Are you open to pet adoption?
My mother has been a veterinarian for over 50 years.
People ask her: does she have pet dogs at home?
The answer: A LOT!
If you visit her, you will notice that the dogs are all different. They’re all of different sizes, age and breeds.
You’ll see an overweight Dachsund, a playful Doberman, a hairy mutt, a gregarious Retriever, a shaky Aspin and a few more…
Why? This is because she has a soft spot in her heart for these dogs.
What is the tie that binds all of them?
Age? No. Breed? Of course not. Sex? They’re a mix of male and female dogs.
What ties them all together is that they are all adopted!
Vet Life Is Not Easy
Being a veterinarian is a difficult life. One of the perils is that a lot of owners just choose to abandon their pets when maintenance and medical bills pile up. Sometimes they ask if they can have their pets adopted. A lot of times they just choose to leave them behind without giving a second glance.
In other words, abandon them.
This puts the veterinarian in a difficult position. The dog is abandoned so he already loses financially. Then when he adopts, he or she has to spend to make sure they are well taken care of.
My mother just couldn’t leave them . . .
Oprah the Dachshund was supposed to be put to sleep. My mom took pity and adopted her and treated her for her medical condition. She now trudges around the garden slowly.
The playful Doberman? He just got too big and the owner couldn’t take care of him anymore.
And it goes on . . .
Love is Not Enough when Caring A Pet
Some of the owners actually had good intentions of taking care of a pet dog. They just didn’t realize that loving a pet is not enough. You need to be responsible, have the time and also have the finances to have one.
Having any pet for that matter is not a privilege, it is a luxury.
Pet Adoption: Five Freedoms Animals Need
From my personal experience, having a pet dog is like having a child. Not only do you need to make sure they don’t go hungry and have a place to sleep comfortably, but you need to spend time with them.
You need to be familiar with the five freedoms animals need before taking care of them.
1) Freedom from hunger and thirst.
2) Freedom from discomfort.
3) Freedom from pain, injury or disease.
4) Freedom to express normal behavior.
5) Freedom from fear and distress.
If you can assure that these five freedoms are provided for the pet for all its life, then you have the right to get a pet.
Pet Adoption: Responsible Pet Owners Should Do These
Being a responsible human to her adopted pets, my mother had all of these done to them:
1) Proper vaccinations.
2) Tick, flea and heartworm prevention.
3) Proper food and water available all the time.
4) A safe and comfortable place to sleep.
5) Proper dental care
6) All of them are spayed and neutered to prevent more orphaned dogs.
7) All other things necessary to keep them healthy and happy.
This may seem a lot but when you treat your pets like family, doing these will not be a burden to a responsible pet owner.
Learn more about managing ticks and fleas here.
My Mother – A Pet Lover At Heart
My mother is almost 80. She’s not young anymore. It does cost my mom money, time and effort to keep the adopted dogs healthy and happy. She just couldn’t leave them and be maltreated somewhere else.
Oprah, Tachi, Coffee, Tisay, Paris and Tiny all thank her for this!
How about you, are you looking for a pet hospital for the needs of your dog and cat?
Contact us at (02) 8896-6386 / 8896-2860 / 0908-896-7113 so we can set an appointment.
Do take note that Makati Dog and Cat Hospital serves you and your pet from 8AM to 3PM, Mondays to Saturdays.
Connect with us on our Facebook page.
Enjoy peace of mind,
Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC