Thinking of buying a pet?
Caring for a pet can be one of the most satisfying things we do. Nurturing and looking after an animal is rewarding, teaches responsibility, and provides positive health benefits.
Before getting a pet owners should have basic knowledge of how to care for it properly to ensure it’s welfare. Owning an animal is a big responsibility, and it is important to understand what you are taking on.
It’s vital to choose the right pet for you – one that will fit in with your lifestyle – because not every pet is for everyone. Is the temperament of the animal suitable for your family? Can you afford the vet bills, food, housing, and electricity? Do you have the space and time the animal needs to be happy? Most of all, can you care for your new companion for the whole of its life?
There is a vast range of species we can keep as pets so Pet Know How is here to help you find the right pet for you. With Pet Know How you can learn about your chosen pet for free, decide if it’s the right pet for you and get a certificate to show the pet seller what you know!
There’s lots of information online about dogs and cats so Pet Know How concentrates on other popular pets species, like small mammals, fish, birds and reptiles.
About the project
Pet Know How has been developed by the Pet Charity, The British Small Animal Veterinary Association, The British Veterinary Zoological Society and the Companion Animal Sector Council to help prospective pet owners make good decisions.
We want people to keep pets
We want people to keep pets, but we want them to keep the right pets for their situation and to provide the best welfare for the animals. There is already extensive information available online about dogs and cats so this website concentrates on other mammals, birds, reptiles and fish.
Learn about a range of animals to find out which is best for you.
If you are thinking of getting a new pet, then Pet Know How allows you to learn about a range of animals and find out about the things that might make a species right for you and your lifestyle. How long do they live? How much space do they need? Do they need special equipment or food? There are lots of things to consider. You can then do a short test to see if you have remembered the basic information that you will need to keep your chosen pet successfully and to high welfare standards, and receive a certificate so you can demonstrate your knowledge.
Help customers make good pet buying choices
If you sell pets then you can recommend Pet Know How to customers as part of the selling process, helping customers make good buying choices and helping you to fulfil your obligations under the Selling Animals as Pets Regulations.
This site is growing all the time, adding more types of pets, more advanced tests and new topic areas. We hope that you find the content useful, and if there is something you would like to see included, then let us know!
What is Pet Know How?
The format is simple. On our site you will find some accessible online information and a short, multiple choice test on how to keep your chosen pet.
If you pass this (and you can take as many attempts as you like!) you will have demonstrated that you have a basic understanding of how to keep your pet and receive a personalised certificate to take to the pet seller when you go to buy your pet.
How will this help?
Licensed pet sellers such as pet shops have a legal obligation to “ensure that the prospective owner is provided with information on the appropriate care of the animal” and they can refuse a sale if they “are concerned or are not satisfied to the best of their knowledge that the prospective owner is able to meet that animal’s welfare needs.” (Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.)
The Pet Know How website provides relevant information on caring for your chosen pet. This enables a pet seller to use the Pet Know How web site as a source of care information, and so fulfil their legal requirements. For the pet owner the Certificate of Completion provides confirmation that they understand the basic care requirements of the pet they wish to buy.
What do I get when I take a test?
You will get a personal certificate which tells sellers that you have started learning. They will talk to you further and give you some more information to make sure you are ready to buy an animal. This is the beginning of an exciting journey, there is a huge amount of pleasure to be gained from the experience of caring for your pet, knowledge and understanding will ensure you can make that even more enjoyable.
Want to learn more?
Pet Know How is only the start of your learning journey. There are lots of great resources available online as well as care guides and books, clubs and societies to join and social media groups. You can never have too much knowledge of pet care so please take time to learn as much as you can.
Your pet will thank you!
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