How to adopt a dog in North County San Diego, CA

I have lived in San Diego off and on for approximately 10 years. About a year ago my wife and I adopted a dog from the Helen Woodward Animal Center a unique non-profit organization in San Diego County that for over 30 years has been committed to the philosophy of people helping animals and animals helping people. They have many different types of animals at the center but the adoptions are focused on cats and dogs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Love for a pet
• Patience
• Dog Bed
• Dog Toys
• Dog Food
• Dog Treats
• Nature's Miracle (to clean up after the dog)
• Crate for training
• Dog Trainer
• Leash and collar

1. Go the Helen Woodward Animal Center website at http://www.animalcenter.org and click on the "Meet Our Dogs" link. Check out the list of dogs and see if there is onc that you like. They tend to change quite often. Many of the dogs get adopted pretty quickly so if you see one you like you need to move on it. Even if you don't see one you like it is good to visit the center sicne many of the dogs they have are not on the site yet since they are being screened by the vet staff or recovering from being spayed or neutered.
2. Block out some time and go the Helen Woodward Animal Center. You will need to budget a few hours to complete the entire process from end to end.
3. Once you get to the center you can immediately start browsing through the kennels. After you have spent some time looking you will need to go to once of the staff members and list out all of the dogs you want to meet. Before you meet any of the dogs they ask you to fill out an information sheet so they can get a better idea about what typpe of dog might be best for your family. They really take the time to make good matches.
4. A dog trainer or staff member will then allow you to meet all of the dogs on your list. They have large fenced in grass areas where you can play with the dogs and get a general feel for their personalities.
5. Once you have met all of the dogs you need to make a decision if you are going to adopt one or wait until you meet some other dogs that day or on some other visit.
6. If you choose a dog that day they will have you fill in a bunch of paperwork. The paperwork process takes about an hour.
7. During the paperwork process they let a dog trainer or staff member know that the dog is going home and they begin preparing them for the trip.
8. If you do not have any supplies with you like a collar, leash, bed, food, etc. you can buy those items from their on site store. It is best to get the basics from them but hit the Petsmart or Petco for the rest.
9. Once the process is complete they give the dog a nice compressed rawhide bone for the road and send him off with his new family.

Tips & Warnings

• Spend the appropriate time doing research to see which type of dog is best for you and your family. You want to make sure the breed is a good match.
• Make sure you meet a few different dogs at teh animal center so you can get a fell for their personalities.
• Adopting a dog is a huge responsibility. Make sure you are prepared for the life changes it will bring.