All About Animals discussion
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If you are going to adopt a pet, what is some things you look for?
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Barbara, Founder and Moderator
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Mar 08, 2013 12:56PM
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I like adopting older animals - the ones that are less likely to be adopted
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Terri, I haven't adopted an older pet except maybe two years old. But, I've been thinking about this also. I think when one of my pets pass away (God forbid) I may end up adopting older pets. I was also thinking I maybe able to help more pets by fostering.
My last cat was 12 and I have had him a year now and he is so loving
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That's wonderful! Alot of people don't want a older animal. You are so loving to do this for them.
I know I probably wont have him as long as a younger oen, but you never know (Lestat lived to be 20) but I make the best of the time I have
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Wow! 20 yrs. is a good while. I'm sure they will bring joy into your life.
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:)
My cat's have all been rescued from "death row" either at a vets or the SPCA. Except one. That was Smog, a little grey cloud who strolled into the kitchen at 6 months of age, said "When's dinner?" and never left. Despite all efforts to find her owner, she was never claimed. In Smog's case I ask your question in reverse. "What do cats look for when adopting a human?"
Our death row cats have always chosen us. They will be competing for our attention against all the cute kittens in the other cages but they always seem to give a clear message, "You're my human." Is it a gesture, a look in the eye, a subconscious telepathic message. I don't know. But they've all been fully mature cats.
Our current cat, the beloved Phoebe, was 4 years old and when we saw her in her cage at the vets, on her final day of her last chance to find a new owner, there was no trace of doubt, not for one second, that we had found our girl. I can hardly imagine living the years since without her, such a glorious enrichment she has given our lives.
I've only ever temporarily kept dogs for owners going away.
My first rescue, the Dutch mix Oreo, was a spur of the moment adoption. I liked her from the moment she snorted at my sister at the shelter and felt we may have some things in common. Then after Oreo died I decided I was ready for two rabbits. It had been a very short time since I lost her and Petsmart was having one of their adoption days, which even when I have no plans on adopting I always stop by to meet the animals. On that day the first animal I met was a Beagle named Shannon. Immediately this dog greeted me in typical doggy fashion which turned out was not normal for this dog. Normally she was more reserved towards strangers. I almost ended up with her that day and if it had just been up to my mom and I, Shannon would have been my dog. But it was not going to happen so we were forced to separate. Going further I saw a black bunny, a Dutch mix called Avery. Moments later I was cuddling with him when my mom looked in the back cages usually containing cats, and saw a Dutch mix that looked almost exactly like Oreo and coincidentally his name was Oreo. I guess in a way I took this as a sign. I wanted two bunnies and that was exactly what they had. The only problem was that the bunnies were strangers to each other. My mom asked if they thought the bunnies could be socialized with each other and the people weren't sure. I decided we could try and my mom let me adopt them. My mom then researched how to socialize bunnies and for the next month this is what we did. Oreo made much progress and once even tried to groom Avery, but Avery refused to be socialized. We ended up returning them to the shelter based on the fact that I wasn't yet experienced with multiple rabbits, especially ones that needed individual time and attention. There was also the problem of the two cages. While it was fine for a short time the way the cages had to be set up and with the space they took up it wasn't a good idea to keep both rabbits. I really liked both and wanted to keep them but I also wanted two rabbits so in the end both went back. While at the shelter I noticed two big breed rabbits, English Spotteds, caged together. I looked closer at them and saw a sign saying they needed someone experienced in socializing rabbits so I didn't adopt them. Before leaving the shelter I checked in the dogs room for Shannon and happily did not see her there. She had recently been adopted.
So now I was without rabbits again but knowing I wanted to adopt two rabbits that must already be a bonded pair I had a starting point. I checked all the local shelters and came up with no bonded pairs. Next I went onto Petfinder.com and found many but most were breeds I knew nothing about, Dutches, and Dutch Mixes. Looking through the available rabbits I found myself highly attracted to the spotted breeds. That's when I made the decision that I wanted a black and white spotted rabbit. Next because I was unfamiliar with the temperaments and care requirements of these breeds I started researching rabbit breeds with spots. I can't remember what breed it was but the first one I came across that I thought I might want, on the American Rabbit Breeders Association website it said that the breed tended to be more nippy than other breeds which I wasn't looking for in a rabbit so I moved on. Next, although not really spotted, I liked the looks of the Himalayan Rabbit, but because it is a breed meant for colder conditions, and having previously lost pets due to heat, I decided this wasn't the right breed either. The next rabbit breed I looked at was the English Spotted. This is a breed I have always wanted and will probably be the next rabbit I will get, my current rabbit cage can't hold two large breeds so I had to pass this one up too. When I began thinking about the size and weight limitations of the cage I now had one more guide in place to lead me to the right breed, it was then that I began looking at the dwarf rabbit breeds. Eventually I came across the mini Rex breed which had all the right requirements for me in size, temperament, and care requirements. This is where I stopped looking, I knew what breed I wanted. Next I went back to Petfinder.com and used the filters to search for mini Rex rabbits, where I found a litter of four bonded and unnamed mini Rex rabbits. Two of these rabbits would become Chibi and Kojikaki.
So basically when I want to adopt a pet I like to know something about the breed and know what I want before if I am getting from a shelter that is further away. If it is a local shelter, while I find it helpful to know something about the animals breeds, most of my choosing is done based on personality and whether or not I have the requirements that the pet needs in order to give it the best life possible. For instance I wouldn't adopt an animal with special requirements unless I knew how to take care of them first.
Just as I know that next time I get a dog I want one that likes to play and go for walks but also has nothing against cuddling. I would really like to train my next dog for agility, not to compete, just for fun. I will need a small or medium sized dog and one that is relatively easy to train, and it will have to have soft fur as the short and rough hairs such as the fur on my uncles German Shorthaired Pointer, makes my hand feel prickly for a while after petting the dog. What I have learned from the requirements I have for my next dog is that it will probably be a Toy or Miniature Poodle. The worst part about discovering my right breed is that I had one and didn't know it. CeJaye could easily have been my perfect dog if things between us had been different.
I don't really look for anything. I love Cats so looking for Cats. I just don't want those animals to be in Cages.
