Adopt a Pet from Your Local Animal Shelter

Just as you shouldn't go to a grocery store hungry, you shouldn't go to an animal shelter desperate to find your dream pet. A rescue pet is the perfect pet, but it should be the perfect pet for your family. Go armed with your shopping list. It sounds cold, but it's the best thing for you, the family and the pet.

Think about it, human relatives come into our lives, and come holiday time, we sit down with people with whom we may have little in common and/or bring chaos into our lives. In short we're sort of stuck with it all because of shared blood. Gotta love 'em.

When you choose a family pet, a new family member, you have the chance to add one who fits into your lifestyle, personality quirks, etc. You don't get that chance with human beings. You also don't get that chance when you put your name on a list to get the next puppy produced by some champion bloodline animal. When you go to a shelter, you get the chance to add a family member who will belong.

I have a laundry list of things I find important for adding a new family pet, which I'll share here, but that list is very individual to your family, and you must develop your own. And there's a HUGE intangible that is as important as any one thing on that list. Every animal I've ended up with has in some way or another chosen me and my family. That sounds simplistic, but it's not. I have that list, but that pet has always come into my life first. Maybe they make lists, too.

As I'm typing this, my last shelter adoption, Arlo, a bassett mix, is nudging my arm, trying to stop me from typing. It's a little game we play. He likes it more than I do. Arlo chose me. I wandered (virtually) the sites of the various shelters for a full year before Arlo found me. There were numerous dogs I could have chosen from, been happy with, but I held out. Then one found me, and I knew he would.

Consider these things:

• Age: Shelters see so many animals who were once cute kittens and puppies. Then they grew up, and the owners didn't find them so cute anymore. No judgment here, but you need to know your personality. If you think you can only bond with a pet you've raised from the start (more or less), that's legitimate.

Young animals need to be potty trained. Do you have the time and stamina? I am on my own and work a full-time job. Arlo was still in the puppy stage when he found me, but close to the end (or so they thought), so I figured I could handle it. My last two shelter dogs have been over a year old. On my list, that's old enough to be past some of the crazy puppy behavior but not too old to adapt to a new household.

• Health: Take the information the shelter officials give you seriously, and consider it just as seriously. Do not let your heart be your guide here. Can you deal with health issues 1)physically, 2)emotionally, 3)monetary and 4)as a family otherwise.

Physically: My brother rescues Mastiffs. He's up to the limit, five, right now. The dogs think absolutely nothing about sitting on your foot or lap, if they can get away with it. Most people can't deal with that physically. My brother has been a power weightlifter, benching 400 at a time. When General, his first Mastiff, fell ill, my brother had to physically carry him. That was 225+ pounds. (General isn't the heaviest.) Don't pick an animal that's beyond our limit.

• Emotionally: I had to have my last pet, a shelter dog, euthanized after we'd been together for more than a decade. He'd had a long illness, and it took quite a toll on me emotionally. Normally I could deal with an illness in a pet, but this time around I knew I couldn't handle it emotionally. You have to know yourself.

Likewise, as my brother rescues pets, he faces the realization that they won't be with him long. He generally loses one pet a year. It's tough on the extended family.

• Money: Don't just think about kibble. Pets need grooming, nail clipping, vet visits. Factor all of that in.
• Misc./Family issues---Do you have an aging parent who visits often? A large pet, unless very gentle, may not fit. You don't want our family members to feel out of place in your home. A larger issue, I think is the other pets you've invited into your home.

When I saw Arlo, even as I was putting him into the back seat of my car, I said to all who would listen: "My home is home to Spike the cat." He was here first, and I won't have any dog come into the home chasing him into hiding. As Arlo was at the end of the puppy stage, rambunctious play ensued, which annoyed Spike. It's all good nature, so I am putting up with it. But had the new addition shown any aggression to the others or if an "alpha" fight ensued, I'd have to think about keeping him. I know that sounds cold, but he's a great dog, and as this topic is meant to prove, the pet has to be great for you. If he's not, he'll be great for someone else.

• Breed of pet: Humans have ethnicities which have certain innate traits, while animals have breeds. Those have certain personalities as well. Generally, you're going to get a mixed breed through a shelter, which may make it more complicated. If you look at families with one dark parent, one light parent, etc., you can see some extreme ranges in children. Pets are the same.

The shelter should have the mixes of an animal listed. Expect a mixed breed. That's a good thing because with purebred animals, a dominate trait can become irksome at least, and deadly at worst. Medical issues can be multiplied.

In my case, Arlo was listed as Bassett hound mix. I came to believe he had Dalmatian in him, as well as a Pointer. Dalmatians have definite traits, as do Bassetts. If the strong traits of each came into that mix, it could have been tough to deal with. Turns out, there's a larger Pointer trait, although the Bassett personality (and look) is dominate.

For me, that's okay. Bassett hounds are notoriously stubborn. So am I. Again, you have to know yourself, your threshold for "behavior." A whiney, princess-type dog wouldn't fit with my personality. I'm not buying a pet an outfit. It just doesn't fit my personality. What is an endearing trait to one is an annoyance to another.

• Size: Since you'll be dealing with mutts for the most part, you can't just count on what is named as the breed to determine the size. Those who live in condos or areas with restrictions on size must be extremely mindful.

Dogs are restricted to 50 pounds in my development. Arlo was younger than what was thought and 38 pounds when I adopted him. Since he was a Bassett, I figured his growing would be downward, so I would have some wiggle room. His visit to the vet a year after his adoption hit me by surprise. He's 84 pounds. Whoops. All of the neighbors love him. He's sliding by, but that's luck on my part. This is an odd case, as I did the research and asked the questions, and I was still taken off guard. You have to do the research---but be adaptable.

• Children: If you have children, make sure the pet can handle being petted and petted and petted. It's not a good thing, but he should be able to take a tug on the tail, an overly-strong hug, etc. Children manhandle. They love too much.
• Older/Elderly Friends and Families: If anyone in the household needs special care, needs to walk a little more slowly, make sure you choose a pet who fits in. You may find a pet who is exceptionally gentle and understanding of those needs. Animals are truly empathetic, and they may have patience with people you, as a human, get short with. That's double bonus, but you need to actively look for those traits. The shelter staff will share information they have and try to steer you to the right pet. They didn't get into the shelter business for the money it pays because often it doesn't pay. They get a thrill out of making life-long relationships between human and animal.
• Lifestyle: If you have a sedentary personality, don't pick a working dog who needs to be exercised with vigor. Likewise, if you have a rough and tumble family life, you may not want the dog who gets underfoot as opposed to joining in on the fun.

You will think of other questions as you ponder your daily life. It's a special time, so the list you make up to choose a family pet should be just as special. There's no right or wrong question. Once size does not fit all.

As an epilogue: An episode of one of those animal cop shows recently had a case of a dog with a 2" collar embedded in his neck. He recovered nicely, but when officials from the animal shelter did a temperament test to see if the dog could safely be placed with a family, he failed miserably. After all of the tireless work of the shelter staff, Atlas had to be euthanized. He had a seriously aggressive trait that wouldn't have been visible had the shelter staff not run him through a series of tests.

It was Atlas' fault. And he's not alone. He'll never be alone because people pick out cute animals who grow up. Please make sure the pet you bring into your home fits or you may just be adding to the problem, even if you have the best intentions.