shelter pets – Dr. Ruth MacPete

Why Becoming a Foster Pet Parent is Good for…

June 4, 2019
by ruthmacpete

Have you ever thought about becoming a foster pet parent? Foster pet parents play an important role helping a shelter’s most vulnerable animals, yet most people know little about the positive impact foster pet parents make. Like their “human” counterparts, foster pet parents provide temporary care and housing. The animals they foster come from shelters or rescue groups and consist of the very young, sick, or injured. Given the large number of animals in a shelter and the shelter’s limited resources, shelters are often unable to care for animals that require additional attention, such as young animals that need frequent feedings, or the sick and injured that need additional medical care. As a result, shelters and rescue groups depend upon foster pet parents to care for these animals until they are old enough or healthy enough to be adopted, providing a vital bridge to their adoptive families.

Being a foster pet parent helps animals in many ways besides giving needed care and shelter. For example, with kittens and puppies, the foster home environment is better suited for young animals with immature immune systems than the crowded and stressful setting of a shelter. In addition, being in a home environment and getting the love and attention of their foster families prepares them for their future homes and helps socialize them. The same is true for injured and ill animals. The extra love and care from their foster families helps promotes a speedy recovery. As you can see, besides providing a needed lifeline for shelter animals, fostering prepares animals for their future families by exposing them to a loving setting.

If that wasn’t enough of a reason to be a foster pet parent, here is another, especially for parents: the benefits of fostering animals are reciprocal! Having fostered kittens, puppies, dogs, cats, and even ground squirrels, I have witnessed the positive impact of fostering on my family. My children have seen how our love and care helped these animals grow and get healthy for their adoptive families. Fostering has taught them to be gentle and to develop a respect for life. It also showed them the importance of hard work and dedication. There is a great sense of gratification knowing that your efforts saved a life and helped a deserving animal find its family.

For people who are interested in becoming pet parents but who have never had a pet before, being a foster parent is a great way to try out being a pet parent. If you aren’t sure if you and your family are ready to take on a pet for life, fostering may be the answer. You can have a pet in your home for a few weeks to months and determine if your family is ready to make a long-term commitment. It also allows you to determine if a particular pet is a good fit for your family or not. While you might be interested in a puppy, after fostering you may decide an older more settled dog may be better for your home or you may decide you want a cat instead of a dog. After all, becoming a pet parent is a major commitment and you want to be as sure as possible that you are making the right choice.

There is of course one other benefit of fostering shelter animals. As was the case with one of my many foster cats, opening your home and heart to a foster animal can sometimes lead to the addition of a new member to your family. It’s an unintended consequence, but under the right circumstances, fostering the right animal at the right time will serendipitously lead to the realization that your foster animal is a perfect addition to your family.

Foster pet parents play a vital role helping shelter animals that need extra care and attention to become adoptable. Being a foster pet parent is great for the animal, you, and your family. If you are interested in becoming a foster pet parent, contact your local shelters and local animal rescue groups. They will tell you what you need to do to become a foster parent and help you get started.

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The top 5 reasons to adopt from a shelter

February 16, 2019
by ruthmacpete

Are you thinking about adding a new pet to your household? Be sure to check out your local animal shelters and rescue groups. Unfortunately, many people go to pet stores or breeders and overlook shelters and rescue groups. Not everyone realizes that shelters and rescue groups are a great place to find a pet. Here are my top 5 reasons to adopt from a shelter or rescue group.

Be part of the solution

Our country has a serious pet overpopulation problem. According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), 6 to 8 million animals end up in shelters in the United States every year. Unfortunately, not all animals that enter shelters find a home. It is estimated that 2.7 million healthy shelter pets are not adopted and 3-4 million animals are still being euthanized each year. Sadly, HSUS’s website reports that only about 30% of pets in homes come from shelters or rescues. This means that there is room for more people to adopt from shelters and help with our country’s pet overpopulation problem. Shelters and rescue groups are full of deserving animals in need of a loving home. Give these animals a chance and be part of the solution by looking for your next pet at a shelter or rescue group. You may be surprised to find the perfect pet waiting for you at your local shelter or rescue group.

