Responsible Pets Ownership…. Points to be made Published March 13, 2007 RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Before Buying or Adopting: - Never obtain a pet on impulse - it is a long term commitment. We're responsible for every living creature that we take on, whether child or animal. - Get advice on what's involved prior to buying/adopting. Some pets change hands six or seven times because the novelty of owning them wears off quickly. - Think about your long working hours and shift work - can you look after a pet in accordance with the UK laws, which are very different to the rules you're used to. - Is your house suitable, and are there places to provide the exercise needed? The Costs Involved: - Weekly food bills, toys, bedding and so on. - Vet care, which should include the following: -- Neutering of an average-sized dog - £120 female - £80 male -- First Vaccination £50.00 -- Boosters - £30.00 -- Microchip - £25.00 -- Flea Treatment - £10.00 -- Worming - £10.00 -- Vet care for the unexpected illness or accident Things to Remember: - The must be registered according to 3AFI 48-131 within 2 weeks - Dogs are pack animals and need company. Left for long periods on their own they become bored and sometimes destructive. Distressed dogs also bark to attract attention to their plight, causing a disturbance that contravenes UK noise pollution laws. - Remember, it is a violation of UK law to abandon any animal, either temporarily or permanently. You cannot go TDY or on vacation and leave your dog in the house with someone coming by each day to feed him and let him out. - You may not open your yard gate and let your dog run free. - Your dog must wear identification at all times bearing your contact details - a microchip is highly recommended too. - Animals, like us, need a good diet and regular exercise to keep them healthy - don't deny them this basic right. So Why Are We Telling You This? Each year we have to rehome large numbers of pets that are no longer wanted. The military lifestyle conflicts with UK laws on pet ownership. The most frequent reasons given for rehoming an animal are; - We don't have the time to care for it properly - We're having a baby - A family member has developed allergies - We can't afford to take it back to the USA Unless you are going to take the pet back to the States with you, do not get one while you're here. Why? At the time of writing the cheapest price you'll pay to take a cat back to the States commercially is £100. The cheapest you will be able to fly a medium sized dog commercially is around £700. Prices are dependent on where you fly to, which date, which airline, what time of day and so on, so the prices could be considerably higher. If you get a pet and give it up for rehoming you're placing a massive burden on local shelters. You're also damaging the base's relationship with the local community in that you're adding to the perception that US military families are irresponsible pet owners. The local shelters are charities and survive only on donations; - The average cost of caring for dog whilst in a shelter is £650 - The average cost of caring for cat whilst in a shelter is: £450 Very few of our families give a donation to a rehoming shelter when their pet is allocated a space. At the time of writing this we have 18 cats being fostered in American homes awaiting a space in a shelter. Only 3 of these are fully vaccinated and have been neutered. To give the rest a sanctuary pen and get them neutered and vaccinated is going to cost the shelters £8,000.