When you adopt a pet, you save a life. Often more than one, since when you give a pet a home, you free up a place in a shelter for another animal in need. But adopting a pet benefits you, the pet, and others in ways that simply buying a puppy could not.
But when you’re wondering, “Should I adopt a pet,” consider all of your options. If adopting an adult dog or cat seems a bit…permanent, consider fostering a dog, fostering a cat, considering adopting a senior dog or cat…if you wish there is a pet for you out there, on your terms.
No matter what type of pet adoption you’re considering, the adoption process can be daunting. There are so many things to consider when rescuing a dog or adopting a cat! How do you prepare your house? What if you have young children? How do you know if you are adopting a pet from a reputable shelter? So many questions and ground to cover when adopting a pet.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with Top Dog Tips editor Samantha Randall on our long-running Rescue Me series. Samantha’s monthly column covers everything from adopting shy dogs to rescuing cats to actually to be a good foster family for dogs. If you have a question about any part of the pet adoption process, you’ll likely find an answer here.
How to be a good foster parent
Being a pet foster parent is a rewarding experience, but you need to be sure that you are ready to do so before starting. As someone who has had the pleasure of fostering multiple dogs, Samantha has compiled a list of tips for aspiring foster dog parents.
READ HOW TO BE A GOOD FOSTER PARENT
Adopt a shy dog
When you adopt a pet, you may not know what kind of personality it has. However, if you TO DO Know that the dog you want to adopt is shy and shy, so there are steps you can take to ensure that he will feel comfortable from the start. Samantha has been in situations like this in the past, so here are some of her personal tips on how to adopt a pet that might be shy.
READ 7 TIPS FOR ADOPTING A SHY DOG
Avoid Puppy Mills
There are many unwritten rules that all pet owners should be aware of when adopting dogs and cats, and making sure that the organization you are adopting from is trustworthy is at the top of many people’s list. Here are 10 that will help you decide if you are making a responsible choice when adopting from a breeder or rescue organization.
10 ways to avoid puppy mills
Rescues and small children
You can never predict how a dog will react to a new environment. It’s not uncommon for some dogs to be content at the shelter and a bit irritable in their new home. If you have young children, a dog’s unexpected change in behavior can be a real concern. Bringing a rescue dog into a home with young children means you need to take extra steps to ensure the safety of your children as well as your new pet.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RESCUE DOGS AND CHILDREN
Tips for adopting a rescue cat
Adopting a rescue cat is a wonderful way to have a grateful and loving companion while saving a life. Cats may seem easier to adopt than dogs, if only because they seem a bit more independent. But before you impulsively run to the shelter or a rescue group to get a new cat, there are a few things to consider. Over the years, Samantha has rescued a few cats and offers some tips for making the right choice.
NINE TIPS FOR ADOPTING A RESCUE CAT
Adopting a high energy dog
People abandon their dogs for many reasons. Often dogs are abandoned because the owners cannot care for the animal. In these cases, it is usually because the animal is a very energetic dog. There’s nothing wrong with a high energy dog, but if you’re considering adopting a hyper or high energy rescue dog, you need to be up for the challenge. Here’s what you need to know before making your decision, including basics like “What do we mean by high-energy dogs?”
ADOPT AN ENERGETIC DOG
Tips for a Successful Pet Adoption
Ultimately, you want your adoption to be a success for everyone involved. To wrap up our comprehensive guide to pet adoption, we detail ten things you can do to ensure that your experience (and that of your new dog or cat) is a positive one.
1. Choose the right dog or cat for your family.
Don’t always choose the first animal that attracts you. Research the breeds and spend plenty of time with potential new family members before closing the deal.
2. Have everything you need before you bring your new pet home.
Make sure you have a harness or collar, a leash, food and water bowls, a bed and kennel, and crate training books or videos.
3. Put an exercise plan in place immediately.
Many pet owners abandon their pets due to behavioral issues that can be traced to improper exercise. Have a realistic exercise plan in place to give your cat or dog the physical and mental stimulation they need.
4. Slowly transfer your pet’s food.
Digestive issues can make a time of change even more difficult for your pet. Find out what food the shelter gave your pet and stick to it or follow the suggested guidelines for changing formulas.
5. Give your pet a safe space.
Usually a kennel, sometimes their own bed or room; all pets need a place where they know they can spend time alone. Creating this sanctuary gives your pet a place to quell their anxiety or, at the very least, just a place they can call their own.
6. Give your pet enough room to fit.
Sometimes your pet just wants to be alone. Hard to believe, we know.
7. Train as soon as possible.
Training is more valuable than you can imagine, and every animal could benefit from it.
8. Discipline only during the wrong act.
If you come home and find that your pet has had an accident in the house, bringing it to the accident and screaming is just confusing and scary. When that happens, a short “No” will stop it, then you can take them outside.
9. Avoid overwhelming your pet with new places and new people.
Temporarily minimize your pet’s exposure to new people and places until he is well adjusted to you and your family.
10. Set clear boundaries.
Decide on boundaries and enforce them immediately.
Learn more about how to successfully adopt your new pet.
Adopt pets, change lives
It takes a lot to successfully adopt a pet. You have to do your homework. You must prepare. You need to choose the right pet for your situation, which means you need to carefully consider your situation. You have to know what you don’t know, which means you have to ask questions you’re never sure you need. Adopting a new best friend, even just adopting a pet, takes dedication and work from both you and the pet.
It is not easy.
But it’s rewarding, and we encourage anyone considering saving a pet to read as much as possible about the pet adoption process before diving in head first. We hope our pet adoption guide is just the beginning of a beautiful relationship that enriches multiple lives.
