Morning Side BARC

Adopting a pet should be one of the happiest moments in a family’s life, but there are sometimes unforeseen events that can bring tears, disappointment and even heartbreak. Knowing a few key safety tips can lessen any problems or danger and make finding your new best friend fun, exciting and unendingly rewarding.

1. Adopting a pet should not be a spur of the moment decision. A pet is not just an accessory that you pick up because you considered him a “bargain” or because he just struck your heart chords just the right way. This is a commitment to a living being, one that will need love, food and shelter for many years to come. Make sure you and your entire family is fully committed to that concept before bringing a pet home.

2. Shelter pets are not always lost doggies that cannot find their way home. Sometimes pets have severe behavioral or emotional problems that their owners cannot handle. While not every pet at the shelter is a reject, there are bound to be a few, so make sure that you ask questions.

3. Sometimes shelter staff can miss serious health or behavior problems. Before you bring your adopted pet home, make sure that he gets a thorough vet exam, including all immunizations. This is especially important if there are small children or other pets in your home.

4. Do not just bring an adopted pet into your home and give him free reign of the place. Allow your new pet to explore from room to room, while on a leash. Consider crate training while you are not directly at hand, and only allow interaction between the new pet and children and other pets while you are there. Eventually, your adopted pet will settle in and blend into the family, but it will take some time and patience.

5. Do not hesitate to bring any pet that develops signs of aggression back to the shelter. Saving an animal’s life is not worth risking your family’s safety for. And, if that does become the case, make sure that shelter staff is aware of the exact problem. Perhaps the dog does not like children, but is fine with adults. Maybe the new pet was snappy with other animals, or one gender. Allow staff to know so that they can help match the pet with the right family on his next try.

Vacations are extremely difficult for those who have pets. –We are always trying to figure out where we can leave them in safe, capable hands. For those who have friends they can trust, they often leave the pet at home or with their friend. If you don’t have someone the dog or cat knows to take care of them, you may want to look into boarding your pet.

Boarding your pet can be a difficult decision because choosing the wrong place will allow for bad behavior or neuroses to develop. What to look for when you are boarding your pet is rather simple, if you read these below tips:

• Check more than one boarding house.

• Compare the cost of the boarding houses you have looked into. You are looking for a moderately priced boarding house for your pet. If the price seems outrageously cheap, there could be a chance that the proper equipment and care are lacking. Boarding houses on the more expensive end might offer extra luxuries, however it’s up to you to decide if those luxuries are within your affordability. Before deciding, you should compare the offers of each boarding house to make sure you are not overpaying for the same services you could find at a less costly boarding house.

• Get a bit of background information about the staff that will be handling your pet. Are they loving pet owners? Is this just another summer job for an inexperienced individual? Do they want to be a vet? There are all types of questions to ask regarding their personal tastes. Someone who isn’t into pets, but has the job because that was all that was available is probably not going to be the best handler. On the other hand, someone who wants the knowledge for further education may be the best person you ever find.

• When choosing to board your pet you should choose a facility that has no more than ten pets at a time. The facility should also be able to comfortably house those ten pets. This type of place offers a better likelihood of giving your pet individual attention and care, as opposed to an over-crowded and under-staffed place.

• You also have the option of boarding your pet with a private person. A private pet sitter usually allows the pet to stay in their home, and they treat the pet as if it was theirs while you are gone. It is a more intimate surrounding and can help the pet feel less anxious in your absence.

• No matter where you choose to board your pet you should always personally check out the facility beforehand. Make sure the cages are spotless, that there is no overwhelming pet odor, and see the activities they offer for the pets—sit in on a few if they allow it. In fact, a surprise inspection never hurts. You can find out a lot by showing up and asking to see the facilities without calling ahead.

Once you have found the place to board your pet, you will need to introduce your pet to the staff, as well as the other “tenants”. This can be done with a couple of visits a week before you are actually going to leave. Pets can become very stressed in surroundings and situations they are unaccustomed to, therefore the more you familiarize your pet with the boarding kennel, the less likely they are to feel anxiety when you leave.