Who hasn't thought of taking a pet at least once in their life?
In fact, animals, whether large or small, hairy or feathered, have always accompanied the life of men, filling it with serenity and affection, but before looking for an animal, we should know if we are able or not to be able to give them a life worthy of be called such!
In Italy there are over 60 million familiar pets, animals that are not represented only by dogs and cats, but also by rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds and various exotic animals.
Which is the most suitable animal for me?
Each animal has its own characteristics of species as well as breed and individual, and it is therefore important to think carefully before looking for one! Rabbits, for example, are not very suitable animals for children, as they are afraid of fast movements, screams and do not like being picked up; cats love to live outdoors, so a house with a garden or the possibility of accessing the outside is preferable; dogs are, in principle, very adaptable animals, which however need attention and above all to run and play, regardless of their breed and size; hamsters, which are usually kept in small cages often poorly "furnished", would be happy to roam large spaces all night and therefore would need large enclosures and semi-freedom. Before deciding to look for a pet, we must therefore inform ourselves well about their characteristics and understand our possibilities, both in terms of time, money and life!
What are the benefits of animals in the family?
From a survey carried out on 500 "owners" of animals, it is shown that the latter are responsible for bringing joy and good humor, to unite the family and alleviate their concerns, to calm the elderly, and another very useful thing, that of socializing children, making them less interested in video games and TV! Animals represent a real healthy pill! In fact, it seems that children who live in close contact with animals are healthier and happier than the average, which demonstrates how important human-animal coexistence is!
Adopt or Buy?
And here's the dilemma ... often when you think of an animal, you think of a purebred animal and, instead of talking about adoption, we talk about buying, giving or buying! But can a life have a price? Would you put a tag or barcode on a friend? To date, many animals are abandoned all over the world, including Italy, and many of them are in often very bad living and health conditions. Those animals are as nice and sweet as any other individual, with or without precise and known characteristics, basically we are looking for a friend, not a car, right? So we are spoiled for choice, in fact there are many associations that voluntarily recover abandoned animals and try to find a new home for them, to give them a dignified and happy life!
If we are interested in exotic animals, abandoned ones, saved from experimental laboratories, or perhaps simply not fed to other animals, we can turn, for example, to AAE onlus (Association of exotic animals), if instead we are ready to adopt a ferret, how can we not contact Furettomania onlus? For turtles we have for example Tartaweb, while for dogs and cats just contact the kennel or kennel of the city where you live, or simply contact associations such asENPA extension, to discover a world of animal souls in search of their human soul for life!
What if we can't adopt?
If our lifestyle does not make it possible for us to adopt, we can always visit and support an animal shelter, such as for example IPPOASI, the peace farm, which saves farm animals by giving them a happy life, or we can volunteer in a structure that manages dogs and cats, or even guarantee a temporary home for abandoned animals, or simply adopt at a distance, guaranteeing care and food for the less fortunate animals who are waiting for someone to adopt them!
Veterinary Physician Dr. Paola Zintu
Photo: Friends with a tail, Berit Watkin,
