A new Companion animal, or pet, will be a new member of your family.  He will depend on you to take good care of him for the rest of his life.  So before deciding to bring a new animal home, make sure you have thought it through. Begin by thinking about the questions below with your family:

Why do you want a companion animal?
Sometimes people want an animal for the wrong reasons.  Maybe they saw the movie "101 Dalmatians" and want a dog like in ones in the cartoon.  Or they want a tough dog to guard the house.  Or they may want a cat to chase away mice from their house. The problem with these types of reasons is that a dog is much more than a cartoon or home alarm system, and cats are more than mousers.  They have feelings and needs, and want to be a member of the family.

Is this the right time to get a new companion animal?
It may not be the best time to bring a new companion animal home if there is a new baby in the house, or your family is going on vacation or moving.

Does your family have any allergies?
Find out if anyone in your family has allergies to animals before bringing a new companion animal home.

Who will be responsible for taking care of the new companion animal?
A companion animal is a big responsibility.  In most families, the responsibilities need to be shared.  Before choosing an animal think about who will clean the litter box or scoop the poop.  If the animal has an enclosure, who will clean it each day? Who will do the feeding, the walking or the grooming?

How much does time do you have to spend with a companion animal?
If your house is empty for eight hours or more each day because people are at work or school, then a rabbit, ferret, puppy or kitten is not the right animal for your family.  But an older cat, or pair of cats may do just fine.

How much money do you have to spend on a companion animal?
It costs a lot of money to care for an animal.  Some animals such as ferrets are more likely to get certain diseases that are very expensive to treat.  Figure out what all the costs will be for the animal you are interested in bringing into your family.  Remember to include food, Veterinarian visits, treats, toys, beds, enclosures or crates, and scratching posts.  Will you and your family be able to spend this much?

If you have answered the questions above and decided that you are ready to bring a new companion animal home, here are some questions that will help make the decision on which kind of animal.

What Species and breed will be best for your family?
There are two ways to begin to answer this question:  The best way is to take your families' answers to all of the questions above and find a type of animal that will be a good match. Talk to workers at an Animal Shelter, ask an animal Behavior expert or veterinarian.  Or if you have found a particular type of animal you and your family like, then learn about that animal by reading books, going online or asking others who have experience with those animals to see if they are a good fit for your family. For example, if your family likes to stay indoors and relax a lot, a big, mellow dog might be a better fit for your family than a smaller, energetic one who likes and needs to run often.

Younger or older companion animal?
A companion animal of any age can bond with her new family. Young animals like puppies and kittens can be fun, but they need a lot of extra care, attention and training.  Dogs, cats and other companion animals who are older can make great friends.  They can usually spend a longer amount of time alone, which is good if your parents work away from home during the day and you are at school.

One or two?
Especially with kittens, rabbits and ferrets, having two is usually better than one.  By playing with each other as they grow up, they will learn better behavior.  If your family is away from the house for several hours at a time, they can keep each other company.

Adopt from a shelter or buy from a pet store?

Pet stores often sell animals who come from puppy mills, commercial breeding facilities where the animals are raised in sad, dirty, horrible conditions and tend to be sicker and weaker. Some pet stores do have animals available for adoption from shelters though, so check first. 

Animal shelters care for a wide variety of animals who need permanent, loving homes.  The people who work at the animal shelter are usually very familiar with each animal's story and can tell you more about an animal you are interested in Adopting.  The adoption fee is usually less than buying an animal from a pet store or breeder. If you adopt from a shelter, you'll feel great about giving a homeless animal a second chance.  Animals from PAWS have been spayed or neutered, have a collar and leash (for dogs) or cardboard carrier (for cats), have received at least their first round of shots and have a free wellness exam.