Our Pet Community
OPC
{ Dog Adoption }
Every year animal shelters are filled with thousands of unwanted dogs of all ages, shapes and sizes, all desperately in need of ‘forever’ homes. Maybe you can’t rescue every single dog but if you can save just one you will be helping to make a difference — both to that dog’s future and your own life. If you’re going to make the right sort of difference, you need to make your choice wisely and carefully and often this can be the toughest part of taking on a rescue dog. Especially at shelters where you can walk around and view the residents, it is hard to resist the sad eyes and hard luck stories and all too easy to let your heart rule your common sense.
Giving a home to a rescue dog is not a decision to be taken lightly. Yes, it can be immensely satisfying and rewarding but it’s important to remember that with at least one previous home behind them these dogs are likely to be suffering from some degree of emotional upheaval and disorientation at the very least.This may cause them to exhibit various behavioural problems initially, while with others, ‘problem’ behaviour may have been the very reason why they found their way into rescue in the first place.
Just as you may have a rough idea of what sort of dog you are looking for, so you’ll find that most shelters also have a few thoughts of their own as to what makes a suitable owner!As well as having an understanding of the responsibilities involved in caring for a dog, you’ll be expected to meet certain criteria. They may refuse to re-home dogs outside of a certain catchment area for example — understandably, as this can cause difficulties in organizing home visits. They may also insist that dogs are not re-homed to anyone under the age of 18, or on income support or social security, with children under a specified age, or if the dog is going to be left alone for more than a certain number of hours — usually four but this can be less.