There are many rescue centres around the globe that specifically cater for animals. It is a sad fact of today that there are still many domestic animals that are either not taken care of by their owners or unwanted gifts where the pet then needs a new home. Specifically, when Covid-19 was at its peak, many pets were taken in by households as people were isolating in their homes and potentially wanted a pet as company for them. Unfortunately, for some pets, this love and attention were short-lived, and a large number of animals found themselves back in a pet rescue centre through no fault of their own. Here are some things to be aware of when rescuing a pet.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Before taking a pet from a rescue centre it is extremely important to understand as much as you can about its current health. You can do this via a physical examination. Some pets have come from backgrounds where they have not been taken care of and in extreme cases, the pets may have been withdrawn from them from the local authorities for their own safety. Make sure that the assessments are fully taken into consideration as this could cause you some additional expenditure or care in the future needed for the pet.
It’s important to consider taking out a comprehensive pet insurance policy in order to make sure that eventualities are covered. Pet insurance policies come in all shapes and sizes but some will cover the treatment of an illness which could lead to surgery and aftercare. Not all conditions will be covered on these policies, hence why it is important to understand the policy detail in advance and ensure that the pre-existing condition the pet has, will be covered.
Behavioral Concerns
Bearing in mind, the background as to where the pet has come from, there may be some behavioral issues that need to be taken into consideration. The pet could have come from a background where it was physically abused as an example which could make its behaviour aggressive or dangerous. Although this is extremely sad, it is important to make sure that the behaviour is not at a point where it causes danger to you or your family. There are cases, every single day where pets attack humans with no real reason and this can lead not only to physical injury (or death) to the human but will most likely mean the pet gets put to sleep. In addition to this, you could find yourself with a hefty bill with someone suing you.
Medication
A pet with pre-existing conditions is most likely to need some sort of medication. This could be something that helps with pain relief, or it could be a more regular treatment needed to support them actually live a healthy life day-to-day (such as medication for blood). Some pets with pre-existing conditions may only need this for a short time whilst others may need this for the rest of their life.
With medication improving year on year and treatment for animals becoming more advanced, make sure that you keep close to the vet on new and developing drugs that may be more effective for the pet moving forward. Some pets also do not like taking medication and forcing them could make them aggressive, so there are other ways in which this can be completed without stressing the pet.
Taking on a pet with pre-existing conditions can be more than you initially bargained for. If you are willing to put the work in however, you will still get a loyal and loving companion while they get a caring and safe home.
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