I'm having the hardest time getting a pet! What should I do?

I'll take a kitten! - kittens
United States
January 13, 2008 8:59am CST
I can't afford and it's my last choice to get a pet from a pet store but I've been looking for weeks for a cat or a dog and I'm getting nowhere. I think my problem is that I don't drive because I have seen some but they are really far from where I live and I wouldn't even ask my sons fiance to drive me that far. The adoption prices they are asking at the local pet shelter are crazy and I can't afford them either. I've decided that I'm just going to have to keep searching until something comes along and that will mean that whoever I end up with will really be made for me! Any suggestions anyone? Should I just keep searching or give up my search and hope something just "drops into my lap"?
9 people like this
14 responses
@Seraphine (385)
• Finland
13 Jan 08
For starters I think you should decide if you want a cat or a dog. There are big differences between the two. A cat is much more independent and can manage on their own better than a dog can. Think about what you can offer to a pet and then make a decision which one is the right for you. Second issue that comes to my mind, is if you can't afford adoption fees and the like, are you going to be able to pay for whatever the animal needs? Good quality food? Vet costs? What if your cat or dog becomes ill and needs emergency vet care? I know a pet can mean so much to a person but by getting one you also have responsibility towards taking care of it properly, and that means you have to be able to financially support it. If you'd for example accept a pup from someone who tries to give it away at a Walmart or something, you could end up with an animal that has had no shots and can have been exposed to parvo or something which will end up being very expensive to treat. Going to the shelter or rescue is a much safer bet than getting a puppy/cat from a complete stranger at the street.
5 people like this
• United States
13 Jan 08
Don't buy through a pet store! X.X I don't know if you meant to say animal shelter...but the pets that are sold directly through pet stores do not have the threat of being euthanized. I work for PetsMart, and they refuse to sell dogs and cats because they don't want to take adopters away from shelters. You can try finding an adoptable pet online. there are a few good sites you can go to and look. The one I use the most (just to browse for right now) is Petfinder. www.petfinder.com you can look for specific species and breeds here. You can ge pictures and great descriptions of the adoptable animals. Let me know how this site works out for you! :) let me know if you find anyone you like! =P
• United States
14 Jan 08
Yes, I did mean animal shelter...lol! I looked through pet finder and did find a minpin I'm interested in who is in a foster home very close to where I live. I had filled out an application on line last night and heard from them this morning telling me to get in touch with the foster parents which I did so now I'm waiting to hear from them.
2 people like this
• United States
14 Jan 08
Oh good! I'm glad the site worked out for you! :) I think it is so great when people rescue animals that need it =) I don't know if you've ever owned a minpin before...but if you haven't I can tell you they are great dogs! I work with all breeds of dogs, and in my experience minpins are very sweet little dogs, if raised right. I know a lot about which breeds are good! :) Good luck! I hope you get the pup!
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
13 Jan 08
Your best bet is to let your friends and family know that you are looking for one. There are so many needing good homes. We got our cat, Morgana, from my Niece who got it from her friend. My dog, Petey, rest his soul, came from a litter that my other dog, Scooby, bred. I had granddaddy dog, daddy dog and son dog. LOL Three generations. You'll know when the right one comes along. **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
4 people like this
• United States
13 Jan 08
go to www.petsaver.com. It is an organization that finds pets homes. They even will set up delivery of certain animals. They are a very good organization and have a lot of different breeds of cats and dogs to choose from.
3 people like this
• United States
14 Jan 08
Petsaver is one I've never heard of but will definately check out. Thanks for the link.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
18 Jan 08
Maybe you can look in the newspaper. A lot of people are looking for a good home for their pet because for various reasons they can''t keep them anymore. I know this is how we got a cat for my mom just a month ago. The person who gave her to us even gave us her scratching pole and litter box and toys and food and kitty litter, Everything he had. He was moving out of province and didn't want to take her with him so he gave her away to us. Her, the kitty, names is Mo. She has fallen in love with my mom but it took about a week because the poor thing is 5 years old and only used to men. Or do the human society there not give out animals for free if a person can't afford to buy one? Have you told them you can't afford to pay for one? They may if you tell them.
• United States
18 Jan 08
why not look at www.petfinder.org ? I know if I was a shelter worker, I'd be glad to drive to where you are in the hopes of adopting out an animal that really needs a home. Don't buy while homeless animals die.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
14 Jan 08
Just keep searching Sweetie it needs to be right for you Look in the Papers and things like that I got Gissi from the Rescue Centre and he came to me I was the only Person he had ever come to so I knew he was the one So keep looking
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
13 Jan 08
Check out this website - http://www.petfinder.com/ I used it to find my two cats. It did take me almost a month though to find the ones I wanted. Also, to keep adoption fees down, consider adopting an older pet that has already had all of it's shots and has been neutered already. My cats were 2 1/2 and 3 years old and already neutered with all shots when I got them. Because of that, the adoption fees were less than half the price of a kitten or puppy - only $15 a piece.
@youdontsay (3497)
• United States
13 Jan 08
Let some vets offices know that you are looking for a free pet. They often get people coming in looking for homes for puppies or kittens. And if you tell everyone you know, eventually someone will have a kitten they want a home for. We have an organization called Cat Welfare that tries to find homes for cats. The Humane Society also has pets that need homes, but I think they charge a fee for their shots and neutering. With so many unwanted pets in the world, there is sure to be one for you. Keep trying.
@barnkinney (1343)
• Philippines
13 Jan 08
hope that something drops in your lap. why do you want to have a pet in the first place?
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
13 Jan 08
I think that the pet shelters have rabie shots done and spayed or neutoring done. That's generally what the charges are in my area. Will you be able to afford rabies shots? Will you be able to afford to have the cat or dog you get fixed? Will you be able to afford food and to go to the vet once a year for a check up? Usually if you can't afford those basic things, then I would not get a pet. Maybe your shelter charges for other things, but ours charge only for the things that I would do anyway. Maybe someone will move away who has already spade or neutered a pet and had a recent vet visit. Also there are so many stray animals that roam neighborhoods that one may very well drop into your lap. Take care
• United States
14 Jan 08
If you can't afford the adoption prices than maybe you should consider not getting a pet because owning a pet can be expensive especially their medical bills.They need check ups,they need their teeth cleaned and sometimes pulled,they need to be fixed or spayed,sometimes they get infections,eye problems,diseases that need to be treated,shots.I am not trying to be rude but I don't think you should own a pet until you can afford to take proper care of it.If you get in a better financial situation where you can afford vet visits,operations ect.Then go for it.
• United States
14 Jan 08
I would suggest your local paper and check for free kittens, but there is also an organization I am aware of that rescues cats from local animal shelter and then finds people to adopt them, they are all over the states here is their website www.feline-friends.net/ but I know that alot of time people will give away kittens for free. Good Luck in your search
• Australia
17 Jan 08
I am sorry if i sound harsh but if you cant afford the purchase price, how will you afford treatments, food, flea control, wormers etc. This add up to big bucks. Getting a pet from a shelter doesnt mean you can just neglect them as they are so grateful to you. I am a veterinary nurse and we get plenty of people who also cant afford. You may not realise what you are getting into. In Australia a box of frontline for 6mths is about $60-70. Then heartworm $40-100 for 6mths. Vaccines $70 year. Food $90 a 15kg bag. etc etc So please consider these ongoing costs.