Considering Dog Adoption…?

CONTRACT FOR DOG OWNERSHIP

We, the undersigned:

___________________________________ (Shareholder and Director, AKA: Parent who desires the dog)

___________________________________ (Shareholder #1, AKA: child #1 who desires the dog)

___________________________________ (Shareholder #2, AKA: child #2 who desires the dog) 

do solemnly declare that, from this day forward, I willingly and knowingly relinquish the following in the interests of owning a dog:

1. Sanity

I understand that it will be my responsibility to deal with any and all possible negative behavioral issues demonstrated by the dog. These include, but are not limited to: the dog’s unpredictability around other people and other dogs; unwanted barking, whining, scratching, and biting.

Moreover, I acknowledge that I may not always enjoy dog-ownership tasks, which may affect my overall mental health and wellness. I will be inconvenienced by having to either complete all dog-related tasks myself, and/or be responsible for delegating the tasks to others who have also agreed to have a share in dog ownership.  The delegation of tasks includes the necessary follow-up of making sure the delegated tasks were done in a sufficient manner. 

Also, there is a great probability that the other shareholders may not always be in the mood to readily accomplish the necessary tasks of dog-ownership in a timely or sufficient fashion, which may further deteriorate the overall mental health and well-being of myself, as well as the household in general.

2. Freedom and Independence

Pets are not independent. They require others to take care of each and every one of their numerous needs. Due to this fact, there will be no more spontaneous outings or vacations for me.  I am willing to plan in advance for and submit any necessary funds to a dog care-taker who will be responsible for all dog-care duties during my outings/trips.

3. Cleanliness

I understand that everything becomes much dirtier the instant a dog enters the house; therefore, additional cleaning duties will become my responsibility. Examples include appropriate clean-up of the following items (Note: this is not an exhaustive list): 

• Shedded dog hair on car upholstery, carpets, floors, furniture, clothes, bedding; 
• Dog-related smells (fur, urine, feces, regular release of fishy-smelling build up from anal gland); 
• Dirt and mud tracked into the house or vehicle; 
• Wet nose/drool deposits on windows and other surfaces
• Bodily fluids (worm-infested feces, diarrhea, regular feces, urine, vomit) 

4. Money

• Repair or replacement of damaged items, such as, but not limited to: carpets, rugs, wood flooring, wood trim, walls, furniture, clothing, the lawn (digging, urine, feces), scratching/rips of upholstery of furniture and vehicles, scratching of vehicle paint. 
• The following are examples of other necessary expenses of dog ownership, for which I henceforth accept full responsibility. Some represent a one-time-only expense, while others are recurring. They include, but are not limited to: initial cost of the dog, food and water bowls, kennel, leashes, collars, toys, blankets, poop bags, food/treats, cleaning supplies, grooming tools, shock collar, training/obedience schools, veterinary bills, flea/tick medication, vaccinations, medical testing/treatments, pet insurance, spay/neuter, groomer, dog care-taker when away from home, sick care, end-of life care.

5. Time

This is related to each of the above categories. I understand that owning a dog creates added duties for which I agree to assume full responsibility. Examples of ways in which I will have to sacrifice time include (but are not limited to): 

• Potty training (morning, noon, and night); 
• Behavioral training; 
• Awareness of the dog’s whereabouts and being responsible for making sure the dog is where he should be (examples: ensuring the dog is put into kennel when away from from home, figuring out nighttime sleeping arrangements, letting the dog in and out from being outside)
• Exercise (walks, runs, playtime); 
• Refilling and cleaning of food and water bowls
• Grooming (bathing, brushing, clipping nails; otherwise, opting to contact, schedule, attend, and pay for a groomer); 
• Contacting, scheduling, attending veterinary appointments as necessary;
• All healthcare and administering of medications; 
• Contacting and scheduling of dog care-takers when necessary;
• Cleaning of pet-related messes (see “Cleanliness” section for reference and clarification) 

We, the above-signed, understand that owning a dog is our choice and, as the only shareholders of the dog, we accept 100% of the dog-related responsibilities and expenses.    Furthermore, we, the above-signed, understand that _______(insert mom’s name)_____________is NOT a shareholder and has accepted 0% of the dog-related responsibilities.  Because of this, she should never be asked, expected, or required to share in any of the care related to being a dog-owner.

Signed and Dated:

_________________________________________