Many of you know that I advocate for pet adoption and rescue in Cleveland, Ohio. I was exposed to pet rescue as a child. When I was in middle school, my mom would take in stray dogs and cats that had been dumped on her rural Arkansas property. But when I adopted my first dog in Cleveland in 2008 I really learned about the rescue world. Since then, I’ve adopted, fostered, worked for, and volunteered with a number of animal rescue groups in the Cleveland area. As a result, I have some insights about what to consider before adding a furry, scaly, or feathered friend to your family.

(These three dogs above were all recent foster dogs of mine.)

1. Make sure the whole family is on board for the adoption

The first step in adopting a new pet is to make sure the entire family is on board. This includes having conversations about the time and money commitment involved in welcoming an animal. You should also discuss how you will train your new pet. Additionally, figure out the energy level, behaviors, and temperament that will work best for your family.

I have helped with adoptions through a few different groups and one of the sure-fire ways to guarantee a pet will be returned is if someone in the family is not prepared for the commitment. Welcoming in a new pet, especially through adoption, is not easy. Most of the animals that come through shelters and rescues have unknown or incomplete histories. This means that even though a rescue may tell you all they know about that animal, it’s impossible to know everything. And whether you adopt or purchase an animal, you will have significant financial and time commitments to consider.

2. Ensure you are financially ready to commit to adopting an animal

Pets are expensive. From food to supplies to training to healthcare, you will have to make a significant financial commitment when you adopt an animal. Although an adoption fee may be low, consider all of the additional costs you’ll need to undergo almost immediately. For small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, this includes a proper enclosure, food, hay, and enrichment items. If you are adopting a cat, it would also include a litter box, litter, and vet visits. For dogs, most will need some type of training, a leash and collar, and grooming services. This is not to say you need to be wealthy to adopt a pet. In fact, some of my favorite and most devoted adopters didn’t have a lot of extra income. But it is still something to consider before adding to your family.

3. Realize that when you adopt, you are committing to caring for an animal for their entire lifespan

Depending on the type and age of the animal you adopt, this could be a relatively short commitment. This is the case for many fish and rodents. Or they could live several decades, as happens with some birds and reptiles. Make sure you are ready to make that type of commitment before moving forward with an adoption. You might also want to make sure that there is someone in your life who can take care of your new pet should anything happen to you. When I worked at a local rescue, the vast majority of people surrendered pets due to their caregiver being unable to care for them any longer and having no one in their life who could take over those duties.

4. Research the rescue groups in your area

Starting with a general website such as Pet Finder is a great way to see adoptable animals in your area. Once on that site, though, I encourage you to look up the specific rescue or shelter’s website. Look for things like whether their animals have been in foster homes or in cages at a shelter. See what their return policy is if an animal that you adopt doesn’t work out in your house. Look for the types of trainers and vet services they recommend and make sure their values align with yours. Read Google reviews about the organization.

Although many groups do their best to help animals, not all groups are created equal. For example, if you are new to pet guardianship or have a very specific home situation (for example, children, additional pets, individuals with disabilities, you do a lot of traveling, etc.), I generally recommend that you focus on animals that have been in a foster home. Especially with dogs, rescues tend to know more about dogs who have been living in foster homes. They know their quirks and the types of home situations they would be best suited for. You can certainly get a great animal straight from a shelter environment (which is how three of my four current animals came to me), but getting a pet from a foster home just means you have a bit more knowledge about them.

5. Lower your expectations

Whether you choose to adopt or purchase a new pet, you can never be guaranteed about what you are going to get. Because animals are products of both their genetics and their environment, there are a variety of personalities, behaviors, and medical issues you may encounter. We all anticipate what our life is going to look like with a new pet, but if you lower your expectations just a touch, you are less likely to be disappointed if those expectations are not met.

For example, I often talk about my “heart dog” Lance (you can read more about him here). And when I speak about him I often talk about just how difficult it was to live with him. The first two weeks I had many discussions with my then spouse about returning him. He had severe separation anxiety and tore up most things in our house. He was also aggressive towards my spouse and was difficult to restrain. Lastly, he got away from us multiple times in those first two weeks. Compared to our first dog, he was a complete nightmare. However, we stuck it out. We did many training classes with him. We figured out how to make him feel safe in various scenarios. And we spent entirely too much money on a behaviorist. However, he ended up becoming my favorite pet. He’s the one I think about first when I think about all of the animals that have come through my life. Lowering my expectations about how I wanted him to be meant that I was able to see how he was. And I embraced him fully, warts and all. Luckily he did the same for me.

Conclusion

Hopefully this post at least got you started thinking about pet adoption and how to prepare for welcoming a new family member. I have had many adoptable pets come through my doors and have loved getting to know each of them as individuals. Thankfully, most found amazing and loving homes to spend their lives in and some I keep in touch with to this day. If you think you’re ready to adopt, I encourage you to take a look at rescues in your area. You may even find one that will allow you to foster before you adopt, which is also helpful if you’re on the fence about adopting. And if you are not ready to adopt just yet or not in a place to adopt, please consider supporting your local shelter or rescue groups. Volunteering, fostering, and fundraising are always needed. They can use a ton of help these days!

Did you recently adopt a new pet? Feel free to tell me all about them in the comments below! And if you’re ready to grab some new photos of them, please contact me to discuss doing a session.