Jolly Time Books
I Want a Pet
Written and illustrated by
Karen S. McGowan
Dennis E. McGowan
Text and illustrations copyright
2016, 2017
by Karen S. McGowan
and Dennis E. McGowan
Contents
The Beginning
Special Preview
Other Books You Will Like
About the Authors
The Beginning
“Mom, I’m bored,” said Kelly. “I want a pet. Can I have a pet to play with? Please?”
“Now Kelly, you have Big Owl.”
“But Mom, I can’t take Big Owl for walks. I want a dog or cat.”
“We shouldn’t be in a hurry, Kelly.”
“Professor Hootie is bringing his goldfish over for us to watch while he is on vacation,” said Dad. “Caring for an animal goes far beyond giving it food and water. We need to make sure our lifestyle is the right one for the pet. Kelly, we also have to make sure you are ready to adopt a pet. Let’s see how things go with the goldfish.”
I have been taking care of Professor Hootie’s fish for days, thought Kelly. All they do is swim around in circles. I want a dog or cat. What can I do? What can I do?
“HOO-hoo goes there?”
“Oh, hi, Professor Hootie.”
“Hi-de-HOO, Kelly, it’s so good to see you.”
“Professor Hootie? What are you doing here? I thought you were on vacation.”
“Oh, I am, Kelly. I love volunteering for the local homeless animal shelter when I’m on vacation. I enjoy helping at this shelter because it is clean and smells good. The people who work here are very friendly and they know a bunch about animals. They even have a person who trains the pets and a doctor, called a veterinarian, who works here.”
“I want a dog or cat that I can play with, Professor Hootie. But Mom and Dad won’t get me one.”
“Well, there are lots of things to consider before getting a pet, Kelly.”
“I want a brand new pet right now!”
“Kelly, shelters are super places to find a great pet. You just need to do your homework, know what you are looking for, and ask the right questions.”
“Like what, Professor Hootie?”
“When adopting, you are making a choice to care for an animal for the rest of its life. That could be several years. You should make sure you choose a pet that matches your lifestyle. If things change, like your family moving or getting a new brother or sister, could you still care for your pet?”
“I never thought about that stuff.”
“Oh, my goodness, yes, Kelly. You need to be ready to provide a FOREVER home for your animal. It takes a very special family and some money to adopt an animal and give a pet a good home. And most shelters will ask you questions to make sure you are ready.”
“Wowsers! I didn’t know all that. If I get a dog, will it bark?”
“Dogs often wind up at a shelter because they bark or chew on stuff or do something else that isn’t nice. That’s why it is important for you to ask the right questions and know what you are getting into.”
“Like what questions, Professor Hootie?”
“Many times they know about the animal. Find out if the pet has any health issues or diseases. Ask if the animal bites, digs, barks, or chews on stuff. And make sure the pet’s medical history is up to date.”
“Is there anything else, Professor Hootie?”
“Ask if the shelter will help with things after you adopt a pet.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, like training to help the pet behave and helping with medical care. Be sure to ask about their return policy. It is good to know if you can return the pet if the adoption does not work out.”
“Well, Kelly, I have to do some things. Be sure and take care of my goldfish while I am on vacation.”
“Bye, Professor Hootie. I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Professor Hootie will return tomorrow, Kelly. You have taken good care of the fish. Kelly? Kelly, are you listening to me?”
“Huh, Dad? Oh, yeah, I was listening. What did you say?”
“I said that you took good care of Professor Hootie’s fish this week. Maybe you are responsible enough to have a pet. Would you like to talk about that?”
“Oh, yeah, Dad. I have lots of questions to ask the people who work at the animal shelter. Can we all go there to look for the best pet that is just right for our family?”
“Wow, Kelly, that is a lot to think about.”
“Right, Dad. This will take patience. We just need to do our homework, know what we are looking for, and ask the right questions. I want to be ready before I adopt a pet. We need to be the best family for it. I want to make sure that I get the right pet to love, and that everything will work out FOREVER.”
Thank you for reading this book.
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Thank you.
You will find messages in each book—
messages that some of you will hold near.
Some of them will make you think,
and some of them will make you say, “Oh, dear!”
Even if life has not unfolded
by the book—as you think it should,
there is still one thing certain—
life is good. Yes, life is good!
Turn the page for a preview of another exciting story from Jolly Time Books!
Special Preview
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“I like playing with my toys, Big Owl,” said Kelly.” “Whirr-r-r-r! My big red fire truck is going to a fire.”
“Kelly, hold it down in there,” said Mom. “Your dad doesn’t feel well today. He is trying to rest.”