Choosing A New Pet From A Rescue Centre: The Key Questions To Ask
Every year millions of pets are brought into rescue centres across the world, the collective RSPCA’s branches had rehomed 26,945 animals in 2021 alone. If you are looking for a pet, instead of buying a new dog, you could rescue one. This could give a good animal a second chance at a happy life and give you a new best friend.
Adopting a new pet from a rescue centre can be different to picking up a puppy or a kitten from a breeder. It’s important you prepare properly and that you know what to expect when bringing home your new furry friend. We’ve listed some key questions that you might want to ask the rescue centre before adopting a pet.
Ask About Their Health
It’s often something that most of us won’t consider straight off the bat, like humans, animals are also prone to a range of different health issues and medical conditions. One-off illnesses that are quickly recovered from may not be something to worry about, but certain breeds dogs could have long-term conditions that need to be regularly managed and treated. As an example, German Shepherds are notoriously susceptible to hip problems which can lead to an expensive hip surgery, pugs and French bulldogs have so many health issues that some countries are considering banning the breeding of these dogs altogether.
When a new animal comes into a rescue centre, they will undergo a full medical examination to assess their health and identify any potential issues they may have. Before adopting a new pet, it is essential that you ask about their medical history and whether they have any sort of ongoing issues or health concern. Ask about any incidents in their past as well, such as broken bones or joint issues, as these can often recur later in life and will need you to be vigilant.
Vet bills can be extremely expensive. The last thing you want is to bring your new friend home only to discover they have a long-term health condition that will be incredibly pricey to manage. In some cases, a history of health conditions, mean you might not even be able to get insurance for your new friend. It’s worth looking carefully at the dog you are after, and getting pet insurance as soon as your new friend comes into the house, this will help can help protect you against overwhelming vet bills should anything eventually go wrong. If you don’t know what kind of policy terms you should be looking for, a good example could be found on Petgevity. Have a look at different insurers so you can get an idea of the kind of protection you should be looking for.
Ask About Their History
Animals in rescue centres come from all walks of life and their previous experiences will differ enormously. Some may have lived in a happy home before their owner passed away, while others may have suffered abuse. It’s absolutely vital you ask about the history of an animal before deciding to adopt them, this can give you an idea of the kind of care they’ll need and how they might react to certain situations.
Ask how long the animal has been in the rescue centre and whether or not they have been rehomed before. This can give you an indication of any particular behavioural issues the animal may have.
Ask About Their Behaviour And Personality
The staff at the rescue centre will spend lots of time with the animals, and as a result will begin to learn about each animals’ unique personality, temperament, and behavioural characteristics.
Always ask the staff about an animal’s personality, this way you can find out what they like and don’t like and whether there is anything they are fearful of. Additionally, you can find out important things about their training such as whether they are house trained or if they bark/cry a lot. This can give you an idea of what to expect when you bring your new pet home and whether you will need to do any training yourself.
Conclusion
Many rescue centres are at breaking point, adopting a pet can both give an animal a new life and reduce the pressure being felt by these organisations. However, you need to make sure you are making the right decision. Use this guide to learn what to ask before adopting a new pet.
