by Skathock Motyka

Created on: June 04, 2008

"The Greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."-Mahatma Gandhi

The word responsible has many meanings. From being liable for one's actions in following through on a commitment to being depended upon and many shades between, responsibility covers it. Responsible pet ownership can be compared to responsible parenting. Just because the animal cannot tattle on your actions doesn't mean they need any less care than a child. This issue is gaining more and more attention in America and around the world. Owning a pet is a burden while still being a joy and those who cannot or will not step up and sacrifice to fulfill their companion's needs should not apply for the position of pet owner. Being a responsible pet owner entails many things. Pet owners have a duty to provide a safe, caring environment for their pet as well as physical and mental care.

Physical Aspects:
Our task as pet owners is to provide a lifestyle conducive to life. This means medical care, preventative care as well as simple comforts such as a safe place to go during stressful times and daily exercise. On top of basic necessities such as food, shelter and water we add a firm yet gentle hand for boundaries and rules. Every pet needs to know what the rules of it's household are. Without boundaries pets often find themselves in trouble and eventually this lack of training leads them down a dark road. It comes down to providing a well-adjusted home regardless of species, age or gender.

Mental/Emotional Aspects
This part of pet ownership is often the hardest to understand and satisfy. It goes beyond training and socialization into the right to live free of fear. Every animal needs things to relieve stress, anxiety and pent-up energy. Challenges and accomplishments are important for self-esteem and confidence in sentient life-forms. Providing for an animal's emotional comfort means providing them with a good, trusting relationship and encouraging their personal growth through challenge, learning and reinforcement of positive advances.

As if those weren't enough there is also the moral obligation to keep your pet safe from others as well as keeping the public safe from your pet. This applies more to large quadrupeds such as dogs and horses but can be applied to any pet. Not every person enjoys animals. Cruelty and abuse plague today's society because children have grown up without the morals of previous generations. Animals are considered a commodity in America while still being considered a waste of time in some other countries. Training and socialization show up here as well. In order for our pets to be safe from people who may want to hurt them we have to train ourselves to see the red flags that pop up while simultaneously keeping our pets secured. This part seems to be the most difficult for many people these days because it means making sacrifices.

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