Saturday, January 25, 2014

How Do You Adopt an Animal?

This post is brought to you in association with the RSPCA. 

Adopting an animal is a really noble and kind act.  It not only gives an animal a second chance at a happy life it also reduces the demand for pets for sale.  Call or click on the website of a UK charity that cares for animals, such as the RSPCA, to search for animals available for adoption in your area.  They will always have animals available for adoption because there are more animals than there are people to care for them and irresponsible or unintentional breeding means that the UK’s cat and dog population is booming.

Photo via Amber Dubya

The vast majority of people in the UK take good care of their pets and other animals.  But there is a significant minority of people who abuse, neglect or abandon their pets.  Wild animals can become injured by people, other animals or traffic and need help becoming rehabilitated to the wild or caring for in the long term if that is not possible.  In the UK, the task of caring for pets and animals that need help is not undertaken by the government because the cost to the taxpayer of doing so would be huge.  Instead, a UK charity like the RSPCA has to take on the challenge – and expense – of giving care and protection to animals. 

A key part of caring for those animals is finding good, permanent homes for them.  Unfortunately not all animals can be adopted, perhaps because of ill health or because they have an unsuitable temperament.  The RSPCA tries very hard to make all of their animals adoptable by giving them proper medical care and behaviour therapy to help them become suitable to be someone’s pets.  Those animals deemed fit for adoption might only be recommended to experienced pet owners, or to households with no other pets or children.

The RSPCA advertises the animals in its shelters as being available for adoption as and when they are capable of being rehomed.  Volunteers and staff working at the animal shelters can advise people as to which particular animals in their care would be a good match for their particular homes.  They therefore need to ask a lot of questions to make sure that they know enough about the prospective adopters, their home and their family to be able to match them to the right pet. 

Sometimes they need to visit a prospective adopter’s home to check things like whether there are very busy roads nearby and what steps have been or can be taken to keep an animal like a dog safely contained in the garden.  The RSPCA might then make a further visit after the animal has been adopted, to check that the animal is settling in well to its new home and to offer any advice needed.

Photo via Sonja McAllister


If you do choose to adopt an animal through a UK charity such as the RSPCA, be prepared to answer all of their questions honestly and to heed any advice they may offer.  Their only intention, when asking these questions, is to find the right pet for you.  They do not want to have pets returned to the shelter if they can possibly avoid it!

13 comments:

  1. The RSPCA does marvellous work and we salute all who give their time and energy into helping all animals in need. Both I and sweet Pip were adopted and we would do so again. Have a super Saturday.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. That is awesome that you were both adopted Molly!

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  2. Mom as adopted mostly through the Humane Society here in the Twin Cities, but she also adopted three cats from the Katzenschutzverein in Germany. That was a place with lots of questions and paperwork and meetings, but we loved those kitties. Sadly, they all passed on. Adoption is wonderful but you need to be ready for the pet you are going to adopt as adoption is for life.

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    1. Glad your mom was able to find some nice feline family members over in Germany. You are right Emma, everyone should be prepared!

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  3. Hey, the more questions the better. My first home abused me and thankfully a follow up home visit discovered that and I was taken back to the shelter.

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    1. Aw that is awful Brian! This has me thinking about all the questions rescue groups ask now. I guess I never put much thought into that part before.

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  4. That is such a good post. And we sure appreciate the many rescues and shelters that carefully screen the people that want to adopt. I think it is getting better and better now, or at least I hope it is. Have a great day.

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  5. I'm always grateful that RSPCA and other organizations are there for animals. And I like that they really try to find the best home for an animal with asking questions and with restrictions and requirements. Thanks for a great post!

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  6. I'm glad they ask a lot of questions! They are questions that need to be asked to make sure the animals and the humans are the right fit for each other.
    Adopting is the way to go for sure!
    ((Husky hugz frum da pack))
    "Love is being owned by a husky"

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  7. I had a story of an abandoned akita , and this is the cruelest thing you can do to an animal , we love this charity places that take care of this poor animals and we support their work.

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  8. They do a fabulous job the RSPCA,I would adopt a pet in a heartbeat but it wouldn't be fair to Speedy and then there is the added cost too,xx Rachel

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    1. I am the same way Rachel. I don't think Shiner would appreciate another dog right now. But I am looking to adopt a rat.

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