Obviously, we love pets and know they can have such a positive effect on their owners’ lives. Unfortunately, not all of us can have a pet (speaking from experience!).
Whether you’re renting and can’t have a pet, someone in your house has allergies, or your other half just really doesn’t like dogs, if you’re desperate for a four-legged pal but can’t have one it can feel like the end of the world. But worry not, you don’t have to get rid of your allergic housemate just yet, because there are loads of other ways you can spend time with pets.
Nothing can quite fill the void of wanting a pet, but there are some things you can do in the meantime until you’re in a position where you can get one. This is also all great practice for when you do get a new furry friend.
Option one: borrow a friend’s pet
One of the easiest ways to spend time with pets, is to just borrow a friend’s. If they’re OK with it, you could pop round to their house and spend time with their pet. Alternatively, you could offer to take their dog for a walk once in a while (remember this does mean you’ll have to pick up their poop. Unless your friend comes with you). This is also great because it means said pet won’t have to be in your home, potentially near people who are allergic.
Option two: walk a stranger’s dog
If you’re a dog lover but can’t have one, you could walk a stranger’s dog. This isn’t as weird as it sounds. There are now lots of websites you can sign up to where dog owners will ask for someone to come and walk their dog when they can’t. Do your research first though before signing up to anything. Make sure any website you use and sign up to has a solid system in place for checking both owners and walkers.
Option three: volunteer
Often, local rehoming charities will look for volunteers to spend time with the animals waiting to be rehomed. This is so they get lots of human interaction (after all, they often have a lot of pets to rehome and it would be hard for the staff to spend lots of time with every pet). RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Cats Protection often look for dog walkers or cat socialisers, so have a look on their websites or get in touch with your local centre.
Option four: house sit for someone with a pet
Some pets don’t adapt well to a kennel or cattery environment so their owners might look for someone to look after them in their home. Again, there are websites where you can sign up to this (do plenty of research before signing up!) but you could also offer your services to friends and family members. They get the added advantage of having someone there to look after their house as well as their pet. Just remember to get their vet’s number before they go.
Option five: go to a pet event
Here, we’re talking about events like DogFest and the National Pet Show. We’ve been to both and can guarantee they are a great place to see lots of pets. Keep an eye out for events like these near you, or even to see if anyone is running a local dog show where you can see lots of lovely pooches.
Option six: go walking
OK so this one’s not a guaranteed way of spending time with pets, but if you prefer dogs try going out for walks on routes where you know there are lots of dog walkers. If you ask, most owners are more than happy for you to pet their dog while they’re out walking.
Option seven: change career
This may be a little extreme, but have you considered a career working with animals? You could be a vet or vet nurse, an animal care assistant, a dog groomer – you could even become a professional dog walker. A complete career change may not be for everyone, but it is definitely an option if you’re passionate about pets and want to work with them every day.