Bringing home a new pet from the shelter is a great way to find a new companion while saving the life of a homeless pet! Just like bringing home a new puppy or kitten, bringing home a shelter pet can have an adjustment period. Here are some things that can be done to ease the transition from shelter pet to best friend.

Prepare Your House for a New Pet

Just like with a new puppy or kitten, you’ll want to prepare your house for your new pet. This includes buying the supplies necessary for the type of pet you are bringing home, as well as developing a plan to ease the transition. A new cat may need a few days to hide in a bedroom or out of sight to de-stress and relax, while a new dog may need to be potty trained or at least reminded of the new routine in the home. Be sure to have a safe place your new pet can go, especially if you will be introducing other already owned pets in the household. If you do have other pets, consider bringing them into the shelter to meet the pet you are interested in and see if they get along before you bring them home.

Find Out About Your Pet’s History

While many shelter pets are strays with no history, many are also brought to the shelter with full medical history and backgrounds. Often times these pets may have minor behavioral issues, or their previous owner may not have been able to keep them. Be sure to ask your shelter if the pet you are interested in has a history and to look at it. This can alert you to issues in training you may want to address right away and to see if there are any health issues that may be concerning in the future. While this shouldn’t deter you from adopting if you are interested in a particular pet, it will help you understand and bond easier.

If the pet you are interested in doesn’t have a history, your shelter should still have records of vaccinations and any procedures done while they lived at the shelter. Be sure to get copies of these to bring to your vet so they can continue any care or vaccines as needed.

Make the Transition Smooth

Making the transition as smooth as possible will help make things easier for your new pet. Ask if you can bring home a sample of the food they are currently on so you can gradually change to a new food if needed, or continue with what works for them. If they had a favorite toy or blanket, the shelter may also send you home with it so that they feel more comfortable. Be sure to offer plenty of love and pets, but also provide a place where your new pet can get away from home activity and stressors. You and your new pet will soon create a unique bond that will last a lifetime!

With Love,

Mr. Bentley & Ms. Bella

About our Writers

Pet Wish Pros is proud to have Bentley and Bella contributing to our pet health blog. For many years, Bentley has been passionate about improving and learning from the lives and experiences of homeless pets in the greater Atlanta area. Bella is usually busy discovering new pet health products and medications. In her free time, Bella enjoys working on her horse farm. Both Bentley and Bella are devoted to animal health & their experience allows them to keep you informed while saving YOU money! 

Follow Bentley and Bella’s weekly blog updates and stay current with the latest trends in pet health. Please send your questions to  help@petwishpros.com.