What You Need to Know Before Visiting Your Local Dog Shelter

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Before you race off to the dog shelter, please make a vow (and make the rest of your family vow, too, if they’re coming along) that this will be a look-but-don’t-touch visit. This is not the time where you fall hopelessly in love with a puppy or dog, brush aside your better judgment, and whisk him or her home with you to live happily ever after. We know that’s easier said than done, but if you adopt too hurriedly from a shelter you haven’t carefully checked out, you could be in for problems later. Be observant. What is the appearance of the kennels? You shouldn’t see more than a couple dogs sitting in cages with feces or urine on the floor. Be understanding, of course, as dogs aren’t always the cleanest animals in the world, and even the most fastidious shelter can’t keep all the cages spotless all the time. Even a clean shelter is probably going to smell like, well, dogs, but if the odor of the shelter is enough to make your stomach turn, that may be an indication that the cages haven’t been recently, or adequately, disinfected Look to see if the dogs have sufficient room to stretch their legs? Continue your inspection by seeing if the dogs have clean bedding to lie on, fresh water to drink and toys to play with. Is there an outdoor area where the dogs can run around? Most importantly, do the dogs look healthy and contented? Do they appear to be well-fed and groomed? Are they energetic and eager to interact with you as you pass their cages, or do they lay listlessly, with dull fur, glazed runny eyes, sores on their skin or deep coughs? When visiting a dog shelter, be sure to observe how the shelter staff members interact with the animals. They should be able to talk to you intelligently about the characteristics of the various dogs; however, they should never be in a rush for you to adopt a dog. Shelters that are too hasty in their matchmaking aren’t responsible shelters (It’s important to remember that a well-kept, well-run shelter doesn’t have to be a large, flashy facility. There are many small, financially challenged and perhaps physically unspectacular adoption shelters – some that are completely operated by volunteers – which are wonderful places to adopt. In fact, small shelters with volunteer staffs (you might call them “labor of love” shelters) often know their animals more closely than large shelters do, and they will usually take the time to give every dog and potential adopter lots of attention. The bottom line is this: What matters isn’t whether a shelter has fancy displays and silver dog dishes, but whether it has clean facilities, a committed and informed staff, and reasonable adoption policies and procedures. When you visit a shelter, you probably won’t be the only one taking notes and making evaluations; the shelter’s staff will be checking you out, too. Remember, the more they know about you and your lifestyle, the better prepared they’ll be to help you pick the right dog when the time comes. Lastly, some shelters will ask you (either during your preliminary visit or when you return looking for a dog) to fill out a written “pre-adoption” form before they’ll even show you their dogs. These forms aren’t binding; they are just informational and are used to help the staff get to know you and your needs. Other shelters may have “counseling rooms” where staff members will sit and talk with you before taking you to see their animals. However, most shelters will simply interview you informally as you visit their facility.

Executive Summary by Dan Irwin

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