Bringing your new pet home

The first days in a new home can be overwhelming for an animal coming from a shelter. With calm, routine and patience, settling in usually goes much better.

The first day

• Take the pet straight home, with no stops or visits.
• Show it where the water, food, bed and potty spot are.
• Let it explore at its own pace. Avoid gatherings or lots of people petting it.

The first weeks

• Routine: regular times for meals, walks and rest make it feel safe.
• Same food at first: ask what it ate at the shelter and, if you want to switch, do it gradually.
• Meeting other pets: introduce them slowly, on neutral ground and under supervision. With cats, keeping them in separate rooms for the first days helps.
• Accidents: a few are normal. Reward what it does well and avoid punishment.

Health and ID

Book a vet visit in the first weeks for a general check-up and to review the vaccine and deworming schedule. Add a tag with your phone number and, if it has a microchip, update the contact details. Create its profile in My Pet App to keep track of its health and reminders.

Patience

Some animals settle in within days and others take weeks or months to show their true personality. If you notice intense fear, no appetite for more than a day or any other behavior that worries you, talk to your vet and the shelter.