Pet Adoption Tips

Caring for a companion pet is more than just providing food, water, and shelter. It takes careful planning to find the perfect pet for you and your family. Here are some tips for how to prepare yourself and your home for a new furry friend.

Are You Ready to Adopt?

You are making a commitment that you will care for your animal for the rest his life. That could be between 10 and 15 years for dogs, or as long as 20 years for cats. Your pet will always be part of your everyday life, regardless of any changes in your lifestyle, such as moving or having children. What if the circumstances change? Expand to

A dog or cat can cost more than its initial adoption fee. The cost of food, veterinary treatment, and proper identification (a collar with tags, microchipping, and permanent forms of ID such as spaying/neutering) can quickly add up.

It is also important to consider the time factor. Dogs enjoy many hours of exercise every day and the companionship of their owners. Cats are happier and healthier indoors, and they love being able to engage in energetic play sessions. You may not want to adopt if you have to travel for work or are often away from home.

It is crucial to assess whether your children are able and able, with the help of your existing pets, to allow for the addition or removal of a pet cat or dog.

Which Pet is Right for You?

You should consider your lifestyle and personality to find the right pet for your family. Ask shelter staffers to help you choose the right breed.

If you are thinking about adopting a dog:

Loyal, loving dogs are social animals who thrive when they can be a part of their family.

Puppy adoption is not recommended for families with young children. Consider adopting a medium-sized pet dog who is over five months old.
It is a good idea for the whole family to make a schedule.
Remember to get your friend neutered or spayed. Socialization is crucial to making your dog happy and confident. All puppies should enroll in a puppy class that allows them to play with other dogs.
Adult dogs may benefit from learning basic manners or brushing up on existing skills.
America’s shelters have a lot of pit bull-type dog. Many people have misconceptions about pit bull-type dogs. They can be loyal family pets and great companions.
Be sure to contact your local animal shelter before you adopt. There may be discrimination based on your breed in certain areas. Some laws may prevent you from living in certain communities. Also, homeowners insurance might be more difficult to find. But, this shouldn’t discourage you from getting a pit bull dog. Be sure to understand your rights before you commit to adoption.

If you’re thinking of adopting a cat

Cats can be graceful, athletic and playful.

You should make sure that everyone is ready to have a cat.
Cats can be quite independent. It is important to let everyone know that fun can only begin when your cat feels safe and has all her needs met.
Once you are sure that everyone is capable of grooming, feeding and changing litter, you can assign chores to family members so everyone is fully prepared for the arrival of your cat.
It’s just as important for felines to be spayed or neutered, as it is for dogs.

Preparing your home for a new cat or dog

Your home must be safe before you consider adopting, regardless of whether you are sealing your garbage cans tightly or paying close attention to holiday decorations that could cause injury, Toxic foods, pets-friendly plants, and hazardous household items should be kept out of reach of your pet. We have some ideas for how to prepare your home for a new pet, whether it’s a feline or a canine.

Make sure that your pet is comfortable in their bed. Animals will be more inclined to resist furniture that is not appealing.
You can discourage your cat from scratching by using double-sided sticky tape, or upside-down runners for carpets.
Avoid long cords that could cause strangulation, such as pooling drapery and ornate beads.
You should have high-quality, metal screens installed for cats.
It might be a good idea for your dog to store any decorative rugs in a roll-up container until he is house-trained.
You can provide scratching posts and perches for your cat.
You can use gates and dog crates to keep your puppy in your home until he learns good house manners.
You should provide plenty of legal things for your dog’s chewing pleasure. He’ll be less likely to chew on your objects if you have attractive toys or bones.
You should ensure that the plants and shrubs around your home aren’t poisonous for pets.

Bringing a Horse Home

Horses are social animals that will join together to form herds when given the chance. New horses can often be integrated with existing horses groups easily because of this.

Consider the comfort of your horse and other horses when you add a horse to your herd. You can maximize comfort and reduce problems by following these guidelines when you bring home your horse.

Get ready for your new arrival

Check out your barn. A horse that is new to an area will probably sniff every corner. A horse that is new to an area will likely be more cautious about potential dangers, especially if it’s scared. It is up to you to inspect for any loose nails, hooks or other sharp edges.

You should inspect walls and doors for areas that could be catching a head or hoof. Your feed room door should be closed securely. Make sure buckets are high enough so that a horse’s hoof cannot reach them. You can place barriers to prevent barnmates from getting to you, if necessary.

Check the paddock. If a horse is unfamiliar with its surroundings, he’s more likely to spot a weakness in the fencing or create a danger than one who has spent months grazing in that area. Look out for debris, loose fencing or branches that have fallen, wires, or trash. Verify water sources to avoid sharp edges. You should ensure that your horse has two water sources in the event that he is herded away.

