The best and kindest thing you can do when you bring an adopted pet home is to forget any expectations you have created of them and let them show you who they are while you provide a safe and low stress environment.  They have already been through so many changes.

Be patient with them.

Adoption day is exciting for everyone -an orphaned pet is getting a family!  While we understand what a great day it is, this big change can be frightening to a pet, especially if they have spent a lot of time in a rescue environment or in a foster home where they had learned the rules and gotten into a routine – only to now have to start all over again.

Keep them to yourself for a bit.

Adding to this stressful transition is the introduction of new people, a new house, neighborhood, new sounds, new food, new everything.  You might be tempted to introduce them to everyone and shower them with new toys – but too much activity or attention may be overwhelming and put them on overload.  Some reactions could be hiding, excessive shyness, refusal to walk or eat, excessive jumping, frantic darting around or trying to escape.  Take it slow.  You have years to enjoy them: don’t overdo it the first few weeks.

Keep a collar and ID tag on them at all times.

Many dogs get stressed in new environments and may try to escape by slipping out of normal collars. The collars we have custom made for our pets are designed to keep them from “backing out.”  They will also arrive with a TAPS identification tag which has contact phone numbers on it.  Even when you have an ID tag made for them, we ask that you keep our TAPS tag on – if they go missing the more numbers that a finder can call the better.

Please review the Pet Resources page for information such as setting your home up for a pet; introducing them to other pets; and much more.