Preparing For A Pet Adoption
Adopting a pet is a beautiful and kind gesture you’re making for you and your future furry friend. By following the “Adopt Don’t Shop” idea; you’re offering a second chance to an animal, which is very honourable; but like welcome any other new member of the family, you’ve got to be prepared! Here’s a little guide on how to prepare for welcoming your rescue to their forever home.
Getting Your Home Ready Before Their Arrival
The first step to welcoming your future friend to their new home is to make sure it’s safe for them and contains all they need.
Make a list of all basic items you’ll need: bowls for food and water, a crate if you want to train your dog, a litter if you’re getting an indoor cat, a bed for them to sleep on, a lead and collar or harness, and of course toys!
Coming for the first time to a new place can sometimes be scary, until we get used to our new home, so it would be smart to create a corner from your house just for your pet. Sometimes it can be a spare room, others it can be your bathroom, somewhere not too big for them to feel safe, where all their essentials will be for the first few weeks. It will help them settle in.
Depending on the type of pet, as well as the type of breed you’ll be adopting, their diets will vary. It’s important for you to ask the rescue if your future furry friend has any dietary restrictions: whether it’s raw meat only, cooked meat only, allergies, or diabetes restrictions, they will play a crucial role in your pet’s health.
Better safe than sorry! Something we tend to push aside when thinking about pet adoption, is checking in with a vet. While usually animals in shelters have already been vaccinated and health checked, it’s always better tone safe than sorry! Register to the vet of your choice to make sure they will have all your info if needed. It’s also a good idea to book a first appointment to check if everything is okay, some vets even offer the first consultation for free!
It might also be a good to start checking pet insurances! To learn why we recommend getting one, check this article.
If you are getting a dog, it’s important to remember that they’re highly social creatures, so if you’re getting a young one, check out local groups on Facebook to find them a buddy to play with!
Welcome home new friend!
The day has finally arrived and your pet is finally home, we’re so happy for you! There are still a few steps in your journey to make sure they will be well adjusted to their new environment.
Establishing a routine is a great way for your pet to adjust to your household habits. Setting a specific time for eating and going for walks or training will help keeping them happy and calm. Some animals can get anxious not knowing when they’ll eat again or when they’ll be able to go out for a pee, so a routine will ease the potential stress.
Adopting a rescue pet usually means that they come with a bit of trauma from their previous owners, sometimes it can be a fear of abandonment which will mean they might not trust you at the start, or will cry as soon as you leave the room. For others, it can be a much bigger trauma, which means they might take more time adjusting to you, or have an aggressive behaviour.
If that were to be the case, do not punish them. Just like us, negative response could have a much longer and traumatising impact on them, something they might have already faced in the past. Always encourage good behaviour, by rewarding them with treats, belly rubs and a positive attitude!
With all this, you should now be set to go and give some love to your new family member!
Worry not, you don’t require much material besides what you already have at home!
