While talking to my little cousin over the weekend, I realized how little many people understand about animal adoption. Not only did he not know how to approach the matter. Adoption hadn’t even occurred to him best family pets. She assumed she would have to buy and not adopt a dog from a shelter, and yet there are so many more advantages to adopting animals from a shelter.
Why Choose Animal Adoption?
According to my cousin, adopted dogs and cats are more aggressive and difficult to live with. There are many myths about animal adoption , but this one is possibly the saddest. Who wants to be judged without first having had a chance?
Of course, there are some problem animals, but the majority of dogs and cats up for adoption have not ended up in this situation because of something they have done. In fact, many animals are abandoned by their owners or get lost on the streets due to some terrible accident.
Choosing to adopt a dog means you are giving those dogs a home life again. In many cases, you are also saving them from death. In the US alone, 2.7 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year due to overpopulation. That’s more than 7,000 deaths daily.
With animal adoption, you can also get to know your dog or cat before making the final decision. There is much less risk of things not working out than when buying a puppy. Nobody knows what the puppy will become.
For those who find the idea of training a puppy exhausting, you can also adopt a two-year-old dog or even an older one. Adult dogs are much easier to train than high-energy puppies who are still exploring life.
Let’s also not forget that, if you adopt a dog, you avoid possible scams and support for dog breeders . Since, unfortunately, many focus on money and not on the well-being of the animals. Of course, not all hatcheries are bad, but they can be expensive.
Do Your Research Before Adopting a Dog
If you’re not ready to consider adopting dogs or cats yet, why not spend some time socializing with them? Shelters need volunteers to keep their animals happy every day. And at the same time, it makes you feel better. Read how on our blog: visiting an animal shelter can make you happy .
1- Observe and spend time together
Before adopting a dog, it is best to spend time observing how they interact with other dogs and people. You can see them in their natural state at a humane shelter, where they are allowed to roam freely and be themselves.
People often spend several weekends at their local shelter before moving forward with adopting animals. This way, they can meet the dog or cat and get to know them in their current home. This makes the transition to your home less overwhelming because the animal already knows you. There are fewer unknown factors.
2- Ask questions
The best shelters will do everything they can to support dogs or cats for adoption. They are there to answer all your questions about the history and character of the animal. They will be able to tell you about their quirks, their favorite foods, and how they play with others.
Most importantly, the best shelters make sure they have a training program for their dogs. Even if the dog is not perfect, you can rest assured that he knows at least the basics before arriving at your home.
Other important questions to ask are what energy level you should expect and what their daily needs are. Some animals may need regular supplements or eye drops, for example. Of course, you should check their vaccination history and information about general health checkups.
3- Tests at home
One of the great advantages of adopting a dog or cat is that tests can be done. This can be a big change for both your family and the animal, so sometimes you have to break things down into small steps.
Letting the animal visit us for a few hours or a few days at a time can be a good start. The best shelters will also do a home visit as part of their process to make sure you can meet the animal’s needs. For example, dogs need a garden.
4- Do the procedures
You will soon see what type of shelter you are working with depending on the professionalism of their processes. They want things to work, but they also don’t want to cut corners. Therefore, it is clear that you will have to prove who you are, although some shelters may also ask you for references.
In any case, you will also have to sign an ownership transfer document. If you already have other animals, you may need to show their vaccination records to confirm that you are a responsible owner.
5- Stay in touch with the shelter
The best shelters do a follow-up check after a period of time. Even if they don’t, it’s always good to keep in touch in case you need veterinary or feeding advice. Additionally, for the older animals, their shelter family always remains part of their family and visits from the shelter mom are always happy days for everyone.