Pet Adoption Made Simple!

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Pet Adoption Made Simple!

There is no greater feeling than bringing home a new pet, whether it’s a new pup or kitten, the excitement of a new furry member joining your family is immeasurable. It is undeniable that animals bring great joy into our lives, however sometimes the idea of bringing home a new pet is so overwhelmingly exciting, that it can become an impulse buy.

Adopting a new pet is a serious commitment so when the time comes to adopt a new pet there are several important factors we need to consider first. In this article I will guide you through the complete adoption process so that you will feel confident and be prepared to care for your new beloved pet in a responsible manner.

Pet Adoption Made Simple! | Financial security.

Regardless of where you live the cost of acquiring a new pet is significant. On average cats and dogs can live 10 or more years and the annual cost of owning a pet can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

This is the most essential factor to consider in your adoption Process. Food is the biggest cost along with Veterinary bills. As a pet parent It is imperative to be financially prepared to ensure you have the means to keep your pet healthy and to avoid credit card debt. The best way to do this is to figure out all regular expenses for your pet prior to adoption. To simplify this, we will focus on the main essentials.

Pet Adoption Made Simple! | Food.

Prior to becoming a pet owner, you will need to determine what the average monthly cost of your pet’s food will amount to. The cost of food can really add up especially with dogs. Many pet stores have a customer loyalty points reward system to draw in customers and to keep existing customers coming back.

The loyalty program will allow you to save money based on the number of points you accumulate through your purchases. When choosing pet food, cats in particular tend to be picky eaters.

You may want to experiment by purchasing a few different brands and flavors to start, luckily most pet stores have generous return policies when it comes to pet food, this will make it easier to find the right food that caters to your cat’s needs.

Your newly adopted pet may also have a pre-existing and/or develop health problems or a food intolerance and you may be required to feed them a specific Veterinarian diet. Veterinary diets tend to be more expensive because they are scientifically formulated to treat various conditions such as oral health, urinary health, and allergies to name a few. As your cat or dog becomes older, they will be more susceptible to these common health issues which brings us to our next category, Veterinary costs.

Pet Adoption Made Simple! | Medical Cost.

Puppies and kittens require several vaccines during the first four months of their lives. Typically, when you adopt a cat or dog, they are already vaccinated, spayed / neutered. Veterinary costs will be an ongoing process throughout the duration of your pet’s life. You will be required to make annual checkup appointments even if you believe your furry friend is in perfect health. Purchasing a pet insurance plan is a logical way to create a safety net which will make veterinary bills much more affordable if any health issues should arise.

Another option is to put money aside into a veterinary fund. I recommend a minimum of $50 per month and as your pet ages and becomes more vulnerable to health issues, the monthly monetary amount should be increased. This approach requires you to be diligent, most banking apps will allow you to automatically deposit a set scheduled amount into a separate account. Having to bring your pet into a veterinary clinic can be very stressful, therefore having financial security to cover the cost will eliminate any additional stress.

Food and medical expenses can deter any potential pet owner from adopting a new pet. If you determine that you cannot financially afford to care for a pet of your own, there is still hope! Many animal lovers chose to become foster parents. This is a great way to still have a few pets in your life without breaking the bank.

Many animal shelters rely on volunteers to care for the animals in their homes. The great thing about fostering is that the animal shelters cover all the costs, this includes toys, food, litter (if cat) and medical costs. Volunteering to be a foster parent provides the animals with a loving and safe environment to develop socially until they find their forever home.

Many pet gardians become foster parents before committing to pet ownership. By becoming a foster parent, you will learn what it takes to care for animals and learn the skills needed to care for your pet in a responsible manner.

Pet Adoption Made Simple! | Adoption process

If you’ve never adopted a pet before, you’re probably wondering how the process works, how long does it take? and how much does it cost? This information will help you get an overview of the adoption process.

Steps:

Step 1. Find a credible shelter.

When you’re ready to adopt a pet, you will need to contact your local animal shelter. The animal shelter should be a recognized organization with a physical building run by staff and volunteers. During Covid – 19 the adoption process is a little different. What this means is that you will need to start the process online and most of the correspondence will be handled online and over the phone.

Another convenient option is www.adoptapet.com – a website designed for people interested in adopting a pet. This handy website will connect you to your local shelter. When you search for a local shelter, there will be a link that will connect you to the shelter’s website.