Outstanding selection

Have you ever been to a pet store with over one hundred animals? I didn’t think so. While the number of animals in shelters reflects the seriousness of our pet overpopulation problem, it also means you’re more likely to find the perfect pet. Shelters have animals of all types, breeds, ages and sexes. They have mixed-breeds of every shape, size, coat, and personality. Shelters also have purebred cats and dogs, from Abyssinians to Yorkies (there are no breeds that start with Z), and everything in between. With so many animals to choose from, you can find the perfect cat to cuddle, or your ideal canine jogging buddy.

Great value

Did you know that by adopting your new pet from a shelter or rescue group, you could save a lot of money? While this shouldn’t be your primary motivation, it’s like getting reward miles for doing a good deed. The adoption fee for dogs and cats at shelters is considerably less than most pet stores or breeders. Some shelters even offer reduced adoption rates for “senior” dogs and cats, and some occasionally offer a two-for-one deal. Meaning you can adopt two cats for the price of one at certain times of year (usually during the summer when shelters are full of cats and kittens).

Extras

As if the low adoption fees weren’t enticing enough, most shelter pets are already spayed or neutered, saving you the cost of those surgeries. In addition, many shelters animals have their initial vaccinations, are dewormed, and are microchipped. Many shelters also test cats for FeLV, and depending on the area, some test dogs for heartworm disease. Many shelters also give new adoptive pet parents a voucher for a free veterinary examination at a local participating veterinary clinic, and some even offer a free training class.

Friend for life

As a shelter vet, I see many wonderful animals in need of a home. I have been fortunate to find homes for some of these animals with friends, acquaintances, neighbors, my husband’s coworkers, or anyone willing to hear my pitch, and even my own home (my dog and two of my three cats came from a shelter). The beautiful thing about adopting an animal from a shelter is that it’s mutually beneficial: you are giving a deserving animal a loving home, and in exchange, you are getting a lifelong companion and friend.

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How to find a lost pet

July 5, 2018March 3, 2019
by ruthmacpete

Losing a pet is every pet parent’s worst nightmare, but there are steps you can take pre-emptively and things you can do if your pet gets lost to increase the odds that you’ll get your pet back.

To improve your chances of a successful reunion, your pet should always wear a collar with identification tags. Better yet, microchip your pet. Though collars and identification tags are important, they can break or fall off. Microchips are permanently implanted under your pet’s skin and store identifying information linked to a database to help reunite you with your pet. Just make sure you keep your contact information up to date. In my opinion, every animal should wear a collar with ID tags and have a microchip, and this holds true for indoor-only cats as well. All it takes is an open door or window for an indoor-only cat to get out and become lost. Why risk losing your beloved pet? Take advantage of this technology and microchip your pet today!

Unfortunately, even with the best precautions, pets can get lost. A door or window can accidentally get left open; animals can slip outside when people are coming and going; dogs can jump, climb over, or dig under a fence in an attempt to get out of the yard. The fact is, accidents happen and animals become lost everyday. In the event that your pet gets lost, here are some tips that can help reunite you with your lost pet:

1. Immediately make a flyer with your pet’s picture, a description of your pet, and your contact information. Plaster these signs everywhere, especially where your pet was last seen, at local pet supply stores, and dog parks.

2. Go to the local animal shelters to look for your lost pet. Even shelters that list their animals online may need a few hours to a few days to update their website with new animals. When you go to the shelter, ask the staff if they have any animals in the back that you may have missed and be sure bring flyers to leave with the shelter staff. Sometimes sick or injured animals are off public view when being treated in the shelter’s medical center or at a local emergency clinics.

3. Good Samaritans often bring injured animals directly to local veterinary hospitals or emergency clinics. Make sure you go to local veterinary hospitals and emergency clinics to look for your pet and bring flyers.

4. Finally, post an ad in the lost pet section of your local newspaper and write about your lost pet on Craigslist, NextDoor and all your social media accounts. And of course, check the listings for found pets in local publications and online (Craigslist and Nextdoor).

Losing your pet can be a harrowing experience. Taking these pre-emptive measures and knowing what to do if your pet is lost is your best chance for a speedy and safe return of your lost furry loved one.

Tag: shelter pets

Why Becoming a Foster Pet Parent is Good for…

The top 5 reasons to adopt from a shelter

How to find a lost pet