Pet Adoption: Where Should I Start?

Pet Adoption: Where Should I Start?

 

 

Adopting, rehoming and helping an animal in need is saving more than one life.

 

When you adopt a pet from a shelter you give that animal a second chance and also create space for another animal to be rescued.

 

It takes time to find your perfect fluffy partner. Whether you live on your own, have two children or already have a Noah’s Ark in your household - your new companion is out there but it’s not a process to be rushed!

 

Only you and your family will be able to decide what type of pet will suit your household best.

 

Things to consider before adopting

 

-       How much time do you have?

The animal you choose to adopt deserves, and at times will demand, your time. Some animals will be less maintenance than others, but it’s crucial that you consider how much time you and your family are willing and able to give that animal.

-       What’s your financial obligation?

This is another mouth to feed in your household, can your budget stretch to this? We all enjoy spoiling our pets rotten, but it shouldn’t be to the detriment of your other financial obligations. You’ll need to consider whether you will neuter this animal if it hasn't been already, and any other vet bills you may face, routine or in an emergency. Don’t forget pet insurance for those unexpected vet bills that may arise- fingers crossed they don’t, but better to be prepared than not.

-       Is your home ready?

You may also need to spend time and money on preparing your home for a new arrival. Do you have a perfectly manicured lawn? Will you be upset if a new dog digs a hole in the middle of it?

Not only inside and outside of your home, but is your family ready for the responsibility of an animal and do they have the maturity needed if your animal has any behavioural problems or health issues along the way?

-       If you already have pets, how will they cope with it?

If you already have a pet at home, have you considered how they may react and cope with a new addition? Although not a hard and fast rule, generally speaking the older a pet gets, the less tolerant they are to change- in particular new family members. Of course, some pets will relish the prospect of a new four-legged friend to cause mischief with, but bare this in mind when considering another pet- your current one may not approve!

 

These are some of the most important things to consider before you adopt. If anyone in the family is wavering on any of these then it’s important to take stock and consider adopting when everything is in order. It’s important to be considerate to the animal’s wellbeing and not put it in the unfair scenario where someone might have to give it up. Rescuing a pet is a commendable thing to do and no doubt- the second chance of a forever home you give that animal is something they will be eternally grateful to you for. However, all of this good can be undone by giving up the pet again if things don’t work out. Dog’s in particular are pack animals and as such value their pack (family) above everything. Being removed from a family once is traumatic enough for them and in some cases they can take many years to recover from this emotionally. Being put into a shelter twice though- well it’s not fair on you or the animal and in particular the animal will take a long time to recover from this. So please consider these points carefully before taking on another pet- we’d love everyone to adopt and recue as many pets as we can, but the circumstances must be right for all concerned- especially the animal.

 

 

Finding your perfect pet

 

250,000 animals go into rescue homes every year in the UK. Tall, short, old, young, big, small, short-haired, long-haired. No matter what size, shape or colour, your perfect fit is out there somewhere.

 

To start your search for your companion, have a look on your local rescue center’s website. Continue to come back to this week on week.

 

When you feel like you’ve conducted enough research on the animal, your whole family is on board and your home is ready, pick up the phone and speak to your local shelter. They’ll be able to create a profile for your family and select animals that they believe would best suit you. 

 

Just like all relationships, sometimes you’ll bump into someone and hit it off immediately and on other occasions a few words will be more than sufficient.

 

Don't Forget

 

Pets in rescue shelters will need a little more help adjusting to a family home, depending on their background depends what level this will be to. The best thing to do is ask at your shelter. The workers and volunteers will be the most educated on these animals and what they need. Ask any and every question you can!

 

 

We currently support three shelters:

 

-       Bryson’s Animal Shelter

-       Wood Green

-       Wythall Animal Sanctuary

 

For every checkout we donate 2% to one of these charities. By December we hope to increase the number of shelters we support!

 

There are hundreds of shelters in the UK and we wish we could support them all. Whilst this may not be possible, for now we will continue to do the best we can for the few that we can and hopefully with your help we can do more!