Once you’re on the website you will need to navigate to the pet adoption menu. You will have several animal options to choose from such as dogs, cats, or other. Please take time to read through the shelter’s adoption process beforehand, as this will provide all the adoption information including the company’s adoption policy and answer any questions that you may have pertaining to adoptions.

Step 2. Browse available animals.

Browse through the online animal adoptions catalogue to view the animals that interest you. You should expect to see a separate profile for each individual cat or dog. This profile will include up to date photos of the animal I.D., Name, Age, Temperament, Medical History, and a short backstory of the animal.

Be sure to make note of the animal I.D.’s because you will need that information for the application process. Once you have found the perfect cat or dog you may begin the application process.

Step 3. – Application.

The adoption application typically consists of 2 parts. Contact information and a personal questionnaire. It is carefully designed to match you with the perfect cat or dog based on your living situation and preferences.

For the Contact information portion, you will be required to provide the following:

First name
Last name
Email Address
Home Phone Number
Work Phone Number
Residential / Mailing Address
Student Status if applicable

After completing the contact information section, you will be asked to complete the personal questionnaire – Tell us about yourself.(Applications may vary depending on Shelter policy).

What Cat/Dog are you applying for?

If you don’t have a specific cat in mind, please describe the characteristics you are looking for?

Would you like the cat to be declawed? Yes/no.

Shelters do not declaw their cats. Sometimes cats who have been surrendered to the shelter underwent Onychectomy prior to their stay at the shelter.

(If cat) Would you like your cat to be an indoor – indoor/outdoor – no preference.

This is often a trick question. It is important to note that outdoor cats tend to have a shorter life span. There is a higher probability for the cat to contract a disease, become poisoned, sustain injuries from other predatory animals, or end up getting hit by a car. Many shelters do not recommend keeping domesticated cats outdoors.

Your application may be at risk of disqualification if your intent is to allow your cat to roam outdoors unleashed. If you believe your cat will spend most of their time outdoors, you may benefit from viewing your local Animal Control Bylaw. Many municipalities prohibit keeping pet cats outdoors and you may expect to have a visit from an Animal Control Officer which will result in monetary penalties.

Why do you want to adopt a cat or dog?
Do you currently have pets?
Have you had other pets in the past that are no longer with you?
What brand of food do you feed, canned or/ and dry?
Have you ever had to find a new home for one of your pets?
Which veterinarian looks after your pets currently or has in the past?
How many adults are in the family?
What are the work hours for each adult?
How long would the cat or dog be alone?
Are there children in the family?
Does anyone in your family have cat or dog allergies?
Do you own or rent your home?
Can you see yourself being responsible for a cat or dog for 15-plus years?
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself?

Step 4. Phone Screening interview.

Once your adoption application has been received and reviewed, selected applicants will be contacted by one of the adoptions team members who will match you and your living situation with the most appropriate cat or dog awaiting adoption.

The adoptions team member will explain the adoption process in greater detail and answer any questions you may have pertaining to adoption and pet parenting.

This will also be a great opportunity to discuss your application. It is important to be honest during the interview, this is both for your and your cat’s or dog’s benefit. Matching the right pet parent ensures that your new furry friend will have a safe loving home and will not end up back at the shelter.

Step 5. Meet and greet with cat or dog.

Here you will have the opportunity to meet with your selected pet. Many of the animals available for adoption stay with a foster parent. A member from the adoptions team will arrange a visit either at the foster parent’s home or the shelter. Most shelters have a “Socialization room” a quiet place where you can spend some time getting to know your new cat or dog and develop an initial bond.

This one-on-one time will allow you to observe the animal’s behavior and personality. In some cases, especially with dogs, you may be required to attend multiple visits with the dog.

Here you will have the opportunity to take the pup or dog on walks with ample time for play. We recommend that you attend the first meet and greet alone to prevent the pup or dog from feeling overwhelmed. During the second visit you may want to introduce your spouse and or children to the dog and observe how they react to each person.

After you have spent some quality time with your new cat/dog and decide it is a right fit, the shelter will schedule a pickup time where you will finalize all the paperwork, pay for any adoption fees, register for a microchip, and possibly give you the opportunity to register for 3 free weeks of pet insurance.

Some shelters will supply you with a month worth of dry and wet pet food included in the adoption fee.

Shelters will have a 2–3-month probationary period. During this time a member from the adoptions team will regularly follow up with you to ensure that you and your new pet are happy with the placement. Typically, the follow up is conducted over the phone and personal visits to your home.