The Thrill of Adding a New Member to the Fur-mily

Pet owners can agree that having a pet around is really something else. You devote several hours each day to caring, feeding, and completing your daily activities together. Apart from that, having pets around helps pet owners form an intimate and distinctive connection with their pet. Just by having that connection, their owner's emotional, psychological, and physical health—their entire well-being—starts to improve. If having one pet around offers this much advantage, imagine how much better it is when another fur-mily member is added!

Adding a new pet to the family can be very exciting as owners once more get to experience building a bond with an animal and witness their first few moments, too. Pet owners also repeat the cycle of various training with the new addition, including potty training and tricks, which may be challenging at times.

Taking care of animals generally brings people joy and that is something that Thabita Fuentes, 16, can agree on. A dog, a sugar glider, and a bird are animals that keep Thabita company. Everything that Thabita’s pets do on a daily basis is something that fascinates her. Seeing how these animals have lived their lives allowed Thabita to find the drive to really become a responsible pet owner.

There’s no doubt that taking care of an animal requires time and effort in order to provide for their pet’s physical and emotional needs. Taking care of pets shows owners what it's like to have another life form relying on them, which teaches responsibility in a manner that only a few other things can. Caring for pets fosters empathy and a respect for life while also teaching owners the value of dedication, consistency, and love. The lessons brought by the responsibility of owning a pet has motivated and led Thabita to add another member to her family.

Photos from Thabita Fuentes

“I decided to get another pet because I want to improve myself by being more responsible,” Thabita stated. She added, “I decided to get a sugar glider and a bird so that I can teach them the value of being loved by humans.” For Thabita, having these pets as new members of her family feels like a new adventure and a new challenge in her life. “I am happy and excited because I know that by taking care of them, I could also benefit by learning from them,” she said.

Maria Lynn Salvador, a teacher, has been taking care of various dog breeds, including a shih tzu, a labrador, and an aspin. This 49-year-old educator is fond of dogs for their impressive looks, their loyalty, and their lovable traits. The amount of joy brought by the dogs running around her house as well as the amount of licking as a sign of affection they show are few of the many things that Maria Lynn gets to receive from having these dogs as her companion. The constant attention that these fur babies provide demonstrates how much love and devotion they have for their owners, and it would be ideal if dogs could obtain companionship other than their owners that offers the same quantity or degree of energy that they do, and that is something that Maria Lynn did.

This dog lover bought a chow chow as an addition to her furry family. “I decided to get another dog because I want them (previous dogs) to have another “dog company” and for them not to feel lonely.” After a few months with her chow chow, Maria Lynn decided to add another furry companion and this time, it was a shih-tzu. Maria Lynn understands that it’ll definitely be costly and that she’d need to add more budget for the new members of her family. “It means additional expenses but the happiness they provide is all worth it.”

Photos from Maria Lynn Salvador

It is vital to plan ahead of time not just when it would be best to acquire another pet but also before purchasing a pet in general. Whether you decide to have a dog, a cat, a rabbit, or even a snake, it is essential to prepare yourself by conducting preliminary study in order to understand what taking care of a certain pet entails. Other than that, you must be financially prepared for the pet's food consumption, supplements, check-ups, and the like.

Thabita made certain that her new pets had adequate space and cages while purchasing food that are tailor-fit for them. Aside from that, she prepared by managing her time well and planned ahead to schedule their routines to keep up with the demands of her pets. Similar to what Thabita observed, Maria Lynn prepared by making sure to have enough time for her new pets along with preparing an extra budget for the expenses to come such as for food, vitamins, vaccinations, check-ups, as well as preparing a space for them to live comfortably.

The transition phase of letting your new and old pet animal/s meet one another can go in different directions. On one hand, your previous pets may embrace the new addition and form a relationship with them immediately. On the other hand, your previous pets may not welcome the new pet immediately and may feel envious that their attention is being shared.

Photo from Thabita Fuentes

With Thabita, her dog instantly adores her new bird while her sugar glider hides and refuses to interact. Fortunately enough, her pets didn’t seem envious of the new addition. “I make certain that I pay attention to each of them by properly managing my time,” she said. “I give my time to my dog every morning, treats and training to my bird every afternoon, and quality time to my sugar glider at night because my sugar glider is nocturnal,” Thabita added.

Meanwhile, Maria Lynn’s previous dogs felt indifferent at first with the new addition but as time passed, they’ve managed not only to take notice but also became comfortable with each other’s presence. Soon, they were getting along with each other and running around the driveway. Although one pet may receive more attention than the other, Maria Lynn makes every effort to treat them equally.

When asked what message they wanted to give to those who are considering getting another pet, Thabita believes that this kind of decision must first begin with deliberating within yourself. “Ask yourself if you are responsible enough to handle a pet and to spend time with them,” she said. “This is because every pet requires attention from their owner to feel loved and appreciated.” As for Maria Lynn, she wants everyone to make sure that they’re prepared ahead of time. “Have the time for them and be emotionally ready to welcome them as part of your family.”