 |
THINK ABOUT THIS: Your
new dog may have been abandoned, abused or surrendered by
a previous family. The dog had to adjust to life at Little
Angels Rescue and is now going home to a new, unfamiliar place
with strangers. Kind of scary if you think about it! Being
gentle, considerate, kind and patient will help ease your
new dog into it's new family. |
|
I'M SCARED: Your dog
might be afraid and unsure of his new surroundings. If he
appears to be scared, keep him in a small, quiet area to start,
and take it slow. Don't allow children to bother the dog if
he is afraid; fear can result in nipping. Instead, give your
dog plenty of time to adjust to his new surroundings, taking
it one step at a time. Don't give up! |
|
EXPECT MISTAKES: Even
a potty trained dog can make mistakes in a new home. He doesn't
know which door to go to or how to ask his new family what
he wants. Keep a very watchful eye on your new friend and
confine him when you can't watch him. |
|
EXPECT BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS:
Your dog had a whole different set of rules in his previous
home. He may have been allowed to sleep in bed or beg at the
table. It's up to you to teach him your rules. Teaching proper
behavior takes time and patience. |
|
HOW LONG WILL ALL THIS TAKE?:
Allow several weeks to adapt to his new surroundings and up
to four months to fully adjust (Adults may take longer than
pups). Adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment. We assume
that you will make a patient and concerted effort to achieve
a successful placement. |
Dispelling the Myths About Shelter Pets
Myth: There are many misconceptions about the quality
of animals found in rescue shelters. The persistent stigma which
shelter pets have been labeled is they are "damaged goods". Despite
countless educational campaigns to educate the public, there still
remain some individuals who believe shelter pets do not excellent
companions, or else their original owners wouldn't have gotten rid
of them.
Animals are brought to shelters for a large variety of reasons,
some of which are...
- Their owners have passed away and no other family member could
care for the pet.
- An irresponsible owner didn't get their pets spayed or neutered
and ended up with unwanted litters.
- The animal's owners were abusive to the animal, so the authorities
have removed the pet from the harmful environment .
- An animal was purchased or adopted by someone who did not take
into consideration all of the responsibilities associated with
caring for a pet. A good example of this would be someone who
adopts a pet in an apartment complex that does not allow animals
and then is subsequently forced to get rid of the pet.
Myth: Animals from abusive homes will never make excellent
pets because they have been mistreated for so long.
Most animals coming from abusive homes will typically
make a full emotional recovery - with proper care and attention.
In fact, many of them are so grateful to be rescued from their previous
situation, they end up being more devoted and loyal than animals
coming from non-abusive homes.
Myth: You never know what you're getting with shelter pets
Although its true that the medical history and temperament
of an animal adopted from a rescue shelter are not always able to
be tracked down, its really no different than an animal you might
get from a pet store, unless you are buying a pedigree.
Myth: All animals in rescue shelters are sickly or unhealthy
Once again, it certainly IS possible that a pet adopted from
a rescue shelter may have medical problems, however the majority
of the animals who are adopted from shelters are perfectly healthy,
and just need a good home. If anything, you're more likely to
get an honest answer about an animal's medical problems from a
shelter volunteer - who is clearly there because they *care* about
the animals - as opposed to a pet store owner or breeder that
is only it in for the money. Moreover, animals in shelters are
typically treated better than animals in pet stores, which typically
have spent their short lives in cramped environments with little
socializing and often, unsanitary conditions.
To illustrate the point a little more clearly, when you go to a
pet store, the animals are kept on display in tiny cages, often
with multiple animals in one cage. When you go to a shelter, you
will usually find much bigger animal pens, where the animals have
some room to move.
|
anxiety. Learn more about this behavior issue and many other dog
behavior by visiting the 
Collect
Purina Weight Circles for Little Angels Rescue!