Kids Want A Pet? Take a Test Drive First
February 13, 2010 by Elizabeth
Filed under Animal Talk
So the kids have been driving you crazy about getting that dog, or that cute little guinea pig. First off, we all know that no matter what you say to your kids about the responsibility of pet ownership or how you say it, they’re kids and they’re not always going to remember to change the water in the bowl, or clean the hamster’s bedding or take the pup for a walk. And even if they do remember, they’re not always going to want to do it.
That means the ultimate responsibility will always lie with you, the parent. So if you’re not prepared to take on a fuzzy “child” then just keep saying “No”. But if you’re willing to consider the possibility of a pet, how about having the kids test drive their pet-parenting skills first with a virtual pet? Maybe you could draw up an agreement with your children: they fulfill their caretaking duties with a virtual pet for three months, they get the real thing.
A few weeks ago I adopted Rascal from FooPets.com, which has by far the most realistic virtual (I think that’s an oxymoron) pets online. I’ve never been interested in online games so this is all quite new to me but I’ve surprised myself by actually becoming attached to my little simulated husky. I feel responsible for him.
Rascal
From a parenting standpoint you can monitor your child’s dedication to his or her pet every time you log on. There’s a care history that shows when you feed and water your pet, when you throw him a ball or groom him and so on. By interacting daily with your pet, you develop a pet-owner bond, which is shown as a yellow bar. If you miss a day, the bonding bar is re-set to zero. If you neglect your pet, then he will be taken to the FooShelter.
And that’s what I most like about this; though it’s free to adopt a pet, there are requirements and consequences. You have to take care of your pet’s health needs by grooming and giving flea treatments. You are also responsible for arranging your pet’s care if you go away. And the care of your pet is not exactly free.
When you first adopt you will be given 5,000 FooGems. These can be used to buy food, medications and things to make your pet more comfortable. Additional FooGems are earned simply by visiting and playing with your pet daily. It’s also possible to buy FooDollars but I think it’s a better test of your kids’ dedication to have them earn and make do with the FooGems. I’ve been able to feed, groom and medicate Rascal as well as create a play area for him and a mountain get-a-way by using just FooGems.
FooPets does its best to mimic the needs of a real dog or cat. In fact, in their adoption rules they state, “Your FooPet is a real creature that lives online. It will have a date of birth and a lifespan of 10-20 years, depending on how well you take care of it. It will age and act differently over time.”
Rascal is just three months old, so he has a long way to go. When he’s old enough I can even breed him, but as I’m all about rescuing the millions of abandoned and abused pets in this world, I plan to save up the 20,000 FooGems I need to get him neutered. And if I really want another virtual dog or cat, I can adopt from the FooShelter.
“Every puppy should have a boy.” ~ Erma Bombeck
Elizabeth, thanks for the great review of FooPets.com. As a former veterinarian and a founder of FooPets, I hoped the product could help create more responsible pet owners as younger kids were entertained. We have a long ways to go to fulfilling that vision, but it means a lot to me personally that you’ve picked up on what we’re trying to do. Keep writing!