Check your first aid kit. You should always have medical supplies in your kit, just in case your horse experiences a problem you didn’t expect.

Prepare the area for your New Occupant

Clean shavings, a three-quarters-full water bucket, and fresh hay are all necessary for horses that have been stalled. If your new horse is well-informed about his food and water sources, it will be easier for him to settle in. Choose the one that provides your horse with the best visual connection to other horses if you have a choice.

Prepare the paddock for your new horse if you will be keeping him in a covered area. Make sure you have fresh hay and water available before the horse is allowed to go into the paddock. You can choose from a variety of paddocks. Make sure he has the best view of other horses and doesn’t touch any horse.

You can prepare enrichment options for the area where your horse will live. Enrichment means to create a stimulating environment for an animal’s psychological, social and physical needs. This will enhance your horse’s activity and provide mental stimulation. It can reduce unwanted behavior and help to mold your horse’s behavior in the new environment. Use a variety of feeding methods to stimulate your brain, including treat-dispensing devices and carrot or apple pieces that bob in his water. You could also use four to five small hay stacks instead. A wall-mounted scratchbrush can be provided for him to use.

Welcome your horse to his new space

will reduce the stress your horse may feel upon his arrival at his new place.

Slowly walk your horse about as soon you see him come off the trailer. Allow your horse to explore the area that interests you. Allow him to take at least 15 minutes walking around the area near the stall, or in the sheltered paddock where they’ll be sleeping.
Once you are done letting your horse explore the area outside, get into your paddock or stall and take your horse around, stopping to give him water, food, and enrichment.
Keep him in the stall/paddock for at least an hour and then leave him there. Watch for signs that he is settling in. This could include shaking off water, eating hay and holding his ears in a relaxed posture.
After his first night, your new horse should be taken on at least 2 walks around the property. This will give your horse the chance to explore his new surroundings and get comfortable. You can strategically place treats in areas that your horses might be likely to explore, or even become excited. You can let him explore the space and discover the treats.

Introduce Your New Horse to The Herd

No matter how many horses you have, it’s important to take the time necessary to introduce your horse to the other horses. This is commonly called the “howdy” procedure. It allows horses to get to know each other and then share the same space. You can think of the “howdy” process as a series involving stages where you gradually increase the amount of contact your horses have each other. When you notice no arousal during contact at the current stage, increase the amount of contact your horse has with others. Sometimes it takes just 24 hours. Other times, it may take several weeks before the horses are able to safely live together in a paddock.

Here are the stages:

Visual accessibility. Start all introductions for horses using visual contact. Horses are very social animals and form herds out of necessity in the wild. Because they are prey species, horses have increased safety in herds. The ability to see other horses helps your horse to reduce his fear and help him settle in faster. Visual contact should begin immediately your horse enters the new area.

No tactile access. Allow horses to sniff each other’s noses and blow into each other’s nostrils. This is a social greeting behavior. They shouldn’t be allowed to touch their heads or necks. At this stage, you can stop them from intertwining their heads or necks by using fence panels and stall doors that have guards. Pay attention to hoof strikes, squealing or bite attempts, pinned ears and squealing. Do not discipline your horses for these behavior. Keep an eye on your horses. These behaviors are normal, and should decrease as the horses become more familiar with each other.

Improved tactile accessibility. If horses cease reacting to you, you can increase their interaction with each other. Introduce your horse to a large herd by starting with the dominant member. To avoid horses getting entangled in slatted fencing or hoof strikes, use a tall barn door. You should place one horse on each side of the partition and the second on the opposite side. Horses should be free to approach and avoid each other. They should also have enough access to reach into their heads and necks. As the horses are already familiar with one another, contact will not be necessary if the tactile process was performed correctly. The horses may touch one another, sniff, blow into their nostrils, touch necks, grooms, or nip one another. Note squealing and biting attempts, hoof strikes, and pinned ears. If an injury is not imminent, you can observe these behaviors and don’t interfere. Aggressive behavior should decline each time horses have access.

If you have multiple horses to choose from, start this stage with your dominant horse and give the rest of the group access to the new horse. .

Full access in-paddock A little preparation is required for this last stage. You must inspect the paddock. Put several piles hay around your paddock. Then, fill the area up with enrichment devices to ensure that horses can enjoy a variety activities. As much protection as possible, horses should wear paddock boots or polo wraps. If your horses have never worn these items before, don’t try to introduce them during this stage. If your stable configuration allows, start full-access introductions near the area you have been using to increase tactile access.

Pet Adoption Tips