There are are so many rescued or abandoned pets that need good homes. Even if you are looking for a specific breed or temperament, adopting a pet is a great way to ease the burden on local shelters. This is a guide about adopting a rescued pet.
2 of our 3 Boston Terriers are rescue dogs (1 from Freecycle, 1 from a shelter). The one on Freecycle was on a short leash and left in a plastic barrel outside. They are the most amazing animals.
Our 3rd Boston Terrier came from a female Boston Terrier, who died during birth. It was up to me to raise 5 orphaned dogs. 2 died pretty quickly; 3 survived for 12 weeks, and then 2 of those died. We had the remaining one, and he is still here after 3 plus years. I bottle fed those babies every 2 hours, so of course my middle Boston Terrier is my special angel baby.
A year ago we adopted an older dog via a humane shelter about 60 miles away. They said he was about 6 - 7 years old, but he is more like a 10-11 year old. He has adapted to our family just fine. I will miss him when he passes on, but I know in my heart he was happy with his final forever home.
A few weeks ago we rescued another Boston Terrier from Freecycle, and my mother has him. He is an absolute delight. So anyone thinking about buying an animal from a pet store or anything like that, look to rescue dogs. You will have unconditional love, and one of the best pets you could ever have!
I have a sign in my kitchen that says "Dogs are like potato chips, you can't have just one". So true, kind of like kids. One more just makes things more interesting!
By LMay from South TX
While I have adopted great dogs from the animal shelter, many are released to the pound because they have severe behavior problems and are completely untrained. This is fine if you have time to work with a dog with behavior problems, but I have three young children and cats, so I was wary of adopting an "unknown" that might not be safe with the kids.
What I did was adopt a dog from a "foster" family through a Pet Adoption Outreach Organization - Oregon Friends of Shelter Animals. They work with the humane society to take animals that might not do well there. We selected a dog whose elderly owner had suddenly needed to move into a nursing home and couldn't take his dog with him. The rescue organization arranged for us to meet with Mason in his foster home, and I was able to talk to his foster parents about how he did in real life - his habits, how he did with children and other animals, and even little details like what treats he likes and how well he walks on a leash. They even warned us that he can open doors. Mason was only there for a few weeks, but they had a hard time letting him go. He is a lovable guy!
Mason did have some separation anxiety issues when he came to live with us - being rehomed twice was traumatic!, but his foster family helped support us and even brought us a blanket he'd used and his favorite toy to ease his transition. We still meet sometimes for a visit at the dog park. Mason has been an excellent fit with our family, and we couldn't be happier. If you have kids in the house, consider adopting through an organization that fosters. We found ours through www.PetFinder.com
I also strongly recommend that anyone adopting a dog immediately sign up for obedience training classes. Even though Mason didn't have any major obedience problems, working together was a good bonding experience for us, plus a trained dog is a happier dog and much more pleasant to be with :)
By Stephanie from Hillsboro, OR
When bringing a rescued pet into your home be very aware of the subtle and sometimes not so subtle hints they give you. Our rescued Golden, Maggie was very fearful of loud noises, such as, thunder, firecrackers, shotguns, pans falling out of the cabinet, etc. She needed a safe place (under the bed) and time to adjust after each episode. We don't know what circumstances created her fears, but we loved her through them. She is now almost 8 years old (we got her when she was 14 months) and she can now tolerate mild storms and shotgun blasts in the woods near our home. She rarely gets under the bed anymore. Patience!
By Diana from Prospect, KY
We have adopted three rescued dogs in the last 15 years. The first one taught us a lot. She had been abused and was afraid of everything. She needed lots of patience and tender, loving care.
When anyone came to our door, which was fairly often as we had a business in our home, she would insist on the visitor petting her. However, as they bent down to pet her head, she would squat and pee. We learned this is called "submissive urination". So, we would ask our visitors to please pet her but not lean over. That worked well. Eventually, she stopped the urination.
She also did not respond well to the word, "No", in any tone or volume. She also outgrew this behavior. It took her a little bit to learn how to play with our other dog. At first she was aggressive and possessive of any toy, but our other dog taught her how to play. We have had her now for 12 years, and she is extremely loving and loyal and obedient.
By KatherineC from Reno, NV
Adopting a pet from an animal shelter or rescue group isn't as easy as going into the food store and picking out a new flavor of ice cream. Things are a little more complicated than that!
The first step is to make a visit to your shelter of choice. Plan on going just to look. Many shelters will not let you take an animal home the same day. There is often a waiting period while the staff checks vet references and even conducts a home visit to see if you have the appropriate space for a pet.
If there is a particular animal you like, you can have a little one-on-one time with them. For dogs, you'll often go outside to a play yard; for cats, you will probably get to meet them in a private room. Keep in mind that you are BOTH nervous. The dog or cat will be very excited to have the chance to stretch their legs a little, and may ignore you completely at first. They also may leap into your lap and slobber all over your face. I've had both initial reactions from dogs who eventually became members of the family.
If, after you meet the dog or cat, you decide that you would like to add them to the family, you have to fill out an application. Name, address, phone number -- all the basics. You may also be asked for a veterinarian reference, or even personal references! The questionnaire may ask about your daily routine -- who is home when, what hours would the animal be alone, when will it eat, where will it sleep.
When my family adopted our first dog, we waited three days after putting in the application. We were on pins and needles, waiting for a call. Finally, we called the shelter to check on the status of our application. Because it had been so long since we had owned a dog (almost fifteen years!), we had no vet references. The shelter was planning to turn us down, but changed their minds when our hopeful phone call showed them how dedicated we were to giving this dog a good home. My little fur sister came home to us the next day, and has been queen of the house for the last nine years!
Most shelters do ask for an adoption fee. Most shelters will require that you get your new pet spayed or neutered (if they aren't already fixed). And most shelters are overjoyed to see another resident have a second chance at a good home.
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