How to Adopt a Pet from the Animal Shelter

Pets are terrific additions to your life. If you're ready to acquire an animal companion, start with your local animal shelter. Shelters house millions of unwanted dogs and cats, and adoption is a great way to make a difference in your life and that of an animal. Follow these steps to adopt a pet from the animal shelter.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Ask yourself whether you are willing to make a long-term commitment of up to 20 years. Animals require lots of time and attention. Look at your household. Find out what everyone at home is looking for in a pet--and who will do what pet care.
2. Familiarize yourself with animal shelters in your area. Animal shelters euthanize four million unwanted pets each year, so adopting a pet from shelter is a humane decision. Understand that every shelter sets its own policies for adoption, and includes various services (such as shots or spaying or neutering) in the fee.
3. Check to see if your animal shelter is scheduling any adoption events. Special events may allow new pet owners to waive adoption fees or obtain free spaying or neutering.
4. Meet the shelter animals. Look for animals that are alert with bright eyes and a healthy coat. Choose a pet that is comfortable being petted, particularly when children are in the home. Look at how long an animal has lived at the shelter. Dogs, in particular, can develop behavior problems from prolonged caging and minimal human contact.
5. Interact with an animal outside of the cage. Some animals may be a little scared. Just talk soothingly. If this goes well, sign the papers. Most animal shelters arrange for pet identification. Keeping a pet's identification tag on its collar aids people in contacting you if they find your lost pet.
6. Make an appointment for your pet with a veterinarian. A good vet should tell you if there are any lingering health problems you should be aware of. Arrange for spaying or neutering your pet. Ask about microchip identification if you're interested in this form of identification.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider adopting a mixed breed pet. They often live longer and can have better dispositions than pure-bred dogs.
• When you make the decision to adopt, purchase basic pet food and supplies (a collar and lead for a dog, a cat carrier and litter box for a cat) before visiting the shelter so you'll be able to bring your new family member home right away. You can make purchases more specific to your new pet later.
• Be aware that private no-kill shelters and rescue groups often require potential adopters to undergo screening processes, meet certain qualifications or sign detailed contracts. These measures help ensure that adopted pets will get the best care.