Choosing the right pet for your family is a lot of fun, but takes time, planning and lots of research with the help of your family.

You and your family need to think very carefully about the needs of any animal that comes into your life; for example, how much time you can spend for exercise, how much space you have and how much you can afford to pay for food, toys and possible vet bills.

To make this process easier, the RSPCA has introduced Adoptapet.

Adoptapet is a national website that lets you and your family view some of the animals awaiting adoption at RSPCA shelters across Australia.

You and your family can now begin the search for your new friend from the comfort and convenience of your computer.

When you’ve found the type of pet you think might be right for you, your family can contact the relevant RSPCA shelter to find out more and make arrangements to meet your potential new family member.

Of course, you’ll need to get your parents approval and they must accompany you to the shelter - adopting a pet is a very big responsibility and everyone in your family should be involved.

Browsing through Adoptapet, you’ll see that many wonderful pets find their way to the RSPCA for a number of different reasons. All are health checked by our vets and temperament tested before being offered for adoption by the RSPCA.

The experienced staff at the RSPCA can provide advice on the best type of pet for you and how to care for it properly.

But the best reason to adopt your new pet from the RSPCA is because not only will you be giving a new home to an animal that really needs you, but through your support you’ll be helping the RSPCA to assist many more animals that might not have a chance otherwise.