10 Tips for Successful Pet Adoption
Although we write on the topic of adoption every chance we get, we recently had the chance to go in as a “civilian” and experience the adoption search for a member of our own family. Although all of our dogs and cats have been shelter adoptions (except for Coco, who was a stray), our last adoption had been five and a half years ago when we adopted Tiki.
Heading off on the adoption search—which took us to every local shelter as well as to several in-store adoption events, was both exciting and somewhat stressful as we worried about selecting the best pet for our family.
Our recent adoption of our kitten, Lucky, was wonderful. From talking with the shelter employees about his history to completing the adoption materials, it was a great experience. Here are our tips for making sure your next adoption goes equally well:
Before
1. Do your homework. You’ll save a lot of miles by searching sites like Adopt-a-Pet for local adoptables and then making some calls before you ever plan an in-person visit. Once we found potential kittens, we called the shelters to check to see if their kittens had been tested for FeLV and FIV. Since we have three other cats, we wanted to make sure we were bringing in a cat who had already received tests rather than waiting until we took the new arrival to our veterinarian for his initial check.
2. Gather your materials and your family. Many shelters and rescues have their adoption applications available online. Complete as much as you can online or, at the least, check over the application to see what information you need to bring with you including your veterinarian’s phone number, a letter from your landlord if applicable, etc. Also, plan on a time when every member of the family can make the shelter visit. Your new pet will be joining the whole family so it’s important for everyone to be a part of the adoption decision.
3. Prepare your home. Although in the case of dog adoption you might not be able to purchase a collar until you know your new dog’s size, you can purchase most other dog and cat items in advance of the adoption. From pet beds to bowls.
During
4. Keep an open mind. We’ve written before about the importance of keeping an open mind on your first visit (and how, upon Irie’s adoption, we adopted her although we came to the shelter to adopt a different dog). Although we fell in love with Lucky when we saw his photo, we waited until we met him in person to make a decision. We needed an outgoing cat that we felt would be happy around our two large dogs. He fit the bill!
5. Don’t be in a hurry. You may go to many shelters to find the perfect furry family member. You may return to the same shelter time and time again. Don’t be in a rush. Every day new adoptable pets arrive at the shelters so just keep looking until you find the one.
6. Ask about the pet’s history. This is your chance to find out as much information as you can about any history the shelter might have on your potential pet. Find out everything you can about where he came from, his medical history, behaviors the shelter has noticed, the food and litter he has been using at the shelter, etc.
7. Take photos! Sometimes in the excitement, it’s easy to forget to record this special moment in your new pet’s life! Take a photo of the kennel where your new family member was residing, and the shelter that gave him his chance at a forever home.
After
8. Start slowly. Your shelter pet is making a big adjustment so go slowly. We kept Lucky away from our other cats for the first week while he recovered from his cold; our other cats knew he was in the house so, by the time he entered the rest of the house, they were over the shock of a new arrival in the house.
9. Spay/neuter. Many shelter pets will already be spayed or neutered, depending on the shelter and on the adoptee’s age. Because Lucky had an upper respiratory infection on adoption, his neutering had been postponed. We’ll be taking him in for neutering next Tuesday as part of the adoption contract.
10. Follow up. Upon adoption, you’ll receive specific instructions as to follow-up care. Generally, you’ll be required to take your new pet to your local veterinarian within a few days of adoption, reporting back to the shelter.
Adoption of a new pet is a special time in the lives of everyone in your family—including your new forever friend.