Love at first paw

Waking up every morning with a paw on your face is a rather annoying delight that all pet lovers enjoy. Having a pet is a feeling all animal lovers enjoy. But keeping pet is not all fun and games. These cuddly puffballs need to be taken care of just like you take care of your baby brother or your kid. To help you take care of your pet, let's go through some basic to-do lists that'll help you not freak out when your furry friend is going through troubles.

THE POCK SHOT FOR THE FLUFFSHOT

Vaccinating your pet is one of the most important things you need to do once you have a pet. It is necessary to protect your pet from diseases like rabies, canine distemper, hepatitis and countless other diseases that may harm the pets you own. It's a myth where people think that pets are vaccinated to stop spreading animal to man diseases; it is needed to protect against the spread of diseases that could take a lot of expense to cure, including treatments, antibiotics and other medications, for the animals themselves too.

Usually, if it's a kitten or a puppy, vaccination should be done twice a year or yearly or as prescribed by the veterinarian.

EAT HEALTHY, BE PURRFECT 

Just as much as having a healthy diet for us Homo sapiens is super important, it is also very necessary for your pet to have a healthy diet, to avoid 'the runs' in its stomach. If you want them to share the same meals you have then rice, meat and fish would do just fine as well. But it is necessary to make sure they have a proportionate amount of nutrients every day. “Cat and dog food are equally important for my pets because I want them to have the nutrients that are necessary. I stop them from having any sort of fried food because that affects their fur quite a lot and candies and fruits are also a big no,” says Tarannum Mahmud, a happy owner of three cats and a dog.

DUNK IT IN THE TUB

It is necessary for your pets to be clean and fresh. Although cats and dogs tend to clean themselves through combing out their fur with their tongue, giving them a bath once or twice a month is very necessary. Use your cabinet shampoo and wash your pet well. “Lice” is a problem all pets have so it's better to go old-school.

VISIT THE VETERINARIAN 

Even if your pet is healthy with the amount of care you are taking, it is wise to take it to a veterinarian for check-ups. It is not always necessary to visit Katabon every now and then. There are pet care centres, like in Gulshan, Uttara, and the Central Veterinary Hospital near Bango Bazaar. You can get online advices from “Pet Care Gulshan” and the veterinarians are cooperative too.

DESI PURR OR PURRDESI?

By popular demand on Facebook and places which sell cats and dogs, it seems that customers tend to buy cats that are foreign breeds more frequently than the local breeds. It has been so popular that animal trading has become a popular business, whereas many kittens and puppies on the streets that are badly in need of finding themselves a home remain homeless. 

Not disregarding the pet owners who own foreign breeds, but shouldn't we pay more heed to pets that are in need of homes and are right outside, waiting to be loved? “Animals are beautiful creatures whether they are foreign or local. I honestly can't help but judge the people who disregard the animals in the street yet call themselves animal lovers,” says Tanvir Khan, the owner of five cats which he rescued from the streets. An adoption is the best step to take when looking for a pet.

Local or foreign, pet lovers connect their emotions with their pets as if they have a best friend who understands them through all the chirps, meows and woofs. They are friends who are loyal enough to never leave your side and pals of all time. So, how is your pal doing this very hour?

By Sumaiya Tasnim

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed