Pet adoption a great way to make furry friends

Wed, 02/01/2006

If you are thinking of adopting a new family member of the canine or feline persuasion, be sure to do your homework and research, research, research!

That's what Tom Sayre, spokesperson for the Humane Society of Tacoma and Pierce County, advises.

"Find out which breed matches your lifestyle," Sayre told the FW News last week.

"In the case of dogs, a basset hound behaves much differently than a retriever. Hounds require less attention, retrievers will demand frequent interaction and playtime."

If Federal Way residents want to adopt rather than buying a pet, there are about a dozen organizations in the South Sound that will be more than happy to oblige.

'Rescue groups are scattered around the Northwest, and sometimes hard to find because they are run by well-intended but woefully under funded groups, who have scarce money for advertising," explained Sayre.

A few of those include Seattle Pure Breed Dog Rescue, the Puyallup Animal Rescue, the Cascade Animal Protection Society and R.E.D. (Rescue Every Dog). See the sidebar for a complete contact listing for South Sound shelters and adoption organizations.

After exploring breed options, the next step in adoption is going to the shelter and filling out the adoption application. All shelters are concerned with their tennants and seek to ensure the pet goes to a loving, willing and able home. Shelters seize up a potential adopter by asking questions such as: What is your breed/pet experience? What is your training and care plan for your new family member? How many total hours a day would the animal be left alone?

And there is a fee. At the R.E.D. shelters, adoption costs vary from $75.00 to $250.00. At the Tacoma Humane Society, it will cost $106.00 to $250.00 for dogs and puppies and $98.00 for cats and kittens, although the Society says it reserves the right to alter prices for extraordinary pets.

For that fee, a dog adoption includes a wellness exam, initial vaccines, microchip implantation, spay/neuter surgery and a slip collar and leash. Cat adoptions fees cover the same, as well as a leukemia test, cat carrier and a cat collar and toy.

An additional $50 refundable fee is required for puppies, and is returned to the new owner upon completion of a puppy training class.

Once past the application phase, and having selected an appropriate breed, adopters are encouraged to use one of the shelter's "Get Acquainted" rooms. If the visit goes well, and all parties are pleased with one another, the pet is all yours.

"We are eager to convey to people that this is not a temporary relationship. It will be a significant time that the pet will be with the new owner, hopefully for the rest of the pet's life, which could possibly be for the next 15 years or so," cautioned Sayre.

Many shelters subscribe to the idea that caring for and taking responsibility for a pet often is good for the owner. Also for a list of available pets check out our pet of the month section on page 3.

Additonal Resources

R.E.D.

http://www.rescueeverydog.org

Second Chance Ranch

http://www.secondchanceranch.org

P.A.W.S. Across the Northwest

http://www.geocities.com/paws_northwest

King County Animal Services

http://www.metrokc.gov/lars/animal

Siamese Rescue Northwest

http://www.volunteermatch.org/orgs/org21009.html

Critter Control