Should perspective animal owners have to pass a competency test?

Question

I am truely shocked by the questions on here which show an absolute lack of any knowledge on the basic care of a persons pets.
I am all in favour of a test to show you understand how to care for the animal before being allowed to take a pet home, where it's health and well being rests solely on your knowledge and understanding.
When re-homing my bunnies, I provide care sheets to refer to, samples of feeds, useful websites and my contact details should they have any other questions, as well as thoroughly questioning the new owners so that I know they will give my bunnies a good and happy home. Should pet stores be made to do the same?

Yes, thank you - I note the question should read prospective animal owners........ but we can't all be perfect all the time now can we...!?

Answer 1

This is one of my greatest wishes! It's shocking the amount of people who own an animal they have absolutely no idea about even basic care for. I think you should have to obtain a basic care sheet for whichever animal you're going to get and sign to say you've read and understood it.

I also think minimum care requirements should be law, such as vaccinations and neutering for animals that are not going to be bred - and there should be special separate requirements for people intending to be breeders! Certainly people should have to promise to take their animal to a vet if they suspect it's ill - and to do everything in their power to find the money to pay for essential treatment.

Of course it will never happen. If any old person can have a child, anybody can own an animal. Nothing makes people kick up such a stink as when they think their rights are being trampled. Never mind about animal's rights. People need to realise, owning an animal does not give you any rights, only responsibilities.

Chalice

Answer 2

I Think Prospective Owners Should Have To Take A Test. That Way Only People Who Are Serious About Getting An Animal Would Actually Bother To Get A Pet And People Who Don't Give A Damn About Animals Wouldn't Go Out Of Their Way Like That Just To Get One. I Think Its A Good Idea Because That Way Less Animals Would Be Abused Or Abandoned. Pet Shops Should Be Made To Educate Customers As I Feel It Is Partially Their Responsibility For The Animals Welfare As They Are The People Who Sell Them So Are Kinda Responsible If They Sell Them To Uneducated Customers

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

However the problem here is that they seem to have set the guidelines in stone with the result that some people (competent pet owners) have been refused for a rehoming on account of their age, now I can understand not wanting a puppy or kitten to go to an older person but there are many older pets who want a peaceful home to live out their lives and the chances of them being placed with young people is not especially high ( younger people want a cat or dog that has more than a couple of years to go) The argument used was that if the new owner died the pet would then become homeless again. Seems too harsh really.
Anyway, I'm going off track here, in general yes there should be something even a basic general knowledge test would be better than "thank you, goodbye". Recently I went to a shop locally to buy a leopard gecko for my daughter, I know nothing whatsoever about them (my daughter has kept them for years) all I had to do was sign a book.
When I sold my pups we interviewed prospective owners with regards to how/ where the pups were going to be kept etc and also provided a "puppy" pack containing information on vaccinations, worming schedule, feeding guidelines etc.

Answer 5

A great idea! Then perhaps there would be less need for people like me. I only ever get Dog's or Cats from shelters and usually the one's that have been mistreated which sadly often means they don't reach the old age for species or breed. I also keep tropical fish and am horrified when I see questions about them! People with goldfish in a bowl or tanks of different fish that require totally different water or are totally incompatible! I hold the retailers as much to blame as the owners though. I've heard them give out the wrong advice, seen them sell a fish they know will grow large without asking what size tank they have!
People seem to think a dog or fish is the same as any other dog or fish and try and treat them the same way with disastrous results!
At least before purchase someone from the household should be able to prove they are capable of looking after it! Perhaps the new bill will help to improve things but there will always be some who only care about making money!

