The Ultimate Guide To Pet Adoption: The Adoption Process 2023

The biggest reason why a lot of people all over the country are hesitant to adopt a pet from rescue groups and animal shelters is not having a general overview of the adoption process. A lot of dogs, cats and other pets take a long time to find loving homes because of this setback!

• ALSO :👉Read the ultimate guide to pet adoption: 13 blog post articles to help you make the right choice with pet adoption 🐶🐱

This blog post is another entry in The Ultimate Guide To Pet Adoption series series we've put together to set the record straight once and for all. Make sure you read on to find out what the process really is when you decide to adopt (and not purchase) a pet.

Understanding the Pet Adoption Process Better

A person looking to adopt dogs or cats from local shelters and rescue groups has to go through a process. You can think of it as a prerequisite when you save a puppy, kitten or some other pet to be your new best friend. This is true even for on-site adoption events organized by ASPCA, Petco Love and PetSmart Charities.

Regardless of the location, adopting a pet from an animal shelter or a rescue usually consists of four (4) main steps:

• Filling up the adoption questionnaire

• Having an interview with a shelter or rescue representative

• Attending the meet and greet

• Finalizing the adoption

Some organizations like Petco Love may have an additional step or two such as a background check or a two-week home visit. The number and order of steps can also vary.

• ON THE SAME TOPIC:👉Pet Adoption- What If You Can't Take Them With You?
  
  

Filling Out a Questionnaire for Adoptable Pets

It's not uncommon to fill out a questionnaire when it comes to pet adoptions. Don't let this dampen your search for kittens or puppies to call your new best friend. Local shelters and rescues in your city or location will most likely ask this. It's the first step in ascertaining that you're eligible to adopt a pet.

Providing details like your name, age and address is an on-site requisite when you adopt a pet. It allows shelters and rescue groups like Petco Love and ASPCA to do a background check. Bringing at least two valid IDs is recommended.

Remember that the details you provide can have an impact on an adopted puppy or kitten, like giving them access to the right place to stay or food staples.

Acing the Interview for Pet Adoptions

The search for adoptable pets involves going through an on-site interview. It's okay to feel jittery during this phase. Think of it as a sign that you're committed to save an animal and make him a new member of your family!

The adoption counselor will determine the type, breed or sex of pet that suits you. It has a "meet and greet" portion so you can freely interact with the animals. Most pet adoption interviews usually revolve around questions that help you match with the ideal furry friend. So relax! Your search for the right pet is not going to be intimidating like some people claim.

The Meet And Greet (a Highlight of Adoption Events)

The following are the crucial points to keep in mind during a meet and greet with a potential new furry best friend prior to adoption:

• Feel free to ask a lot of questions (respectfully, of course!) and take down notes while at it

• Relax! The main goal here is to make a connection with the dogs, cats and other pets like rabbits that you're looking to adopt.

• Ask a volunteer or staff to introduce you to the pets and not the other way around. Remember that some dogs and cats may take a bit of time to warm up to you.

• The search for the best pet is not something that happens instantly. It's alright if you're not fully connecting with the dogs and cats during the meet and greet.

The Background Check

You won’t let your kid just hop in a car with a stranger, right? The same thing applies to shelters and rescues when you adopt a pet. Some facilities may also ask for character references in your community.

The Home Visit and Ocular Inspection

A number of facilities in your city, such as those affiliated with ASPCA and Petco, require an ocular inspection/home visit to validate the details you provided in your questionnaire. This step is connected with the background check to validate if you can indeed give the dog or cat you’re interested in a good home.

Remember that you're doing more than just making room in your home when you adopt a pet. Adopting a new furry friend is about saving a life—while also giving dogs, cats and other types of pets the quality of life they truly deserve.

Finalizing Your Search for a New Pet

So you’ve gone through all the steps in your search for the ideal cat or dog. The only thing that’s left is to finalize the adoption so he'll already be an official part of your family. This will involve some paperwork and fees to take care of.

As per most Petco and ASPCA-affiliated pet adoption facilities in your city, the fees may net between $20 to $500. This depends on the kind of animal you're going to adopt, the breed, age, history, etc. Some types of pets like horses may have higher fees compared to others.

Adopting a cat or dog is a gift in itself. Most pets and animals from rescues and shelters come with a clean bill of health. They are up to date with their shots, health checks, microchip-tagged and are already spayed/neutered.

So how do we seal the adoption process for adoptable animals? Simply pay the fees, sign everything which needs to be signed, and set a date to pick up the animal. And that ends your search for the ideal adopted pet!

Being a good pet parent starts with going through the adoption process right. We hope that this installment of The Ultimate Guide To Pet Adoption has been helpful to you. We hope to see you around when we share the next part of the series!