October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month! If you’ve decided that this is the right time to add a four-legged family member, congratulations. Shelter pets are awesome… and yes, I’m biased because all of my pets have been rescues.
Pet adoption isn’t an easy thing these days. A lot of shelters and rescues want to check vet references, meet the entire family, and may even want to visit your home! Dogster.com (one of my favorite pet sites) polled nearly 200 shelters and came up with a great list of things to think about before you adopt a dog or cat. Here are some important things to consider:
- A pet is not temporary or disposable. Depending on breed, you may have fifteen years (or more) with a dog and twenty years (or more) with a cat. When you adopt a pet, you need to be ready for responsibility for the pet’s whole life.
- Having a pet is like having a child in many ways. You may need to make special arrangements for travel, moving, and other major family events.
- Be realistic about your lifestyle and the needs of the pet you want. A high-energy pet may not be a good choice for a person who is out of the house frequently… don’t forget that bored pets can become destructive pets. A person with physical limitations may not be able to handle a giant sized dog on walks around the neighborhood.
- Please don’t give a pet as a gift. The recipient may love dogs or cats, but may not be able to have one of their own. If you want to give a pet-related gift, why not make a donation to a shelter in their name?
- If you adopt a pet for the kids, the grown-ups often end up doing the work. Chances are, the kids will get tired of scooping poop, changing water, and other routine pet care chores. Try to make pet care a family chore, not just one person’s job — take turns with each task for a week so nobody gets bored!
- Expect challenges as you adjust to each other. When I first adopted Lally, she was quite a handful. She piddled on my bed, in the kitchen, every time I came home from work, and any time I raised my voice. Over time, she became more confident and less submissive… but those first few months were rough at times.
Aimee has been writing for Families.com from day one! You can find her in the Pets Blog and the Health Blog.