Small Talk - Winter 2017

Exotic Pet Care T he pet you take home was the lucky one - they found themselves a place in rescue, where they were given the necessary treatment, training and help to find a new family. However, for the hundreds of stray animals awaiting a place in rescue, the future isn’t always so bright. Your decision to offer a home to a rescue pet has freed a space for another lucky stray. It’s given them the chance your pet was given, to be safe and loved in a happy home. Once you take your rescue pet home, there are a few top tips that you’ll need to remember to help settle them in. Firstly, agree the ‘house rules’ in advance and ensure everyone in the family sticks to them. For example, are they allowed on the sofa? Are they allowed upstairs? Animals understand consistency and routine. Secondly, give them time to settle in. There’s no hurry for them to meet all your friends and family and all their pets. See things from your new pet’s perspective and think about how much change they are already experiencing simply by having a new home and family. Get into a routine with them, let them explore their new environment and then integrate them slowly into all other aspects of your life. Finally, it’s important to remember to keep new cats inside and new dogs on a lead for the first six weeks. Give them time to understand that being around you and being in the home is rewarding and when you finally do give them a bit more freedom, do it before a meal time so they won’t want to go too far. There’s no doubt that offering a rescue pet a second chance in a happy home can be a wonderfully rewarding experience as well as being far more cost effective than purchasing a pet elsewhere. At National Animal Welfare Trust we care for hundreds of companion animals, all waiting to find their perfect match and be welcomed into a loving responsible home. Every one of our cats and dogs are fully vet-checked, neutered, microchipped and vaccinated before rehoming and come with four weeks free Petplan insurance. small talk 11 By offering a responsible loving home to a rescue pet, you could quite literally be saving a life. If you would like to welcome a rescue pet into your home, please visit www.nawt.org.uk