What To Expect From A Pet Adoption
Posted on: 18 June 2015
Adopting a new pet can be exciting for your whole family. Not only are you adding a new member to your family, but a pet can improve many aspects of your life. However, to ensure you're prepared for the responsibility to come, it's a good idea to know what to expect from various sources of pets, such as breeders, animal shelters and government run pounds:
Breeders
While dogs are the most common, other animals are frequently bred professionally, too. Regardless of the species, you should expect a certain level of care to be put into both the breeding and the rearing of young animals. Healthy breeding stock only goes so far, so expect animals up for adoption to have received at least their first round of vaccinations, in addition to regular veterinary care.
Unfortunately, not all professional breeders are of the same caliber, so don't feel bad about asking for documentation and references. If you're going to pay what a professional breeder charges it's only prudent to speak with the veterinarian who has been seeing the animal you're adopting. If possible, try to stick with the same veterinary office as well.
Non-Profit Animal Shelters
While less specialized, adopting from a shelter is normally less costly than buying from a breeder. In addition, most shelters will also either spay or neuter animals being put up for adoption, or include the price of the procedure in the adoption fee. However, animal shelters come in a wide range of types, from the backyard non-profit to those run by national charitable organizations, so be mindful of the conditions. Not every new animal organization has the necessary resources to house and care for all the animals they take in.
City and County Animal Control
While more consistent in the quality of their staff and facilities than the majority of private non-profit shelters, municipal pounds should still be approached with a skeptical eye. Ask direct questions of employees rather than volunteers. Inquire about vaccination and spay/neuter practices before you even begin seriously looking at animals to adopt.
When it comes time to choose an animal to adopt, make sure you ask about behavioral evaluations. Unlike other pet adoption resources, a municipal shelter has an obligation to the community they serve, so you're less likely to find ill-tempered or unpredictable animals here. Even so, make sure you know that an animal has been evaluated before you consider taking it home.
A new pet is a great deal of responsibility for anyone, so it's critical that you know just what you're getting, and who you're getting it from. Be mindful of hygiene, in-take, and health care practices for any animal organization, regardless of who they answer to. To learn more, contact a company like Pilot Knob Animal Hospital.
Share