text; un: Ash Starmer | Green Newman

[subroutined]

I've been thinking about pet ownership. Or... Maybe not ownership. I don't want to get a pet then port out and leave it behind. But fostering a pet. Taking care of a living thing, and having some sort of companion nearby. It seems nice.

The problem is, there's loads of kinds of animals that need homes. I'm having trouble deciding between dogs, cats, birds, lizards, hamsters, mice...

Does anyone have any advice for a first-time pet owner? Or... pet fosterer?

Comments

text;

[rebelhealer]

You can always foster a cat.

text;

[subroutined]

Yes.
Or I could foster a dog. Or a bird. Or a fish.

Actually, I don't know if you can foster fish.

Anyway, the point is I don't know how to decide.

[rebelhealer]

I work at a cat shelter and we're always glad when others want to foster.

[subroutined]

Oh, do you? That's handy.
I've never kept a pet before. I have some memories of having a dog, but that wasn't me.
Is fostering a cat hard?

[rebelhealer]

I wouldn't think it would be.
Obviously you need to feed them and give them water everyday. It's also recommended that you give them attention when they want it, like letting them sit in your lap.
I would also recommend getting something for them to scratch, or not being too attached to your furniture.

[subroutined]

I'm not. I've lived here nearly a year and I haven't really decorated or anything.

[ His house looks very strange. Two androids and a clone, and a teenager. ]

Can I come by and look at the cats? To see if any of them like me?

[rebelhealer]

Of course. Let me give you the address.

[He types the address. He's gotten much better at typing these past few months.]

[subroutined]

[ Green, meanwhile, doesn't type with his fingers and just accesses the network through his internal wireless connection. ]

Cheers.
When are you open?

[rebelhealer]

We're open from 10 AM to 3 PM

[subroutined]

I'll come round tomorrow morning, then.
Thank you.

[devoutish]

Rodents are pests, not pets.

[He has strong feelings about this. Fucking rodents, man.]

I'm not sure what fostering entails, but why not find a native who would agree to take it in if you go? You can have one of your own without the worry, then.

[subroutined]

Tell that to the pet stores.

Oh, that's a thought. I know some natives at work who might agree to that.

[devoutish]

I've got two dogs, myself. Inherited them from another imPort, one I barely knew. That sort of thing has a way of sorting itself out here.

[subroutined]

Is there a sort of waiting list to be put on? To inherit animals from people who've gone?

[devoutish]

It's not so official as all that. One of his friends advertised it on the network here, that's all.

[subroutined]

So I could wait, and see if anyone else ports out and leaves pets behind...

I think I'd rather just get one on my own, though.

[devoutish]

Were you joking about considering a mouse?

[subroutined]

Well... No. I wouldn't say no to a mouse, if someone said those were good pets to keep.

[devoutish]

I've never heard of a mouse as a pet. People keep cats as pets in order to keep the mice and rats away.

[subroutined]

Yes, they do, don't they?
Not sure when that switched and people started keeping them as pets instead.
But they do, all the same.

[devoutish]

Me, I've got a warehouse at home. Rodents are always a trouble.

[subroutined]

Oh, yes, I can imagine they must be.
What do you keep in your warehouse?

[devoutish]

Things for making rum, mostly. The rats like to chew on the barrels.

[subroutined]

Did they ever get drunk?
I imagine drunk rats would be rather funny.

[devoutish]

Zig-zaging across the floors, making little hiccoughs?

[subroutined]

Yes! That's very funny!

[devoutish]

Now here's a question for you, would that cats that ate them also become drunk?

Text

[lootsnshoots]

Consider: chickens. Not something I would've considered earlier in my life—I always thought of myself as more of a cat guy—but it turns out the little cluckers make for fine company.

[subroutined]

Can you keep chickens indoors? I don't have a very large garden...

[lootsnshoots]

Oh yeah, it's not a problem. You just gotta be prepared to scrub the leavings off things, though.

[subroutined]

Oh... That sounds rather tedious.

[lootsnshoots]

Part and parcel with any organic creature, I'm afraid.

[adamantlyardent]

Whatever it is you choose, it ought to suit your personality and lifestyle. Considering the volatile nature of comings and goings I've heard tell of, you'll want something that won't become EMOTIONALLY dependent on your presence, otherwise you may inadvertently leave behind a broken-hearted innocent.
Avoid dogs, in this case, otherwise you'll find yourself wide-eyed awake at night with the guilt of some mysterious future parting wherein your companion wanders the residence, concerned and confused as to why it has been abandoned.

[subroutined]

I hadn't thought about that. Do dogs get so much more emotionally attached than, say, cats or birds?

[adamantlyardent]

I couldn't say. In fact, I'm not studied in this world's fauna enough to know if their emotional intelligence is as refined as what I knew where I'm from.
Perhaps a fish? I would assume fish are universally stupid.

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[am_i_a_monster]

It is very nice to have pets around. I think you're sweet to be willing to foster.

My advice would depend on what type of pet you decide on. For general advice - make sure you house is pet-proof, like baby-proofing but for pets. Know that depending on the pet, they might be shy at first. And be ready for your life to get awesome.

Re: text

[subroutined]

I've some experience in baby-proofing a house, so I don't think that'll be very hard to do

Haha, awesome indeed!.

[versusseeker]

jst rmbr 2 <3 them
+ 2 respect

can hlp w/ thngs
if u wnt

[subroutined]

I will.
Archie's already given me some books on per ownership that I've read.

Would you come with me to the cat shelter?

[versusseeker]

ofc
when do u wnt 2 go?