• ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Media
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspective
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 LIVE!™
Insights
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Client Handouts
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Upcoming dvm360 Conferences
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2022 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2022 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Assist owners in selecting the best pets for their lifestyles

October 1, 2007
John Lofflin

Although it is obvious to veterinarians that a Border collie and a 96-year-old woman likely make a poor pet-owner match, it may not be obvious to a potential owner who has never been around Border collies. Indeed, one reason healthy animals wind up in shelters, says Gail Golab, PhD, DVM, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) interim director for animal welfare, is because people "acquire a pet with an expectation the pet doesn't fulfill."

Although it is obvious to veterinarians that a Border collie and a 96-year-old woman likely make a poor pet-owner match, it may not be obvious to a potential owner who has never been around Border collies. Indeed, one reason healthy animals wind up in shelters, says Gail Golab, PhD, DVM, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) interim director for animal welfare, is because people "acquire a pet with an expectation the pet doesn't fulfill."

All too often, says John Ciribassi, DVM, DACVB, people do not carefully consider their choice of pets. They do not think about how much attention, exercise, and grooming a dog will need and whether they are willing to devote that much time to the dog's care. "Adding a dog is no different from adding a baby to the household," he says. "They're talking about adding a life to their home."

HELPING YOUR CLIENTS

If a client tells you he or she is thinking about getting a new pet, ask lots of questions to get more background information, says Dr. Ciribassi. "For example, I strongly advise clients against getting a dog when there are children under 6 in the home,"he explains. "Managing young children and a dog at the same time is difficult, especially because of the potential fearful response to active children and their friends in the home. Cats can be ideal in such situations because most cats will learn to avoid young, active children, while dogs may become aggressive."

A preadoption checklist

In addition, make sure owners assess whether they have enough room and money to provide for another pet. And owners should consider whether their old pet will get along with a new one (see "A preadoption checklist" for a list of questions that Dr. Ciribassi asks potential owners).

Resources

Your time in the examination room is limited, so consider training staff members as preadoption counselors (see "What works for Dr. Denise Porte"). Then clients can set up appointments with these counselors to further discuss pet selection.

Advice from the Veterinary Medicine Practitioner Advisory Board

And don't wait for clients to ask you about adopting pets; be proactive. Advertise your preadoption counseling services in the clinic lobby or examination room, and when appropriate, mention that you are available to discuss it.

What Works for Dr. Denise Porte

HELPING NONCLIENTS

Of course, not all potential owners are clients. So how do you reach these potential owners before they make a decision on which pet to adopt?

Dr. Golab suggests setting up an information booth at local festivals or anywhere else people gather. Ask these potential owners the same preadoption questions you ask your clients plus a few more ("Have you had a pet before?") since you do not have any background information. Although these booths are volunteer situations, she says that once the word gets out that you offer this service, people are likely to make appointments for further discussion and to recommend you to friends who are thinking about adopting a pet.

Dr. Golab also suggests volunteering at local shelters. "Shelters have lots of charity events. It makes sense to have a veterinarian there, helping people decide what pets or breeds would be best for them." In addition, she'd like veterinarians to train shelter workers in preadoption counseling so that good matches are made when veterinarians are not on site.

CONCLUSION

Adopting a pet should be a lifelong commitment. But often people adopt without realizing how big of a commitment they are making or they select a pet based on the wrong criteria—then they relinquish the pet because it doesn't fit their lifestyles. By taking the time to discuss pet selection with potential owners and helping them make a good pet match, you'll reduce the risk of relinquishment.

Related Content:

BehaviorAnimal Welfare
Veterinary scene Down Under: Climate Care Program to be launched, plus new AVA president and more
Veterinary scene Down Under: Climate Care Program to be launched, plus new AVA president and more
Pet safety tips for summer heat and July 4th festivities
Pet safety tips for summer heat and July 4th festivities
3 Must-reads on recent companion animal studies
3 Must-reads on recent companion animal studies

Latest News

8 marketing tips for house call veterinarians

DIVM: Getting started with telemedicine

Offering a flexible practice schedule with telemedicine

From receptionist to national conference lecturer

View More Latest News