Veterinary Pet Behaviour Survey

A recent report has been published which found that 94% of veterinary surgeons blame owners for their pets behavioural

problems and I am afraid I have to agree with them. Many people underestimate the amount of care and attention a dog or cat will need and can inadvertently cause problems to occur. Nobody takes on a pet expecting to have problems but sadly many do and a little thinking and forward planning can prevent a lot of stress and heartache and also, maybe, an abandoned pet.

For example, if you are considering taking on a dog, of any breed, do ensure you have enough time to care for them properly. All dogs need at least one hours of the lead exercise everyday and shouldn´t be left for more than a few hours at a time. Failure to provide this basic level of interation will lead to a bored, understimulated animal and may cause behavioural problems such as destructivness or aggression. Also, all dogs should be trained and given proper boundaries, ´babying´ or spoiling pets simply leads to unhappy animals who can be quite badly behaved.

Cats are often seen as the easy options as pets for our busy lifestyles and in some ways they are; they are independant animals who don´t need constant human interaction and are happy left for periods. However, they are vulnerable to stress and it often emerges as behavioural problems like spraying. The most common cause of stress in cats stems from living in multi-cat households, as cats naturally are solitary animals and don´t cope well with sharing territory.

If you are thinking of getting a pet, or you already have pets and would like another, consider your options carefully and be realistic about your ability to provide them with a suitable home. If you are concerned, or even if you are not, have a chat to the staff at your local vets first. They will be able to give you valuable, realistic advice and may be even able to point you in the direction of a good local breeder or rescue to get your new pet from!