Pet Ownership - To be read prior to getting an animal

I have written this in the hopes that people will read it and learn from some of the experiences I have learnt from. I realise that the majority of the regulars on this website will already follow this simple guide, and I know they encourage others to follow suit. This is aimed at people searching for information or for those who are in need of a little education and guidance.
I don't think there should be a distinction in the size of the animal, an animal is an animal no matter what the size and they still depend on you for all of their needs, basic and otherwise.
Before buying a pet there are a number of things that need to be thought about -
1) The initial cost of the pet
2) The initial cost of the pets' necessary belongings e.g. house, cage, bed, bowls, bottles, toys.
3) The cost of food for that pet - remember this is a daily/weekly cost
“One way I’ve found to keep the costs of pets needs (i.e. bedding, food,) is by buying in bulk, if you buy a lot it can last through the hard times which happens every now and again where one is short of money.” Nula
4) The cost of litter for that pet - this is also a weekly cost
5) If your animal should become ill (no matter what the animal is or it's size) then you should be prepared to take it to a vet - it doesn't matter what time of the day or night your pet becomes ill it should be taken to the vet. If your child becomes ill you take it to the doctors thus if your pet becomes ill you take it to the vet. The excuse of having no money does not wash. Before you got the pet you should have thought about it. Vets cost money, it's a fact of life - you knew this prior to getting the pet and if you didn't think then that you could afford vets fees in a worst-case scenario then why did you get the pet?
6) The taming of an animal is different in every case - some animals will be tamed some won't, they are all different. Think seriously about this - the animal you get may not want to be tamed - it may be content just doing it's own thing in it's own space. This does not mean that your animal is unhappy. However just because you can't teach your pet to do the washing up, vacuuming or play the piano does not give you licence to return it to the shop, have it euthanased, send it to a rescue home or even sell it. Patience and information about the animal will help you to understand it’s behaviours, although some behaviours will never be fully understood (I’m thinking along the lines of bar biting here)
7) Getting rid of one animal after it's novelty has worn off does not mean that you can now go get another animal - if you weren’t able look after your previous animal then think seriously about owning another pet. Animals rely on you for everything.
8) Some pets can live for a long time – upwards of 15 years, you have to be prepared to look after the animal for this length of time. Pets are for life, not just for Christmas or until the novelty wears off. They have to be looked after as well as you would look after one of your family members. In my house my pets come first and people come second.
9) What will happen to your pet when you go on holiday? Kennel fees can be expensive – even for small animals, however relatives and friends can not always be trusted to provide the same level of care as you do. There are some people I know that I wouldn’t trust with a book, never mind a living, breathing creature!
10) I can appreciate that at the time of buying a pet the owner may be in a position to look after it for the rest of it's life, and sadly circumstances change, i.e. losing their job etc. However I don't believe the animal should suffer because of this, there are schemes whereby you can pay for treatment on a weekly/monthly basis, there are places like the PDSA - Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals who will treat your animal for a minimal donation upon receipt of benefits books or proof of low income (I assume that there is something similar in the USA/Canada etc). There is also ways and means of saving for possible future emergencies - I previously worked in a bar and averaged approximately £10 in tips per night, these tips were not guaranteed but they went straight into my 'ham-jar' (tastes better than jam ) and after a few months of working I now have enough money to cover just about any emergency Willo could possibly have. Incidently I have now stopped working in the bar and my way of funding the ham jar has changed to my loose change being thrown in to a tin. I have also never heard of a vet charging for advice given over the phone although that may be different in the USA/Canada.
“* Check out which vet(s) available BEFORE getting an animal or at least before it gets sick. This will save a lot of agony if an emergency arises and you won't have to spend valuable time to find someone to help you.
* Also check if animal health insurance is available. Here in Sweden it is and I have chosen to get both Doris and Smulan insured so that if worse comes to worse I know that I can give them the treatment that they need. If anyone is curious about Swedish small animal insurance here is some information: Cost $25 per year First $60 of an illness (one or more visits) I have to pay myself, and also 10% of the cost above that amount. Since an emergency visit costs at least $100 the insurance will pay at least part of any visit to the vet. Most major vet centres can reduce the fee with the insurance amount right away but at some smaller practices I will have to pay in full and then get a refund from the insurance company afterwards.There are no age limits for the animals as long as they are healthy when you sign up. No health check by a vet is required. Although there is a 30 day "quarantine" period for an illness but accidents are included from day one.” Mimmi
11) If you are a parent thinking of getting your child an animal then please think about this, if you are a child or young person (by that I mean under the age of 18 - legally recognised as an adult in the UK) then you too need to think about the above and also get your parents or guardian to think about the above. If you are dependent upon your parents for everything related to the animal then ultimately it is your parents decision, and generally that decision is final, however try to discuss this decision in a rational manner if it is not the decision you expected, write down the pros and cons, your feelings if you can't discuss things rationally. If you think for one minute you would not be able to afford such things for your pet then please don't get one.
12) Ask as many questions about the animal you wish to acquire, ask them to as many different people as possible so you can glean as much information as possible – I find that owners of the animals you wish to get are generally the best people to speak to, vets can be a good source of information (depending upon the pet and the vet’s specialist area), the R.S.P.C.A/A.S.P.C.A (and other equivalents) also have fountains of knowledge. The information is out there – you just need to find it. You should never be embarrassed about asking what seems to be the most trivial of questions – if you don’t ask you will never know, and that could result in harm coming towards your beloved pet.
13) Breeding. Before allowing your animals to breed, think about what you are going to do with the offspring. If you are lucky enough to be able to keep them all then that is fantastic, however if you aren’t lucky enough to keep all of the offspring then what happens to them? Can you guarantee good homes? Will you provide a level of guarantee (i.e. you’ll gladly have the animal back if the new owner has any problems)? Will you provide information for new owners regarding their new pet? Will you be able to check out these new owners in so far as their knowledge of care? Is the store you plan on taking them to good with their current animals (i.e. are their cages suitable, do they have the correct food, are they clean etc?)
I apologise for any upset this thread causes but I have tried to structure it so it is more educational than ranting (thank you to those who helped). It is not meant as a dig at any one person, I have just noticed over the last few months that certain things appear to be common place and seem to be accepted as being ok – some things horrify me.
Thank you for taking the time to read such a long article and please feel free to add any ideas you may have, especially regarding saving money, or paying for treatments. The more ideas we get and the more educational resources we provide the more chance animals have of being looked after as they should be.
Thank you to those who have already contributed to this article.