Making the decision to have a pet is not something we should do lightly and on impulse. The possession of an animal is something very serious and we must value many aspects, being honest with ourselves. According to veterinarian Carlos Rodríguez, a year there are almost half a million abandoned animals in our country , let’s not continue feeding this disheartening figure.
The responsible ownership event organized by Royal Canin, Ser Padres y Muy Pets and held on October 29 in Madrid served as a speaker to raise awareness on this issue. It was attended by Carmen Sabalete , director of Ser Padres; Carlos Rodríguez , veterinarian; Mª Ángeles Toscano García , Corporate Affairs Director of Royal Canin and Bruna Fernandes , dog educator.
Are you really ready to have a pet? In order to answer this question, the experts advise to inform ourselves in advance about the animal that we would like to have : what is its life expectancy, its final size, its physical requirements, the obligations that we must acquire for its care … or rather the people who are going to live with the animal, agree. With only one person disagreeing, the decision should be not to have a pet . Another aspect that we must assess is the economic cost , which will be for the entire life of the animal and which will include veterinary expenses, food, accessories, care … and that, beware, there are not few.
Finally, we must reflect on the reason that is moving us to include an animal in our life . Do we want it to fill certain gaps that we feel? Do we hope that this living being will give us what we lack? It is important to answer these questions honestly and to burn ourselves that the relationship with our pet should be two-way, she will provide us with many satisfactions but we will have to reciprocate. It is not worth expecting everything from her, you have to give it in return.
Within the responsible ownership of an animal, food deserves a separate chapter as it is a key element for its health and development and, therefore, it is important to choose a quality food, as well as to adapt the food to its physical conditions, age , if it is sterilized … Did you know that almost 80% of the reasons for veterinary consultation are related to food ?
Dogs are not strict carnivores and for their health they should eat quality food. It is not the same to feed than to nourish, we must not give them the leftovers of our food , we have to know the ideal amount of food to eat (do not give them more, that’s what the scale is for, to weigh the food!) And if we give them snacks, we will deduct them from the total amount of food you eat per day.
