Jasmine Curtis-Smith says pet owners must be financially stable to support all their fur babies' needs

Owning a pet is more than just having a playmate.

In fact, raising such is a big responsibility as their lives are equivalent to human beings. They are not just mere animals that ought to guard the house, because they have needs to fulfill and deserve to be comforted just like any living thing.

Jasmine Curtis-Smith can ultimately attest to that as she is a fur mom to pugs Papito and Waffle, and exotic shorthair cat Scout Ranger.

She works hard not just to suffice her needs and buy her wants but to also provide the best care for her fur babies.

According to her 'DOTS How You Do It' livestream, the first step to become a responsible fur parent is by being financially stable because keeping a pet is a lifelong commitment.

Jasmine began, "Make sure you are financially stable.

"When you own a dog, you will need to get the best type of food and also the best type of care kasi kapag may maling diagnosis ang vet, baka mas magiging mas mataas pa 'yung bill n'yo in the end.

"You wanna make sure you're with a vet that can take care of your dog na hindi kino-compromise 'yung value but also keeping in mind kung ano 'yung cost for you as a pet owner."

Jasmine added that maintaining a dog's health does not come cheap as medications like anti-rabies vaccination and deworming have to be done annually.

"Kailangan yearly. Kung yearly, dapat may budget ka na pang vaccine nila, deworming and anti-rabies, et cetera, et cetera.

"Otherwise, 'pag hindi mo 'yun na-update, 'di mo puwede iikot 'yung dog mo, 'di mo rin puwede i-expose sa tao.

"So, anong point?

"Ikaw din baka magkasakit ka from your dog, rabies or whatever so you wanna make sure na you're equipped to cover all of these things sa health nila.

"Parang tao lang 'yan, parang baby lang yan.

"They need vaccine, they need medication."

Based on her experience, spending a lot of money on her pets' medication is nothing new for they are also vulnerable to diseases.

Jasmine shared, "Recently nagkasakit si Papito. Meron siyang congested lungs and bad parasite.

"Ito 'yung binigay sa 'kin na prescription list ng vet, ganito karami.

"He is taking seven types of medication so that's seven different things I have to purchase and make sure afford ko.

"Otherwise things can go worse for Papito so I might lose him earlier. Siyempre, ayaw naman natin 'yan, 'di ba?"

Jasmine then stressed, "And dapat 'yun nga, dapat kailangan natin i-cover 'yung mga ganitong costs kasi 'di naman sila laruan o teddy bear lang na kung kelan mo lang type silang alagaan or bigyan ng pansin."

On top of this, Jasmine reminds her fellow working fur parents to give extra attention to their pets as they considered part of the family.

She said, "Kailangan bigyan natin sila ng tamang love and attention.

"Kung walang naiiwan sa bahay, make sure na kapag umuwi ka, 'pag binati ka nila, batiin mo rin sila, 'wag mo silang pagalitan or i-shoo away.

"Kasi this is the first time that they will see you since wala ka magdamag.

"Kapag nag-aaral ka o nagtatrabaho ka on normal days, 'di mo sila napapansin or minsan kahit ngayon, nasa tabi mo lang s'ya habang work from home ka, ok na rin 'yan.

"Happy na sila. Just let them be near you."

'DOTS How You Do It' is an online show of Descendants of the Sun (The Philippine Adaptation) launched at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Livestreaming every Thursday on the DOTS PH Facebook page, it features an informative discussion about a particular interest.

Rocco Nacino is set to do an urban gardening tutorial for the second live broadcast of 'DOTS How You Do It' this coming June 11.