by S. Linda Jensen

Created on: December 20, 2007   Last Updated: July 05, 2009

Owning a pet is a serious matter. In most apartment communities a bird or aquarium will not require a deposit like a cat or dog. Hermit crabs are also kept in a contained space. Hamsters are usually in a cage and therefore not typically a pet that requires a deposit in an apartment community. These type pets are usually harmless if their cages and tanks are kept clean.

When a person lives in the confined space of a multi-family apartment or condominium community it is important to think about the responsibility of owning a pet. This decision should be given a great deal of thought and not just a whim of the week. Think about how owing a pet will impact your life not for a few days or hours but as a part of your life to the end of life of the pet. Owning a pet will also affect relationships as much as any commitment in your life. You, as a pet owner, are the parent of the pet it is your job to take this seriously.

Your choice of owning a pet has an impact on not only your budget but the condition of your home and community. As a pet owner you're also impacting your neighbors, the community and the common areas. There is the noise issue, the pet waste issue, the fear factor, deposit expense, care expense and the possibility of damage to the property of the others. Some pets can be dangerous especially in the hands of inexperienced and uniformed individuals or the uncaring person with only an ego involved who abuses the animal.

Responsible pet owners are usually not a problem for anyone. But the majority of casual pet owners create issues that are serious and costly. In most cases the pet gets all the blame for problems or damage when in fact it is failure of the pet owner to handle the pet responsibly. Animals need to be trained, loved and treated well if they are to be enjoyed fully and not become pests instead of pets.

Sadly when an animal becomes a problem the first response of the casual pet owner is to get rid of it. In our society throw away pets fill shelters; over run rescue organizations and over whelm animal control efforts in cities. You can find animals of all ages, all breeds and all sizes in most shelters. If you want to get a dog or cat seek out a shelter or a rescue organization. Become a foster parent of a pet from many rescue organizations and if the pet is a good match you can apply for adoption. These pet organizations will make sure the animal is a good fit for the person or family and the environment they will be living in. The animal

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