4 Responsible Pet Ownership

STEP 1 Circle it Circle the answers that best describe you.

1. How much can you spend on purchasing

your pet?

a. R100 to R500

b. R500 to R1,000

c. R1,000 to R5,000

d. More than R5,000

2. What can you spend on purchasing all the

equipment, toys and housing for your pet?

a. R100 to R500

b. R500 to R1,000

c. R1,000 to R5,000

d. More than R5,000

3. What can you afford to spend on your pet every

month (including vet’s bills)?

a. R100 to R500

b. R500 to R1,000

c. R1,000 to R5,000

d. More than R5,000

4. You live

a. In a flat/townhouse with no garden

b. In a home that has a small garden

c. In a home with a large garden

d. On a plot or farm

5. Your home is

a. A magnet for mud, dust and clutter.

b. Always immaculate, and you like to keep it that

way

c. A place where everyone relaxes. Who cares if

there’s a bit of dust on the mantelpiece?

d. Neat and clean, but friendly

6. Your garden is

a. What garden?

b. Your pride, joy and safe haven from stress

c. A lawn that needs mowing and a few pot

plants that made it through the first few weeks

in your care

d. Where your gardener spends one day a week

keeping things presentable

7. How much time can you spend feeding,

playing with and caring for your pet?

a. Less than 10 minutes a day (about an hour

a week)

b. 30 minutes a day (about three hours a week)

c. 90 minutes a day (about 10 hours a week)

d. Three hours a day (about 20 hours a week)

8. You currently

a. Get enough exercise watching sport on TV

and/or paging through a magazine

b. Struggle to get into an exercise regime

c. Jog, gym or cycle daily

d. Take a gentle walk about twice a week, but you

want to do it more often

9. You share your home with

a. No-one – it’s a bachelor pad

b. A roommate, spouse or life partner

c. Small children (under 13)

d. Teenagers and older children

10. You travel for work or go on holiday

a. At least once a month

b. At least once every few months – those

weekend breakaways are great

Are you ready for a

pet?Our quiz is the perfect way

to decide whether a pet is right for you

QUIZ

Responsible Pet Ownership 5

c. At least once a year for about two weeks

d. Never

11. You want a pet to

a. Provide you with protection

b. Teach your children about responsibility and

caring for living things

c. Take part in shows and competitions for both

fun and exercise

d. Be a companion and friend

12. Pets are

a. Not allowed at all by your body corporate or

landlord

b. Allowed by your body corporate or landlord,

but only if they’re fish, rodents or birds. No cats

or dogs

c. Allowed by your body corporate or landlord,

as long as they are not noisy and are contained

during the day. No loud parrots or wandering

cats

d. Supposed to be part of my family life

13. Your ideal pet

a. Needs little interaction beyond food, water

and a safe place to sleep

b. Will greet you and then get on with their lives

until you serve them their dinner

c. Curls up next to you while you read

d. Is super-friendly and wants lots of attention and

exercise

14. How long would your ideal pet live?

a. Oh yeah, pets live shorter lives than

humans...

b. Not too long – maybe two or three years.

You never know when the kids will get bored

of them

c. A fair time – about 10 years or so

d. I want a lifelong commitment – at least

20 years

15. You’ve been thinking about getting

a. A ‘cool’ pet – maybe a bearded dragon or a

potbellied pig, but it has to be something out

of the ordinary

b. A smaller pet like fish, a bird, hamster, guinea

pig or a small snake

c. A cat, small dog or medium-sized bird

d. A large dog or a horse, or a large parrot

STEP 2 Add it up Add up how many As, Bs, Cs and Ds you

circled.

STEP 3 Check it outWhat your answers say about you:

Mostly As

You like animals but you’re probably not ready

for a pet right now. Your lifestyle and budget

won’t work with a pet. Instead, channel your

pet-loving energies towards helping out at a

shelter when you have the time. And plan for

life with your pet one day, when your lifestyle

is more fair to the pet.

Mostly Bs

You’re seriously considering a pet, but might

be a bit naive about what it takes to be a

responsible pet owner. Research a bit more

what pet ownership is really about. Ideally,

become a regular volunteer at an animal

shelter to help you find out which animals

would really work for you. Also look at how

you respond to friends’ pets and see which

ones you seem to bond with.

Mostly Cs

You’re ready for a pet, but it’s always better

to start small. Specially if there are children

involved. Please make sure you follow all

the basic guidelines for food, water, shelter,

veterinary care and interaction to ensure your

pet has a happy, healthy life. Hamsters, fish,

smaller birds and dogs (choose one of the

less active and demanding breeds) would

work for you.

Mostly Ds

You certainly have big ambitions for your pet,

and can provide it with a happy life. However,

make sure you don’t choose a pet that is too

expensive to maintain, or one which will tax

you physically in terms of training and exercise.

Horses, dogs who require more exercise and

training and larger parrots would work for you.

QUIZ