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You've decided to adopt a pet! Before you come down to the shelter and fill out an application, there are some things you should know. Adopting a pet is a huge responsibility, and not to be taken lightly. You should never give a pet as a surprise gift, and you should prepare your home for your pet before you adopt. If you get a pet for your child, remember that you and you, alone, are the primary care-taker for the animal.
Small and medium dogs will live about fourteen years, while large dogs will live about eight years. If you decide to purchase a puppy, plan to have him for at least a decade. Are you ready for that kind of commitment?
Pets of any kind aren't cheap, and dogs are no exception. The first year you own your dog will probably be expensive--expect to spend a good deal of money on health care and supplies. Every year thereafter, expect to spend several hundred dollars depending on the size of the dog and the breed. Pet Place has more information on costs.
If the financial aspect doesn't deter you from adopting a fuzzy friend, then you need to prepare your home. You will need: 1. a food bowl; 2. water bowl; 3. dog food, dry and wet; 4. treats; 5. bed; 6. heartworm preventative; 7. grooming supplies (brush, nail clipper, shampoo, etc.); 8. leash; 9. collar; 10. flea collar; 11. ID tag; 12. toys; 13. first aid kit; 14. pooper scooper; 15. doggie doodie bags; 16. crate (for traveling); 17. a dog house; 18. books about your dog. It's a long list, but you really must have all of these things if you are going to raise your dog into a loving, sociable, healthy companion.
Puppies are like babies; they are learning how to control their bladders and will have accidents. They are teething, so they will chew on everything. If you cannot accept a dog pooping and peeing on your carpet and chewing up everything at puppy-level, then a puppy is not for you. If you cannot accept having to wake up at three o'clock in the morning because Baby Woofy has to go pee-pee, a puppy is not for you. And if you cannot dedicate many hours a day to socializing your animal, a baby animal is definitely not for you. Older dogs are just as affectionate and loyal as their younger counterparts, but usually are already house-broken and can entertain themselves while you go to work in ways that don't involve destroying your home. Think about this before you adopt a puppy.
It is illegal for you to tie your dog up, even in your yard, for more than three hours a day in Brownwood, TX. If you do not have a fenced yard to keep your dog in, you will need to accompany your dog on a leash each time he has to use the bathroom. If you are found to be illegally chaining your dog, animal control can issue you a costly ticket, or bring the dog to the shelter. You may reclaim your pet, of course, but it can be costly.
Keep Brownwood Beautiful puts doggie clean-up stations in the parks around town. While we encourage you to bring your own doggie bags, you can find bags at these various stations. Please clean up after your dog; nobody likes to smell it or slip in it! And remember: your dog won't clean itself! You have to give your dog a bath every week, whether he likes it or not.
Cats are more solitary companions, though they do emotionally better when they have a cat companion. They don't require your attention all the time, like many dogs do. They aren't as demanding, either. Owning a cat is not much cheaper than owning a dog, so adopters need to be prepared to spend potentially several hundred dollars a year for flea preventatives, vet visits, food, toys, and supplies. Pet Education provides an excellent analysis. Cats tend to outlive their canine counterparts. A cat's average lifespan is 12 - 18 years. Indoor cats tend to live longer than outdoor cats, because outdoor cats are more likely to get runover and catch fatal diseases.
Before you bring your cat home, you'll want to prepare your home. You will need: 1. a food bowl; 2. water bowl; 3. cat or kitten food, dry and wet; 4. treats; 5. bed; 6. scratching post; 7. grooming supplies (brush, nail clipper, shampoo, etc.); 8. litter box, scoop, and litter; 9. collar; 10. flea collar (if outdoor cat); 11. ID tag; 12. toys; 13. first aid kit; 14. books about your cat.
If you own a cat, you will need to scoop litter every day. If you do not, then your cat will rebel and poop in a clean spot...like the living room floor. Cats are very clean creatures, and they expect you to be the same way. Unlike dogs, cats clean themselves, and you won't have to shampoo your cat unless you have allergies or your cat gets into something it can't clean off by itself (something sticky, for instance).
Cats have a need to scratch. They do it because their nails have a sheath that needs to come off as it grows, and scratching does the trick. You can train a kitten to use a scratching post instead of your furniture in a matter of hours by picking him up when he scratches the couch, and then putting his paws on the scratching post. He'll get the idea pretty quickly. Older cats can also be trained, but it might take a bit longer. To prevent a cat from scratching in an area, line the area with double-sided tape; cats don't like sticky surfaces.
When you adopt an animal, you should be aware of the most common diseases. For cats and dogs, these diseases are rabies, distemper, parvovirus, heartworms, bloat, URIs, feline panleukopenia, FeLV, FIV, and FIP (descriptions are here and here).
CTSAC has a relationship with many of the Brown County veterinarians. You will be required to choose a veterinarian when you adopt your pet, as part of the adoption application. If you are a vet and would like to join CTSAC in their mission, please contact us for more information. Here are the addresses of the vets with whom we work:
Brown County Animal Clinic
Dr. Joe Speck
105 Early Blvd
Early, TX 76802
Phone (325) 643-1523
Fax (325) 641-0753
Cadenhead Veterinary Clinic
Dr. John Cadenhead
3807 HWY 377 South
Brownwood, TX 76801
(325) 646-8775
Small Animal Medical Center
Dr. David Geeslin
Dr. Gayland Gowdy
1001 North Fisk
Brownwood, TX 76801
Phone (325) 643-2275
Fax (325) 646-7907
Guitar Veterinary Services
Dr. David Guitar
Dr. Jessica R. Cohen
9251 CR 232
Brownwood, TX 76801
(325) 646-8886
Comanche County Veterinary Clinic
Dr. Abby
Dr. Fishback
Dr. Gilmore
1306 West Central
Comanche, TX 76442
(325) 356-2711
Eastland County Veterinary Clinic
Dr. Paul Duncan
200 Pogue Ave
Eastland, TX 76448
Phone 254-629-8766
Fax 254-629-1565
Lazy 3 Vet clinic
9991 HWY 6
Cisco, TX 76437
Phone 254-631-0816
Fax 254-631-0780
Pearce Veterinary Clinic
Dr. Pearce
206 Fannin
Santa Anna, TX 76878
(325) 348-9179
San Saba Animal Hospital
Dr. Kidd
Dr. Key
608 North High
San Saba, TX 76877
(325) 372-5445
The Austin Avenue Pet Clinic
Dr. Greg Bailey
2705 Austin Avenue
Brownwood, TX 76801
(325) 646-0514
