You might feel that you’re ready for adopting a dog from one of the shelters. While you might have this readiness in your heart, there are some important things worth considering. Of course, you may have to convince everyone in the family that you’re ready to take on this responsibility.
You might’ve also researched enough on the shelters closest to you. However, bringing an additional member into the household is a big commitment. So you need to consider these things while going ahead with the adoption:
1. Take your time to make the final decision
Most of the individuals who come across those adorable puppies in need of homes are tempted to adopt one. What they probably don’t know that this is something serious and needs a careful thought. You must, therefore, take your time and arrive at a final decision. This would involve answering a few questions about your lifestyle and the place where you live.
For example, you might be living in a simple apartment and your family travels a lot. You need to think which dog breed would be comfortable living within a small space. Since the family travels frequently, you also need to know who would look after your dog in your absence.
2. Make sure you’ve got the necessary finances
There’s no denying that dogs need a lot of care and this can add to your expenses. You’ll need to set aside a certain amount to pay for the visits to the vet. Sometimes, you might have to deal with medical emergencies associated with your dog. Besides, you’ll have to provide it with bedding, high-quality dog food, and other items. You’ll need to ensure that you’ve got the ability to pay for all these expenses.
3. Spaying or neutering your dog is important
According to the estimates, the animal shelters receive nearly 6 to 8 million animals every year. This happens in the United States alone. Almost half of them are put to death because of lack of good homes for all of them. Now imagine how you’ll feel if this was to happen to our fellow human beings.
So, it’s absolutely necessary to stop such things. The only way out is to make sure that the unwanted puppies are not born. You’re already preventing a dog from being put to death by adopting it from a shelter. Another extremely important thing to do is to spay or neuter your dog.
4. Microchipping and dog tags
If you can’t find your way back home, you can call someone for help. Dogs are not capable of such things. Despite giving a lot of attention and care to your dog, accidents happen. You never know when your dog will run away or get lost. So, it’s important to get a collar with proper tagging for your dog. It must have your dog’s name and at least two contact numbers.
One must be your number and the second can be of any other member of your family. Microchipping is a simple procedure and you can get it done from the vet. It is an excellent way to ensure that your dog gets back home safely. If you’re moving, make sure that you update the tags or give your new information to the microchip company.