Before you adopt: 5 things you must commit to

Before you get a pet, set aside the cute photos for a moment.

The real question is not “Do I like this animal?” The real question is “Can I care for this animal on a normal day, a busy day, and a bad day?”

A pet will shed. It may bark, scratch, hide, get sick, or grow old. If you only want the comfort, but not the work, do not get one yet.

This article mainly talks about cats and dogs. The same idea applies to other pets. Before you bring any animal home, learn about its lifespan, food, housing, exercise, veterinary care, and daily needs. The CDC lists these points as things to consider before choosing a pet. [^1]

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1. If you cannot commit for the long term, do not get a pet

A cat or dog is not a short-term hobby. Many live with people for well over a decade. Your life may change during that time.

Before you adopt, ask yourself:

• What happens if I move?
• What happens if I change jobs?
• What happens if someone at home is allergic or against it?
• Who will care for the pet if I travel or get sick?
• Will I still care for it when it is old, slow, or on daily medicine?

The AVMA says responsible pet ownership includes a long-term commitment. It also includes food, water, shelter, health care, companionship, exercise, and training. [^2] These are not extras. They are the basic deal.

Loving animals is good. But love is not enough if your life has no room for the animal.

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2. If you cannot care for it every day, do not get a pet

A pet is not a friend who only shows up when you have time.

Dogs need walks, play, safety, and basic training. Cats may look independent, but they still need clean litter boxes, fresh food and water, play, hiding places, and calm contact. Small mammals, birds, reptiles, and other animals also have their own needs for space, heat, cleaning, and food.

On a normal day, you need to be able to:

• provide suitable food and clean water;
• clean waste, litter, cages, or bedding;
• check appetite, energy, stool, and movement;
• give time for play, exercise, or contact;
• avoid leaving the animal shut away or ignored for long periods.

“I’m busy” is not an explanation a pet can understand. It may only feel bored, stressed, or unsafe.

If you already struggle to care for yourself each day, wait before making another living being depend on you.

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3. If you cannot pay for care and vet visits, do not get a pet

The cost is not just the adoption fee or the first bag of food.

You need to plan for:

• food, litter, leashes, toys, and cleaning supplies;
• checkups, vaccines, deworming, flea and tick control;
• tests, medicine, treatment, and follow-up visits when the pet is sick;
• long-term care when the pet gets old;
• emergency care if something goes wrong.

The CDC advises regular veterinary visits. It also advises keeping up with vaccines, deworming, and flea and tick control. This protects the pet and the people at home. [^3]

Food choices also matter. The WSAVA nutrition guidelines explain that good nutrition depends on the animal, the diet, feeding habits, and the environment. [^4] In plain words: do not feed by rumor, trends, or ads alone. Choose food based on age, body condition, health risks, and veterinary advice.

If your plan is simply “I hope it never gets sick,” you are not ready yet.

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4. If you cannot provide a suitable home, do not get a pet

A pet needs more than a corner of the room.

Cats need safe hiding places. They need food, water, litter boxes, scratching areas, play areas, and resting places in the right locations. The AAFP/ISFM feline environmental guidelines say that a cat’s environment is linked to physical health, emotional wellbeing, and behavior. [^5]

Dogs also need more than indoor space. They need movement, safe walks, basic training, and a chance to learn how to live around people, animals, sounds, and new places. The AAHA canine life stage guidelines note that dog care should change as a dog moves from puppyhood to adulthood and old age. [^6]

Before you bring a pet home, check your home honestly:

• Is there enough safe space?
• Can you accept hair, smell, noise, and scratches?
• Can bowls, litter boxes, beds, and toys go in the right places?
• Can a dog go outside safely every day?
• Are children, older adults, and other pets safe around the animal?

A poor environment does not fix itself. The animal may become anxious, destructive, loud, aggressive, or withdrawn.

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5. If you will blame the pet when problems appear, do not get a pet

Problems will happen. The important question is what you will do next.

A pet may chew, bark, scratch, run at night, pee outside the litter box, fear strangers, fight with another pet, or need medical care. Many of these problems do not mean the animal is “bad.” They may point to stress, pain, illness, poor housing, weak training, or unrealistic expectations.

Research on pet relinquishment has found that housing issues, owner health, behavior problems, and lack of time are common reasons why cats and dogs are given up. [^7] Earlier research also found that behavior problems and limited veterinary care raised the risk of dogs being relinquished to shelters. [^8]

Before getting a pet, ask:

• Will I seek help from a veterinarian or qualified trainer if behavior problems appear?
• Do I have a plan if a landlord, roommate, or building rule becomes a problem?
• Will I still care for the animal when it is old, sick, or less cute?
• If I truly cannot keep it, will I find a safe new home instead of abandoning it?

Being new to pet care is not the issue. New owners can learn. The real problem is wanting the cute parts and refusing the hard parts.

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Final thought: prepare first, then adopt

A good pet owner does not have to be rich. A good pet owner does not have to know everything on day one.

But they do need to be steady. They need to learn. They need time. They need a budget. They need to take responsibility when things get hard.

If you cannot do these five things now, do not get a pet yet. Watch pet videos, help a friend, volunteer with a reputable group, or keep learning. When your time, money, housing, and backup plan are ready, then bring the animal home.

For the animal, meeting you later is better than being brought home too soon and given up.

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References

[^1]: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Ways to Stay Healthy Around Animals. https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/index.html

[^2]: American Veterinary Medical Association. Pet Ownership Guidelines. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/pet-ownership-guidelines

[^3]: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Ways to Stay Healthy Around Animals: Keep your pet healthy. https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/index.html

[^4]: WSAVA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines Task Force Members, Freeman, L., Becvarova, I., Cave, N., MacKay, C., Nguyen, P., et al. (2011). WSAVA Nutritional Assessment Guidelines. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 52(7), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2011.01079.x

[^5]: Ellis, S. L. H., Rodan, I., Carney, H. C., Heath, S., Rochlitz, I., Shearburn, L. D., Sundahl, E., & Westropp, J. L. (2013). AAFP and ISFM Feline Environmental Needs Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 15(3), 219–230. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X13477537

[^6]: Creevy, K. E., Grady, J., Little, S. E., Moore, G. E., Strickler, B. G., Thompson, S., & Webb, J. A. (2019). 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 55(6), 267–290. https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6999

[^7]: Jensen, J. B. H., Sandøe, P., & Nielsen, S. S. (2020). Owner-related reasons matter more than behavioural problems: A study of why owners relinquished dogs and cats to a Danish animal shelter from 1996 to 2017. Animals, 10(6), 1064. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10061064

[^8]: Patronek, G. J., Glickman, L. T., Beck, A. M., McCabe, G. P., & Ecker, C. (1996). Risk factors for relinquishment of dogs to an animal shelter. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 209(3), 572–581. PMID: 8755975.