Is it just me, or does it seem as if no one bothers to do any research or gain any knowledge about an animal before adding it as a pet to the family?

I am beginning to get irritated with all of the “what do I do about the problem with the pet I just got” questions. I would never get an animal (that I have no knowledge of) without doing some research first. Adding an animal to one’s household is not always an easy task. Being ignorant about the responsibilities of animal care seems to be a reason many people end-up abandoning animals at shelters, as well.