot, is there enough room in your life for a pet?

3. Responsibility: do you know how to care for a pet? It’s not just a case of putting food in its bowl and buying it a comfy basket. When you adopt a pet you take on responsibility for its health and wellbeing for its whole life, which means the buck stops with you if it is sick or injured or has other issues. Can you step up to that?

4. Commitment: can you care for a pet for its whole life? The average lifespan of dogs and cats is around 12 years – but some last years longer. Plus what begins as a cute puppy or kitten may take a lot more of your time and money to care for when it’s fully grown. Can you commit to a pet for longer than a decade?

5. Environment: is your home suitable for a pet? Your property needs to match your pet as much as you do. If you’re adopting a dog, for instance, you’ll need fencing to stop it from roaming. Does your garden offer enough space for your pet to play and exercise in? And if you’re renting, you need to check with your landlord whether pets are allowed.

“If you’re ready to adopt, we urge you to visit the Animal Village, find the perfect pet, and save a life this school holidays,” says Ms Kalin.

You can view animals for adoption at spca.org.nz or at the SPCA Auckland Animal Village, 50 Westney Rd, Mangere, 10.00am – 4.00pm every day except Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

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