This post is sponsored by Nakturnal. All opinions are my own.

Tips for Adopting Pets

We have a home full of pets that are the first to greet our daughters in the morning and the last to make sure everyone is tucked into their beds at night. Currently our cat Toby is cuddled up to our nine year old daughter sound asleep in her bedroom while her hedgehog is running on his exercise wheel with big plans to continue running all night long. Our turtle is asleep in her little house and our three year old daughter is sleeping in her bedroom with our cat Delilah sleeping in the hallway directly in front of her door. This has been the nighttime routine in our house for the past few years with the exception of our dog Sophie sleeping in our bed. Our Siberian Husky, Sophie, is 11 years old and just this year has been starting to show the signs of her age. She now prefers to sleep on the floor in the kitchen instead of in our bed. If it were up to our daughters, we would adopt all the pets that need rehoming. Each of our pets have a story behind how they ended up in our home and tips for adopting pets is a topic we are asked about often. Adopting another pet might be in our near future because for us it’s not about the right time as much as it is about finding the right pet. 

My husband and I both grew up with a long list of pets. I had exposure to everything from farm animals like chickens and several lambs in 4-H to inside domesticated pets like cats and lizards. My husband had birds, ferrets, an iguana and many different fostered pets in between. We both had family dogs.

Our daughters are growing up with the same experiences sharing close bonds with animals in our home. Our oldest daughter is also the SeaWorld Kid Blogger that began with her love for marine animals. She has been provided with invaluable learning opportunities about animal science and shares biweekly content teaching her peers about animals and ocean conservation. She enjoys the responsibility of caring for her pets and has a very personal attachment to each of them.

Our dog Sophie joined our family about a month before I found out I was pregnant with our oldest daughter. Beginning with the day we brought our newborn daughter home, Sophie slept every night at her nursery door. As our daughter grew, so did their bond together. Sophie was the first and only dog my husband and I have had together. She’s also the only dog our daughters have ever known in our home.

Sophie has grown up in a home full of love from two little girls that include her in everything they do. She’s a favorite playmate, a friend to read books with, a dress up partner, and a part of our family Halloween costumes.

Tips for Adopting Pets

Our oldest daughter frequently browses online photos of pets in need of rehoming. She then shares those pictures with her little sister and then together at the dinner table they present a long list of reasons why we need to adopt a new pet. They are young and enthusiastic about animals and as parents we are tasked with making all the responsible decisions even if that means explaining why we can’t bring home new family pets daily. We run through this short list of tips for adopting pets with our daughters often.

Pet adoption community

Find a reputable rehoming community reputable rehoming community online to help locate animals in need of a home. Do your homework and make sure you are adopting an animal that truly is part of a rehoming community instead of purchasing from a pet store.

Consider fees

Adopting a pet has a very different fee than purchasing from a pet shop. Although the costs are much lower, there is generally a rehoming fee. You will also need to pick up all the supplies for your new pet and prioritize vet visits for vaccinations and wellness checks.

Choose the right type of pet 

Choosing the right type and breed of pet is the most important decision you can make for your family. Each family dynamic is different and each pet can come with pros and cons. My youngest brother recently adopted two german shepherd puppies for his children and it’s been a wonderful experience. 

Do you have any tips for adopting pets?