Answer 6

Most shelters ( locally at least) do "vet" prospective homes. However the problem here is that they seem to have set the guidelines in stone with the result that some people (competent pet owners) have been refused for a rehoming on account of their age, now I can understand not wanting a puppy or kitten to go to an older person but there are many older pets who want a peaceful home to live out their lives and the chances of them being placed with young people is not especially high ( younger people want a cat or dog that has more than a couple of years to go) The argument used was that if the new owner died the pet would then become homeless again. Seems too harsh really.
Anyway, I'm going off track here, in general yes there should be something even a basic general knowledge test would be better than "thank you, goodbye". Recently I went to a shop locally to buy a leopard gecko for my daughter, I know nothing whatsoever about them (my daughter has kept them for years) all I had to do was sign a book.
When I sold my pups we interviewed prospective owners with regards to how/ where the pups were going to be kept etc and also provided a "puppy" pack containing information on vaccinations, worming schedule, feeding guidelines etc.

Answer 7

in a perfect world, yes.
here in the UK we were supposed 2 b receiving, thanks 2 intervention of the EU,
a 16-page booklet 2 cover the care & the legal responsibilities of owning an animal.
we're all still awaiting this booklet.
just being able 2 refer a bad owner 2 their lack of care, could set the record straight once & 4 all, but like i say, the Government doesn't want 2 pay 4 it & is looking 2 the Charity sector 2 cover the cost.
thus breaking EU rules AGAIN!
& we the Tax-payers are left 2 pay the fine.

i've been asked on more than 1 occasion if i would like 2 breed my staffie.
No i don't, thanx very much.
No 1 i got him castrated as soon as i could, a birth-defect left him with a testicle growing inside of him, caused by the over-breeding of his parents & it would have never dropped it would probably have killed him by now.
No 2 considering the amount of abandoned & homeless animals filling UK dog refuges. so many unwanted animals is hard 2 understand.
No 3 i wouldn't b able 2 part with an puppy, not really knowing how well it will b treated & cared for.
i wouldn't trust any1 enough, people are so fickle within five minutes they're bored with the animal & dump it ASAP.
so yes the Pet shops should do much much more.

i'm outspoken enough 2 think all for prospective parents should b passing a proficiency test.
rather than allow crap people 2 re-produce,
they should pass a test 2 prove their worth as parents.
it's no good worrying about it after the fact, but stop it happening in the first place!

Answer 8

I agree with you, but I think that the reality of someone taking the time and undeniable effort to enforce a competence test on all potential pet owners is unlikely.

The advice you have given to the new owners of your bunnies is the standard that should be expected from all pet shops, breeders, etc.

Although, I do feel that part of having a pet is discovering the things you haven't thought of and learning from your mistakes at the same time - I'm drawing from from personal experience here!

While I am in absolutely, in no shape or form, condoning neglect of animals, I know that often people are reluctant to admit they know so little about basic animal care - especially in front of a vet. It is places like this very website that allow people the anonymity to ask these embarrassingly "basic" questions.

The best thing we can do is answer these questions with the best advice possible, and hope that they listen.

Answer 9

Now I know that I'm about to be controversial here, but......

Why should prospective pet owners have to take a test to have a pet when any idiot person can just go out and breed themselves? That would be like saying animal welfare is more important than human welfare and that's why I'm being controversial - although I could never condone cruelty of any sort to an animal, why should their needs and rights be placed above human children, many of whom live in misery and squalor but their parents didn't have to take a test before they had them. I agree that a lot of people just go out and buy a pet without thinking of the consequences of having them (like how tying it can be when you go away on holiday finding someone to care for them, or a good kennel home), how to care for them (and how expensive it is) when they get sick and also how to feed them correctly (ie the right food in the right amounts). You sound like a responsible breeder, but unfortunately they're not all like you, most are more interested in the money they can make from their animals.

If you are shocked by the questions you see in the pets section you should check out some of the questions in the pregnancy and parenting section too.



P.S. I am an animal lover - I have two cats who are very well loved, cared for and treated.

Answer 10

Yes they should. Please though can you at least try to spell big words properly if you use them, prospective is the word you are looking for here, perspective has a completely different meaning. And there is no word truely, its truly.

ps. Even if you do give out care leaflets etc, the people who take the animals don't have to follow them. And THEY could breed the animals they get from you then just pass them onto careless owners. I think that breeding animals as pets is the biggest cause of animal neglect. If you don't breed pets, there won't BE pets.