PETS
So, your mom and dad have agreed to move in with you. Trouble is, they have a pet and so do you. Questions immediately arise. Will the resident pet be jealous of the intruder? Will the new pet want to take over its new roost? What do you do? Dr. Colleen Fisher, a Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association veterinarian and behaviourist, has great advice.
First, you must practise patience to introduce the pets to each other. “The biggest thing is don’t rush the process,” says Dr. Fisher. “The more space you can give to each other, whether it’s a dog or cat, the better.” You can start by giving each pet its own bedroom or at least a space where it can park for quiet time. Stacked baby gates allow pets to see each other while preventing physical contact once they are calm in each other’s presence.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
MATURE 17
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