Celebrate National Pet Month: The Joys & Responsibilities of Pet Ownership

Published on: Apr 24, 2022

April is ‘National Pet Month’, so I thought I’d reflect a bit on the all-round fabulousness of companion animals and what we can do to make sure we look after our furry (or otherwise!) friends properly. It also seems the ideal time to celebrate some of the wonderful pets we’ve seen in the practice over the last 12 months. 

 

Pets are great. They can brighten up the darkest of days and bring so much joy into our lives just by being there. And scientific studies have shown that they can also bring huge and positive benefits to our mental and physical health too.  

 

Pets get us outdoors and exercising more which can help to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels and depression. Pets also provide companionship, help to combat loneliness, offer security and teach kids responsibility. Simply just stroking your cat or watching your fish swim around can help to reduce stress. 

 

With all these benefits, I think it’s quite easy to see why an estimated 12 million British households choose to keep a pet! And as many as three in 10 owners welcomed a new pet during the pandemic – with national lockdowns and restrictions on social gatherings, loneliness was at an all time high so it’s no real surprise that many people decided to introduce a pet into their family during this time. 

 

National Pet Month brings together professional bodies, vets, animal welfare charities and pet lovers to celebrate and raise awareness of responsible pet ownership – although of course, the important messages they endorse run all year-round. 

 

So what can we do to make sure that we look after our companion animals as best we can? Well, responsible pet ownership begins by thinking carefully BEFORE even getting a pet to start with – consider what sort of pet would suit your lifestyle, and whether you can cater for its specific requirements. 

 

After that, you need to make sure you provide for their key welfare needs – that is, companionship, behaviour, diet, health and environment.  

 

These will be different for different species, but top tips include making sure you provide suitable housing, bedding, toys and companionship as well as a nutritious and well-balanced diet. You should work with your vet to protect your pet against disease and address any ill-health issues. You should make sure you can control your pet and that it’s sociable and well trained, as well as grooming it regularly and cleaning up after it. A responsible pet owner should also take out insurance to cover against unexpected veterinary fees and third party liability. 

 

We have a soft spot for all the pets in our care but we’re also pleased to be celebrating a few that stole our hearts just that little bit more than usual and it seems quite timely to have announced the finalists in our ‘Pet of the Year’ programme during National Pet Month.  

 

From Peaches the bearded dragon who needed intricate surgery to remove a big belly full of eggs and Dubh the lurcher who was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow tumour, to Maui the British Blue who had a rough start in life growing up with chronic diarrhoea and Brambles the African pygmy hedgehog who needed dental work to address his swollen red gums, you can read all their stories and vote for your favourite on our Facebook page. 

 

National Pet Month – and our own ‘Pet of the Year’ programme – encourages us to remember just how precious pets are and how much they can add to our families, and that we have a responsibility to care for them in return.