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BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions Adopt A Pet / Search Adoptable Pets. Updated Adoption Process. In an effort to minimize non-essential traffic in our buildings & help reduce the spread of COVID-19 BARC is implementing Curbside Pet Adoptions effective immediately! Check out profiles and pictures of available animals at the shelter. We’ve got some awesome dogs and cats who are waiting for their new families to come and adopt them! (Adoptions close at 4:30 p.m.
Did you know that shelters and rescues always have a great selection of animals looking for new homes? You can find cats, dogs, birds, small animals, even horses and livestock.
In fact, any type of animal available for sale at your local pet store or from a breeder is probably waiting for adoption in a nearby shelter or rescue.
Thanks to the Shelter Pet Project, it's become easier than ever to find them.
Shelters and rescues
- 6–8 million animals end up in shelters each year, half of which will probably not be adopted.
- 25 percent of pets in shelters are purebreds. Breed-specific rescue groups always have purebred dogs and puppies looking for new homes.
- Most pets end up homeless through no fault of their own—'moving' and 'landlord issues' are the top reasons people give for relinquishing their pets, meaning shelters and rescue groups are full of wonderful, family-ready pets.
- Pets adopted from shelters and rescue groups typically cost less than pets purchased or even acquired for free—once you add in the cost of vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, microchip, dewormer and other 'extras' included in your adoption fee, you'll probably be surprised what a bargain an adopted pet really is!
- Most shelters and rescue groups conduct thorough behavioral analyses of each pet to ensure that they will be the right fit for your family.
- Shelters and rescue groups can provide advice on making your relationship with your pet the best it can be for the rest of their life, so you’ll never have to go it alone.
Looking for a pet? Find one at the Shelter Pet Project
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Do your homework
So now you’ve decided to add a new pet to your family. The first question to answer is what kind of pet will be the best fit for your household? Do you have enough time to devote to the daily needs of a dog? Is there someone in your household who is allergic? Have you considered a non-traditional pet such as a rat or another small animal? Doing your homework in advance will make your search easier and increase the chances that your new pet will be a happy addition to the family.
Once you have decided on the type of pet you are interested in, there are a number of websites out there that bring the world of animals waiting for new homes right to your fingertips. The Shelter Pet Project is the most comprehensive source of information on adopting a shelter pet. Don’t be surprised if you are inundated with options!
Waiting for the right one
If for some reason you don’t find who you’re looking for right away, don’t be discouraged. Sadly shelters and rescue groups receive new animals every day, so keep checking back with them. Some groups also keep a waiting list, so they can call you if an animal matching your preference becomes available.
Visit local shelters
Not every shelter or every pet is listed on the Shelter Pet Project, so it’s important to check the websites of your local shelter as well. Don’t forget to also visit in person—sometimes all it takes to find your perfect match is to look directly into an animal's eyes and fall in love.
- Housebreaking: Before you adopt, consider how much time your new family member will spend alone. Remember, a puppy requires constant attention. The key to successful housebreaking is consistency; preventing 'accidents' is key. Once a pup soils the carpeting, it becomes much more difficult to train them out of that behavior. Here's a good rule of thumb to consider: a puppy can hold his bladder just one hour for every month they've been alive. For instance, a 3-month-old will need to empty his bladder every three hours! And yes, that does include the middle of the night! Before you go through with adoption, ask yourself if you are available to walk your dog several times throughout the day, and if you have the patience and commitment to wake up and take him out several times throughout the night. Of course, before you can walk him at all, you will need to train him to walk on a leash, which is a project in itself.
In contrast to a pup, an adult dog's bladder is already fully developed. Many dog rescue organizations make sure their adult dogs for adoption are housebroken before they go to new homes and shelter pooches most often have already been potty-trained and know the ropes. With adult dogs you also have the advantage of knowing that your dog is physically able to 'hold it' for several hours at a stretch. In most cases, adult dogs are easier to housebreak. You can teach an old dog new tricks! - Puppy behavior: Sure, that pup for sale is super-cute, but simply put, they are adorable, relentless machines of destruction. Even the most well-behaved will destroy shoes, clothing, paper, remote controls, telephones, leashes, dog beds, carpeting…anything and everything. More rambunctious pups have been known to obliterate sofas, car seats, Venetian blinds, electrical cords, door frames…you name it, they can eat it or shred it. And when they're teething, look out! After you adopt a puppy, you'll soon discover they have very sharp teeth, and they are happy to use your hands, feet, nose, hair, etc, as a chew toy. Ouch! Needless to say, a teething pup and a small child do NOT make good companions! To keep the pup from hurting himself, and to prevent the destructive behavior from becoming a bad habit, you will need to spend every waking moment supervising his every move. Do you have that kind of time?
Many dogs for adoption in shelters or with dog rescue groups are already trained and ready to go! Many dog rescue groups use foster homes to make sure each dog for adoption is trained to be well-behaved indoors. It would be impossible for rescuers to make sure their pups for adoption get the same training before they are adopted. Although all dogs need attention and playtime, an adult dog's needs are far less demanding. And remember, no pooch is too old for love! Personality: If you're considering adoption, you probably have a good idea about what kind of personality you want your new family member to have, right? If you're a couch potato, you don't want to adopt a dog who needs to be in motion constantly; you want a furry pal who's content to cuddle up at your feet. If 'active' is your middle name, you probably want to adopt a dog who's always raring to go! Maybe you need to adopt a dog who's great with kids or elderly people, or one who doesn't bark a lot, or you really want to adopt a dog who loves to lick your face, or you want one who doesn't lick your face, or…you get the idea. There are a lot of things to consider! Uh-oh…guess what? When you adopt a puppy, you can't tell how he or she will turn out! With an adult dog, what you see is what you get. Their personality is already developed, and you'll be able to spot the characteristics you're looking for much more easily. Dog rescue and shelter volunteers can help assess the personality of each dog for adoption, and carefully match you up with the right dog for your lifestyle. With puppies, there is a lot more guesswork involved. Sure, you can train your pup on certain behaviors, but other traits (like activity level) seem to be inherent in each individual.
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