Pet Adoption From a Veterinarian

PET ADOPTION FROM A VETERINARIAN

Almost all veterinarians at one point in the ownership of their practice get asked to take in a box of kittens or a box of puppies abandoned at the front door of the office.  Animal lovers, as veterinarians are, cannot turn them away so most practices take them in and nurse them back to health, if ill.  Vaccines and dewormers are administered and the animals are neutered if at a suitable age.  Pet adoption by a client is the next step.  This is an easy way to lure people into picking up a new puppy or kitten!  Many times, when the time is right, people come back to the office to acquire an animal after having lost an older pet.

Veterinary staff will often advertise that the animals are available by posting pictures or announcements on the office pet adoption bulletin board or actually have cages in the waiting room area where clients can interact with the animals.  A few of these animals, particularly kittens, become the so called “clinic cat” that acts as security guard when the office is closed and part of the nursing staff during the day!  Almost all practices have clinic cats.  I had “Tony”, a grey striped tiger, for years.

Pet abandonment happened many times at my old practice in Ohio.  I once came to work one morning and someone earlier had tied a dog on a leash to a lamp post at the entrance of my facility.  I took it in, cleaned it up plus dewormed and vaccinated the pet.  A woman involved in animal rescue came by and picked the dog up and was able to place the animal in a new home.