During a recent visit to the Pearl River County SPCA to adopt a kitten, I was secretly being tested.

While being shown the cats and kittens available for adoption at the local shelter, a member of the staff began asking a series of questions. One of which was my stance on declawing cats.

After giving my opinion concerning the horrid nature of the practice of declawing a cat, the staff member made it clear that I had passed her test.

It was then that I realized my viability as a pet owner was being tested.

Since my stance on declawing cats matched those of the shelter staff, they happily allowed one of their kittens to become one of the newest members of my household.

Had I answered incorrectly, the sign on the wall that states “We reserve the right to deny adoptions” would most assuredly been enforced.

From now on, shelters across the nation may want to include a new question to their interview process; how the potential pet owner feels about using hair dye on a dog or cat.

It may seem ridiculous, but a Florida lady actually tried dying her dog purple, using human hair dye no less.

As it turns out, human hair dye is toxic to animals, and her attempt to give her pup a new hue led to it needing extensive medical attention. After recovering from burns, eye injuries and a less than ideal color on a living animal, the dog has since recovered and been rehomed.

Caring for another living creature is a serious undertaking. All living things require food, attention and someone who won’t put toxic chemicals on them to make them more “fashionable.”

If we have to take a test to drive a vehicle, maybe we should have to pass a test to care for another living creature as well.

Additionally, humans may want to reconsider putting a toxic chemical on themselves in an effort to change their appearance.