There’s no doubt that adopting your pet is the right thing to do. There are countless dogs in shelters around the world in need of a home. There is no need to get a puppy from a breeder in order to raise it right getting your dog at an early age is no guarantee of how he will turn out. Getting a puppy from a breeder does not guarantee a better pet – in fact, many of the mixed-bred or even pure bred puppies or does you may find at a shelter could turn out to be an even better fit for you.
No two shelters are alike. Selecting the wrong shelter and ending up with a bad match for your needs inadvertently, can end up causing unneeded distress for the owner down the road. The following advice will allow you to find the highest quality dogs that will ultimately leave you the happiest in the long run.
Prior to visiting a shelter:
Visit Animal Shelter Review, at www.animalshelterreview.com. This site contains a directory of animal shelters, organized by State, so you can easily find the shelter nearest you.
RED FLAG: Too much of anything can be a potential problem. If you notice that a given shelter’s website rates all of their dogs the same type of way (friendly, mild-tempered, etc), this is a RED FLAG. This means the shelter either is holding back information or has failed to get to know their dogs properly – both reasons for avoiding that shelter.
Shelters with Poor or No Return Policies:
A good shelter will always allow an owner to return the dog, not just for a short period of time such as 30 days. They should be willing to take back the dog at any point, for whatever reason. Contact shelters and ask about their policy.
Shelters that do not allow you to Visit with a desired adoptee outside the Kennel:
Inquire about the adoption process. Avoid the shelter if they do not allow you to visit with your prospective dog outside the shelter.
