adoption checklist

Questions for all adopters

• Do you have any other pets and how will they react to a new pet?
• Is your current residence suited to the pet you’re considering?
• How will your social life or work obligations affect your ability to care for a pet?
• Do you have a plan for your new pet during holidays and/or work travel?
• Do you or any of your household/family members have health issues that may be affected by a pet?
• What breed, or species, of animal is the best fit with your current lifestyle?
• Is there tension in the home? Pets quickly pick up on stress in the home, and it can exacerbate their health and behavior problems.
• Is there an adult in the family who has agreed to be ultimately responsible for the pet’s care?

pet costs:

• More likely than not, the rescue centre will charge a fee to help defray the cost of taking in unwanted or lost animals. The adoption fee you pay will be a tiny fraction of the money you will spend over the life of your pet.
• Some expenses for most pets, will include:
  • Food
  • Routine veterinary care
  • Collars, leashes and identification tags
  • Kitty litter and box
  • Basic grooming equipment and supplies.
  • Permanent identification, such as a microchip
  • Training classes
  • Additional grooming supplies or professional grooming (depending on your new pet’s needs)
  • A spare collar or leash
  • A bed and toys
  • A crate or carrier
• Unexpected costs: Accidents and illness can result in costly emergency veterinary care. Recovery tools for finding a missing pet can include posters and rewards.
• A pet with special physical or behavioral challenges may require specialized professional support to overcome any obstacles these issues present.

time considerations:

• Pets need to be fed two to three times a day, more often in the case of puppies, and need a constant supply of fresh water.
• A responsible pet parent should spend at least one hour per day giving direct attention to his or her pet. This may include training, exercising, grooming, and playing or, with cats, may just be lap time on the couch. Dogs will need to be taken out to potty several times a day.
• A pet with an abundance of energy needs more time to exercise and interactive toys to keep them entertained.
• Pets with long coats may need 20 minutes a day of grooming to prevent matting.
• Pets with certain medical conditions may need additional attention, including specifically timed injections in the case of diabetic animals.
• Remember that adopted pets may need additional bonding and reassurance time in the early weeks.

shopping checklist

It may be a good idea to wait until you select your new pet before you begin shopping for supplies. For example, some items, such as food and water bowls or collars and harnesses, depend upon the size of the pet you will be adopting.

Also, be sure to find out which food your pet was eating in the rescue centre or foster home so that you can provide the same in the beginning, again to ease the transition. After the pet has settled in, talk with your veterinarian about switching to the food of your choice.

necessary items for dogs:

• Food and water bowls
• Food (canned and/or dry)
• Collar
• Four to six-foot leash
• ID tag with your phone number
• Hard plastic carrier or foldable metal crate
• Dog bed
• Doggy shampoo and conditioner
• Nail clippers
• Canine toothbrush and toothpaste
• Brush or comb (depends on your pet’s coat length and type)
• Super-absorbent paper towels
• Sponge and scrub brush
• Non-toxic cleanser
• Enzymatic odor neutralizer
• Plastic poop baggies (biodegradable ones are best) or pooper scooper
• Absorbent house-training pads
• Variety of toys (a ball, rope, chew toy and puzzle toy are good starts)
• Variety of treats (such as small cookies, larger rawhides, etc.)
• First-aid supplies
• Baby gate(s)

necessary items for cats:

• Food and water bowls
• Food (canned and/or dry)
• Litter box and scooper
• Kitty litter
• Collar
• ID tag with your phone number
• Hard plastic carrier
• Nail clippers
• Feline toothbrush and toothpaste
• Brush or comb (depends on your cat’s coat length and type)
• Super-absorbent paper towels
• Sponge and scrub brush
• Non-toxic cleanser
• Enzymatic odor neutralizer
• Variety of toys
• Variety of treats