1. Are your pets spayed or neutered?

   A. Yes, or they will be as soon as they are old enough.

   B. No, they are show animals who have proven themselves to be of breeding quality.

   C. No, they are cute, so we want them to have a litter or two.

   D. No, we breed them and put ads in the newspaper, usually they sell quick.

2. How much time do you spend with your pets?

   A. My dogs drive me nuts so mostly I spend time yelling at them, they tear the house apart, and well cats don’t need any attention.

   B. My life is really busy, I don’t have time to spend with them every day.

   C. My dog is in agility, so ya you could say I spend lots of time with it, I play with the cats regularly too, they love their toys.

   Read more in Quizzes

   « How Much of a Pet Lover are You, Really?

   Exercises for the Self »

   D. I walk the dog as often as needed, and the cats get plenty of attention to. .

3. How often do your pets visit the vet?

   A. Only for their shots.

   B. So far they have never needed to visit a vet, so never.

   C. Twice a year, just to be sure, and for vaccinations of course.

   D. My pets have health issues which require regular vet visits.

4. How do you select your cat/dog food brand?

   A. Whatever is the cheapest, or on sale, at the time.

   B. I try to stay with the same brand, which I buy at a grocery store, or Walmart.

   C. I buy a food from my vet. I have never questioned it.

   D. I buy a well known brand, you see commercials for it all the time so I know it’s good.

   E. I buy a premium brand, hard to find, one that most people probably are not even aware exists, no by-products, no corn.

   F. I cook for my pets, or buy them special prepared “RAW” food for pets.

5. How much time do you spend grooming your pets?

   A. I groom them daily, or as needed (depends on the breed this might also include regular trips to the groomer). I do their teeth too.

   B. I take them to a groomer for hair cut when the hair is matted.

   C. My cat tried to kill me when I tried to brush it, so that ended that.

   D. I bathe my dog at least twice a month.

6. Where do your pets spend their time?

   A. Outdoors mostly, they can go where ever they want, this keeps them happy and is more natural.

   B. After the cat/dog started peeing in the house, or became destructive, it became an outdoor only pet.

   C. Indoors and out. Our yard is fenced, for the dog, or we have a cat section or cat harness for the cat..

   D. Indoors only, except the dog out for walks and bathroom of course.

7. What is the health status of your pet?

   A. Healthy, I can tell because his/her coat is shiny.

   B. Healthy, I know because we had a vet appointment for check up two months ago.

   C. Sick, but on medication.

   D. Not really sure, he seems okay, but sometimes pees in the house or drags his bum around on the floor, it is really annoying. We spank him for that.

8. If for some reason, you could not keep your pet, what would you do with it?

   A. Euthanize it, nobody could be as good an owner as I was.

   B. Take it to the country, let it be free, or take it to a farm where it can be happy.

   C. I would put a “Free to Good Home” advertisement in the newspaper.

   D. It would kill me to do so, but I would take it to the local animal shelter for adoption.

   E. My pet is not very adoptable, it is old and fussy, I would try to rehome it with somebody I knew and trusted, but if I could not do so, I would have my vet euthanize my pet.

   F. I would call the breeder and return it to them, or find a breed rescue.

   

The photo is from Wikimedia, this is not an example of something a good pet owner should be doing.

RESULTS!

1. A and B are worth 10 points, they are responsible answers. C and D are both minus 10. Thousands of animals are euthanized weekly because there are more born than there are homes for, even if you did find homes for your pets, it means some other pets did not find homes. Unless an animal is of quality to breed, it should be spayed or neutered, which also help eliminate some behavioral problems and health risks, like some cancers.

2. A is minus 10 points, pets who do not get enough mental stimulation often become destructive, so if your pet is destructive, it is probably your fault. B is zero, your pet does not care if your life is busy, it is part of your life. C and D are plus 10. Different breeds have different needs.

3. A is 5 points, B is minus 10 points, it is good to get a check up because pets don’t always show symptoms of problems. C and D are both plus 10.

4. A is minus 10 points, cheap foods are cheap for a reason. B and D are minus 5. None of these foods are good quality, as a rule of thumb any food sold in a grocery store, or with lots of advertising is not a quality food. C is zero points. Just because a vet sells a food does not mean it is good quality, in many cases vets do not receive any training on ingredients or brands other than what the representative of that food company tells them, of course they are going to promote a food that pays them to sell it. E is plus 10 points, obviously you know about pet food. F is plus 10 also, just beware that some RAW food diets lack some of the beneficial minerals found in some of the premium brands of food.

5. A is plus 10, B is minus 5, if you wait until your pet is matted it is already hurting them, brushing more regularly will prevent mats, just think how often you brush your own hair. C is plus 5, at least you tried. D is zero, unless for special reasons, over bathing can actually do more harm than good.

6. A is minus 10, sure they are happy outside, but uncontrolled pets are at risk of cars, poison, angry neighbours, other animals, and so on. In some areas there are laws against allowing pets to roam freely. B is also minus 10. If a pet starts peeing indoors either it needs to see a veterinarian, or be better trained, if a dog becomes destructive inside, this indicates a need for more mental simulation. C and D are both plus 10. Pets can live happily indoors or by making sure they are safe when outside.

7. A is minus 5 points, a shiny coat is not an indicator of health, it may only indicated a high fat content in a low quality food. B and C are plus 10. D is minus 10, go to a veterinarian and have your pet checked, most big problems, start out as small ones.

8. A is zero points. B is minus 10 points, not only is this unfair to the pet, it is also unfair to the farmer, who may kill your pet because most farmers do not need more pets. In many places this is considered “Animal Abandonment” and is a crime. C is zero points, although well intended, many “free to good home” pets do not find good homes, few people are willing to check to ensure the home really is good, serial killers admitted they started out by taking “free to good home” pets, and it is legal for people to take these pets and resell them to research labs, and so on. D and E are plus 10, although it might seem wrong, shelters can screen people and will give a surrendered, adoptable, pet every chance of finding a home. Euthanizing an unadoptable pet is the best thing for it if you are unable to find a home through other means. F is also 10 points.

SCORES!

65 – 80 Well done, you are a terrific pet owner!

45 – 64 Pretty good, you have a few more things to learn, but are trying.

20 – 44 You have more to learn, but can improve your pet ownership skills.

Below 20 You probably think pets are cute, but are not doing a terrific job of providing them with what they need to live long healthy lives.

Additional things that make people good owners, are having their pet licensed, microchipped, or tattooed for identification purposes.  If your pet ever gets lost you should call your local shelters within 12 hours, and visit them within 24.