By Todd Wineburner

Karen Gregory from the Livingston County Humane Society is encouraging central Illinois residents to think carefully before adopting a new pet as part of the season’s celebrations.

“When a person takes on that responsibility, they need to give it a lot of serious thought,” Gregory said during a recent interview with WJEZ. She says some of the key considerations are sometimes overlooked, including basic issues like the cost of having a pet. Gregory says that if a person is having trouble meeting basic obligations, it is not the time to add the costs of food and veterinary care to the budget. She says prospective pet owners need to ask themselves questions about how much time they have, and about whether or not household schedules will allow for meaningful interaction with the new pet.

“The rescues, unfortunately, are full of animals—most of them have been in homes where the people did not think about these things,” Gregory said.  She says the decision to adopt an animal can’t simply be a decision of the heart; it has to be a decision of the heart and the head If the relationship with the animal is to be successful.  Gregory says the best approach is a patient approach. She recommends visiting a shelter or rescue multiple times to get to know the animals available, and she’s confident that serious adopters will find the right animal at the right time.

You can hear more from Karen Gregory on the podcasts page at WJEZ.com.