2 minute read
Ready to Adopt/Rescue? Fantastic!
Perhaps you’ve already visited us at Gibson County Animal Services (GCAS) and met a dog or cat that chose you as a furever family. If you haven’t, please come out and meet the animals so you (and one of them) can make your choice. We do vet our adoptions and ask for references to make sure that the animals that we’ve come to love go to the best possible home.
Our normal adoption fee is $125 for dogs and $100 for cats, but from June 13-17, ALL adoptions will be JUST $10! That covers spaying/neutering, age appropriate shots, wormer, flea medications, and microchip.
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When you choose your new pet, please consider those in the “least adoptable” categories: black dogs and cats, senior pets, and pets with disabilities.These dogs and cats make loving companions, and an older dog or cat may already be housetrained or litterbox trained.
Now, how do you prepare? First, be ready for the 33-3 rule. Many but not all pets will experience three days of feeling overwhelmed/nervous, three weeks to settle in, and three months to build trust and bond with their new family. While it may be “love at first sight,” be prepared to help your new family member make adjustments.
Start off by making your home ready for your new pet. Bring a collar and leash to the shelter with you for your new dog or a crate for your new cat and have food and water bowls waiting at home. You’ll need yummy treats (best to buy made in the USA) and grooming supplies. Designate a “safe area” for your pet; many dogs enjoy the privacy of their own crate while cats enjoy the security of small spaces where they feel safe. Don’t overwhelm your new cat with too many people or places all at once.
You may want to “pet proof” your home by picking up items that might be harmful or that you do not want to be used as chew toys. You’ll also want to move or remove plants that could be poisonous or toxic, such as Easter Lilies and Poinsettias which harm dogs, and Aloe Vera, Pothos, and Jade plants which harm cats. Check which essential oils you are using since some can harm dogs. If you are bringing home a cat, consider your home from a cat’s eye view and provide it with a cat tree and scratching post. Your furniture will thank you, as will your knick knacks on your shelves.
Once you’re home, take your new dog on a tour of his new home. While he’s still on a leash, let him take his time sniffing and exploring his new surroundings. Show him his food, bed, and toys and let him know what’s off limits and where to find his designated potty space in the yard or on potty pads.
On the other hand (or paw), your cat will want some privacy as she settles in, so provide her with an isolated spot for her litter box and a small area she can call her own for the first week or so. Set up her feeding station away from the litter box (and away from where dogs in the family can nibble on cat food—it is not good for them). Cats need some time to settle in before becoming social creatures, so don’t rush them. If she hasn’t already, she needs to meet the family—both two and four-legged. Let the cat take her time, but if those kittens want to play, then let the fun begin!
Please visit GCAS at 3840 South County Road 175 E., Princeton, IN, and meet the adoptable dogs and cats and maybe a bird or bunny. Call 812.386.8079 for further information or visit us on Facebook or on our website at https://www.gcasonline.org/.
Come see us at our annual Cruzin’ For Critters car show at Lafayette Park on July 2nd! Registration starts at 8:00 a.m. for cars, trucks, and motorcycles. We’ll have food, trophies, and door prizes—and you may go home with a beautiful quilt!
These dogs and cats, along with others, are waiting on their furever best friends—please give them a loving home.
