Necessary
Pre-adoption
Conversations
“'It’s so great that so many people are thinking about this time being perfect for adoption but you have to look down the road a little bit,' said Michelle Kreell, who fosters animals for Brown Dog Coalition.” (Boston 25 News)
It may seem like the perfect time to adopt because of the extended quarantine, warmer weather , remote dog training accessibility, and so many online resources for pet parents. This pandemic also serves as a reminder that things can change quickly and to have the difficult, but very necessary, conversations about …
What will happen to your dog or cat if you or someone in your household gets sick?
Now is the time to create a detailed plan with someone outside of your household who can commit to be your animal’s temporary caretaker—like a friend, another local family member, or a neighbor.
How will you afford your dog or cat, particularly emergency veterinary care, if your household loses an income, or the economy effects your finances?
Accounting for the annual cost of care for a dog or cat in your budget, investing in a pet insurance policy, or setting up an emergency savings account for your pet can help alleviate some of that potential stress.
How will your dog fit into your life when work/school/social schedules pick back up again?
This is especially important! Be sure to consider how a dog’s daily needs—exercise, socialization, enrichment, etc. will realistically fit into your schedule for years to come, not just the weeks ahead.
We trust that many adopters, and potential adopters, have these thoughtful backup plans in place already, or perhaps this will spark an important conversation. Zazie Todd, PhD, of Companion Animal Psychology also wrote an article about this.
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It’s so great that so many people are thinking about this time being perfect for adoption but you have to look down the road a little bit