Adopt

We strongly encourage you to adopt a pet from the street or from an animal shelter.  Please refer to the many online adoption portals or your local shelters.

We are not an adoption portal, but sometimes the neutering applicants do request our help to advertise:

Dogs and Puppies: http://myanimalcare.org/category/for-adoption-dog/

Cats and Kittens: http://myanimalcare.org/category/for-adoption-cat/

The animals that we publicise for adoption are meant to be adopted as pets and not for resale or as food. We urge all potential adopters to respect this policy.

If you would like us to publish a rehoming/adoption request for you, kindly provide the following:

1. Your name, contact details and general location (town, state).
2. A write-up about the animal’s background – Age, Neutered? Vaccinated? Medical history, temperament, any other useful details.

Adopting a New Pet 

Space

Do you have enough space in your house for the pet?  A dog would need about 9-16 square feet of space and a cat about 6 square feet each.
Please also consider the noise and smell that your neighbours may have to put up with if you have too many pets in your home.  Find out about the laws on the licensing of dogs and the keeping animals in apartments. Do not break the law.
If you have to cage your pet, remember to let your pet out for exercise and play at least once a day.  Animals need sunshine and fresh air too.  Also ensure that the cage is big enough.  Never cage any animal for a long period; they will become neurotic.  Ensure that your pet has shelter from the sun and rain.

Funds

Looking after a pet involves having enough funds for their food, medical treatment and other needs.

Quarantine and first medical check-up

Always quarantine a new pet.  Never allow him/her to mix with your existing pets in case he/she carries any disease. Always take the newcomer to the vet for a complete medical check-up and advice.  It may be necessary to de-worm and de-tick or de-flea the newcomer before you bring him/her home.

Food

Learn about as many types of animal feed as possible and find out which food is best for them.

BARF
BARF stands for Bones and Raw Food (or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). This food is believed to be the closest the animals’ natural nutritional needs.  Read up on the correct proportions and preparation before giving it to your pet.  Always start with small amounts. There are store-bought BARF diets too.

Home-cooked food
You may wish to home-cook for your pets.  Again, please read up on the correct proportions and preparation to ensure the food is nutritionally balanced.

The key to getting the proportions right in home preparation of petfood is to “Think Chicken”. When a wild cat or wild dog catches a wild chicken in the wild to eat, the first part it eats is usually the stomach which contains digested plant-food, hence, we have some cooked vegetables. And the amount of veges is only about 5-10%. Next, it goes for the meat, skin, muscle and organs (raw or cooked in our preparation). Finally, it chews on the bones for dessert. Hence, a bit of raw bones (from the chicken neck, for example) so that our pets get the nutrients from the bone marrow. Never feed cooked bones – it splinters. The proportions muscle meat/organs/bones/vegetables also differ for dogs and cats because cats are obligate carnivores and taurine is a very essential amino acid for cats.

Wet canned food
This may be a good alternative if you do not have time to cook.  Learn to read the ingredients list and avoid brands that contain food jelly or too many preservatives. Learn to differentiate between complete diets and complementary food (meant as snacks).

Dry food (kibble)
If you cannot manage the three options above, you may wish to use dry food for convenience, but please do not stick with one brand. Consider changing brands for variety and balanced nutrition.  Learn to read the ingredients and read up on the latest research available. Dry food ought to be a last resort because of its high content of carbohydrate and its lack of moisture.

When you change diet/brands, always do it gradually and in small amounts first.  A sudden change may cause diarrhoea which can be very serious.

Whichever diet you choose to use, remember always to have plenty of fresh water at all times for them and the bigger the variety of foods the more balanced the diet will be.

Food is the foundation of good health.  Good nutrition goes a long way in ensuring your pet’s optimum health.

Sanitation

Always dispose of your pets’ urine and faeces in a proper and responsible manner. Do not just flush the waste down the drain. Your neighbours might not be happy with that.  Always pick up your pets’ faeces regularly and dispose of it responsibly. Urine has to be washed away and the area kept clean and sanitized. If you walk your dog, please bring a plastic bag to pick up his/her faeces. For cats, a litter-tray will serve as their toilet. Clean the litter-tray often. There are various types of cat-litter on the market, ie. tofu, clay, paper, wood, etc. Read up on this.

Medical Needs

All pets should be de-wormed, vaccinated and neutered. Vaccination protects your pet from getting certain diseases. Neutering prevents your pet from reproducing and also from getting certain cancers later in life. Seek advice from your vet for optimum healthcare for your pet. If your pet appears to be ill, take him/her to the vet immediately for proper medical treatment and advice. Your quick action may save his/her life.     

Identfication

Let your dog wear a collar which has your name and contact details.  This will help in case your dog gets lost.  Collars on cats should be used with caution because it may cause entanglement and strangulation as cats have a tendency to jump (detachable collars are safer).  Always keep updated photos of your pets.  In case they are lost, distribute flyers, use the internet to send out an alert or locate them at the pound or shelter.  If your pet is lost, do not delay – send out an alert immediately.  The faster you act, the higher the chances would be of bringing them back safely.

Time, Commitment and Love

Spend time with your pets, play with them and love them as much as you can. You are all they have and they depend on you. They trust you will take good care of them. Pets are a part of your family. Once you adopt them, please be committed to look after them for the rest of their lives.

 Adoption ought to be a lifelong commitment.

But should you be unable to look after your pets for any reason, always make sure they get to a good home. Surrendering them to a shelter should be the last option. If you do, find out what the shelter policies are before you place them there.

Note: The author acknowledges with grateful thanks to a shelter manager for sharing some of the above tips.

Tips on starting a small animal sanctuary: http://myanimalcare.org/2012/03/31/some-tips-on-starting-a-small-animal-sanctuary/ 

Disclaimer: The above is only a sharing. Please consult a veterinarian and/or nutritionist for professional advice regarding the care of your pets, and please consult the relevant professionals and authority if you wish to start an animal sanctuary.