Is it time for your family to adopt?
Overburdened shelters are hosting adoption fairs each weekend, with dozens of bright eyed pups and kittens begging to become your newest family member. If your family is considering a new pet, may I offer some suggestions?
First, consider the family schedule ... carefully. Summer is a great time to adopt. With the kids out of school, they can help acclimate the pet to their new surroundings - especially if you choose a puppy, housebreaking can be very time consuming with some breeds.
But what about after the school year starts back? Is your family on the go most afternoons with soccer, ballet, or piano lessons? If so, perhaps a cat would be better suited for your family.
Second, and along the same lines - what is the activity level of your family? Are you the outdoors types, with a lot of camping, or hiking? If so, then a dog would fit right in. Perhaps your family is more of the home body type - more comfortable at home curled up with a good book. I can tell you from experience, kittens curl real well with books!
Last, and certainly not least ... make adoption day a family affair. Spend a lot of time with the hopefuls. See if one naturally gravitates to your family, but don't discount the shy ones. Ask questions. Does the shelter know what breed or mixture of breeds the pup is? Although they won't be able to guarantee how much the pup will grow, there are ways to guestimate. Thankfully, future size is not an issue with cats.
But, I leave you with this warning ... don't settle. If you don't find the right match the first time, plan another outing soon. The only thing worse than going home empty handed is going home with a pet that is not going to fit in with the family.
Adopting a pet will be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. Both of my cats, whom I lovingly refer to as my girls, are rescues. But, the real question is ... exactly who rescued whom?
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