The day my husband and I adopted our cat Woody from the animal shelter, we really weren’t planning on taking anyone home with us. We had just gone to look around on one of those “nothing else to do” Sunday afternoons. We had already discussed getting a companion for Jake, our other rescued cat, and we knew that our best option would be to adopt from a shelter.
There are so many animals out there that need good homes, and we knew we were able to fit a new kitty cat into our family. We went to check out the adult cats, and when Woody and I saw each other, it was love at first sight. I loved his smudgy little orange and white face, and when he reached his paw through his kennel to grab my hand, that was all it took to convince us to take him home. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. Here is a picture of our little boy...
Anyone who has ever owned a pet understands how much joy that relationship can bring. The special bonds we share with our pets enrich our lives, can reduce stress, encourage us to exercise, laugh and play, and offer us and endless supply of non-judgmental warmth and affection. But being a pet owner also means that we have an important responsibility to care for our furry, feathery, or scaly friends.
Did you know that if you or someone you know is interested in working with animals in a place like SeaWorld, being a responsible pet owner is a skill you can start working on now, no matter how old you are? Taking care of our animals is such a big job; you need to have some prior experience caring for animals before you can apply to work in our Zoological department. Here are some tips for making sure you are the best pet owner you can be:
- Know that owning a pet is a lifetime commitment.
- Spay or Neuter your pet.
- Always be aware of weather conditions and provide shelter in the summer heat, cold of winter, rain and shine.
- Make sure your pet’s home is safe from poisons, chemicals, medications, cleaning agents, and dangerous plants.
- Provide veterinary care for your pets. Keep all vaccines up to date and take them for annual check-ups.
- License and ID your pets. External tags are necessary, but even micro-chipping is important. It is the best way to make sure that your pet comes home if lost.
- Obedience train and socialize your pets to be around other people and animals safely.
- Secure your pets and don’t let them run loose. Dog owners should use leashes and provide a fenced outdoor area for their pets. Did you know that an outdoor cat’s average lifespan is 3 years, but an indoor cat’s is 14 years?
- Give your pets proper exercise.
- Provide your pets a proper and healthy diet.
- Be kind and loving to your pets, you are the world to them.
- Take extra special care of your pets as they age and enter their senior years.
Are you thinking about welcoming a new pet into your family? Consider adopting one of the millions of dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles in need of good home from a local animal shelter. SeaWorld’s Happy Tails is a new animal adoption program that will provide pet lovers two free single-day admissions to SeaWorld when they adopt a dog or cat from a participating animal shelter. Participating animal shelters in San Antonio include Animal Care Services, Animal Defense League of Texas, and the San Antonio Humane Society.
Want to learn more about how you can help pets in San Antonio? Visit the Talk About it SA website. Here you can learn about how San Antonio residents can help our city become a no-kill community. This means that no healthy or treatable cat or dog will be euthanized due to lack of shelter space or because their owner doesn’t want them any longer. The mission of Talk About it SA is to help San Antonio achieve this goal.
