Does Adopting a Specially-abled Pet Fit with Your Lifestyle?
Before making the leap to adopt a specially-abled pet, make sure that your lifestyle fits with the additional work it might take to care for the pet. If, for example, you tend to work long hours and aren’t able to be around the house as much as you’d like, a specially-abled pet might not be the right choice. Consider your family’s needs, as well as the pet’s. Are you children responsible enough to play with extra care around a special needs animal? If you like to take trips, would traveling with your pet, or hiring someone to care for it make sense? These are all factors to consider and will depend on your social and work situation. On the flip side, for example, if you work from home all the time and have the time, adopting a specially-abled pet may be the right choice. There’s no right or wrong answer on pet adoption, only what makes the best sense for you so you can give any pet you adopt the happiest life possible.
How Modern Technology Helps Specially-abled Pets
The good news is caring for specially-abled pets isn’t a go-it-alone situation. Modern technology has allowed these special furry friends to live long and active lives. 3D printers can create prosthetic legs or wheel chairs to help animals who couldn’t previously walk well. Pets that are blind or deaf can be trained using hand signals to communicate with owners about their needs. Your veterinarian will be another important resource to offer guidance on what to do to help your pet lead a full and active life.
Older Pets May Require Extra Care
Some pets may start out able-bodied, but may need special care as they age. The first dog I had when I was a kid, Daisy, went deaf as she became older. Because of this, we had to take special care when guests would enter the home. We had people enter slowly, and made sure Daisy was awake and aware that we were bringing someone new into the house. This helped avoid scaring her, which could have led to unpleasant encounters for our guests.
Each year May 3rd is National Specially-abled Pets Day! A popular Facebook page set up to celebrate these animals can also be a great resource if you’re going to adopt a special needs pet. Quivira Road Animal Clinic can also help you with your special pet’s needs. Book an appointment with us today and we’ll give you all the tools you need to set up a plan to care for your pet!
