Dogs

As keeping pets has become a lifestyle, many people now have pets. The channels through which you obtain your desired pet have always been controversial. Due to the immature pet trading market and credibility issues, coupled with the large number of stray animals, adopting or rescuing pets has become an accepted and recognized way. So, what precautions should you take when adopting or rescuing a pet?

First, when you prepare to raise a pet, you need to consider whether you have the ability to do so, and also whether it will negatively impact those around you. Once these conditions are met, you can keep a pet.

Because adopted or rescued pets are mostly strays, it is common for them to have parasites. So before bringing them home, you can have them checked for parasites; if found, treatment is necessary, followed by regular prevention. This not only ensures the pet’s health but also prevents transmission to family members.

Stray Cats

If you pick up a pet off the street or an unknown-origin pet, and it shows symptoms like loss of appetite, vomiting, or cold, be sure to check for infectious diseases. Currently, viral diseases like canine distemper, parvovirus, and feline panleukopenia are very common in the country, and these pets usually have not been immunized. Therefore, after keeping the pet at home for more than half a month, remember to go to the hospital to check if vaccinations are appropriate. If there are any abnormal symptoms, a detailed examination is necessary. For friends who already have pets at home, please isolate the adopted pet upon bringing it home! Only allow contact after a period of health observation to prevent transmitting diseases to your original pets, which may cause irreversible losses.

Some owners like to give the pet a bath immediately when bringing them home because they dislike its dirtiness. Here, a reminder to kind-hearted friends: do not rush. Because the pet has just arrived at a completely new environment, bathing them under stress makes them prone to illness. Also, since you are unfamiliar with each other, sudden bathing might cause the pet to bite or scratch you, creating troubles. So my suggestion is to keep the pet for a few days first to observe; if there are no abnormal symptoms and you have gotten familiar with each other, you can bathe the pet, just remember to dry them thoroughly.

Dogs

Since stray animals rely on begging for food, feeding them after bringing them home might be a problem. For example, if they refuse the dog food you buy and only eat regular food, you’ll need to transition them gradually. You can mix rice and dog food, gradually increasing the proportion of dog food. Or provide pet food only and remove it if they do not eat within the designated feeding time. Repeating this for each meal will gradually make them eat the pet food. However, this requires everyone's cooperation at home; do not pity them and give them other food! Also, pay attention that some stray animals may eat a lot immediately after arrival due to frequent hunger, so the feeding amount should remain fixed without overfeeding or refilling immediately after they finish.

For rescued animals, after keeping them for a long time, you may find they are no less lovable than purchased ones. Pets are not decorations; their appearance is not the most important thing. Over time, you will find them adorable! Besides the above precautions, another important issue is neutering surgery. To prevent more stray animals, if you do not plan to breed, neutering is recommended — it benefits both you and the pet.