How to Choose a Pet From a Shelter

Choosing the right pet for your family can be a fun but overwhelming experience. Choosing the right pet from a shelter can add a different dimension, as shelters have so many animals from which to choose. Shelter animals can make some of the best pets because you will know ahead of time why they have been abandoned and how their personality will fit into your family.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Narrow your pet choices before you go and visit a shelter. Shelter animals tug at your heart, and if you haven't decided what you're looking for, you may come home with something you hadn't planned on.

2. Decide what type of shelter you wish to adopt from. Non-euthanasia shelters will have a larger selection as they keep their animals until they are adopted out.

3. Get basic information about different breeds of the animal of your choice. Even though most shelter dogs and cats are mixed breeds, they still carry the same basic behaviors of their pure bred cousins.

4. Look for a pet that fits your current living situation. Do you have a fenced in yard or an apartment? Are there small children in the house? How much time will you be able to spend each day with your new pet?

5. Visit the shelter of your choice and get information about adoption procedures. This usually involves filling out an application, answering certain questions and getting some counseling from an adoption consultant. These procedures protect both you and you potential pet.

6. Ask to visit and play with a few of the pets you are interested in. Most shelters will have an exercise area or visitation room where you can get to know the animals. Even short visits will tell you a lot about an animal.

7. Take time to go home and think about your choices. Try to resist buying the first shelter pet you visit with and come back a few times for additional visits. This is a long term commitment and a little time to consider is always a good idea.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider smaller pets for the house if this is your first experience. Many shelters have Guinea Pigs, rabbits and birds as well as dogs and cats. Learning responsibility with these small furry friends is a good step toward a dog or cat.
• Understand that having a pet is a long term relationship. For dogs and cats it could be anywhere from 10 to 20 years. Most shelter pets have already been abandoned once, so don't get into it unless it's for the long term.