If you get a new pet at home, introduce the new one to the old pet step by step. Confine the old pet to one room and let the newcomer get used to the other’s smell. Then let them meet through a screen door/gate.

If you leave your pet outside on a running wire, install a stop on the wire so that the pet can’t wrap its chain around the tree or post. Also, check that the swivel on the chain works, and have a pet shelter within reach.

Accustom your pet to lying beside you for long periods before training it to stay in place while you leave it. Practice while you read, eat, or watch television.

Ask for help, for the Animal’s Sake!

If you are unable to keep your pet, be it a dog or a cat, you must contact animal rescuers, shelter volunteers and foster-homes. A large number of people wish to surrender animals to such organizations, which do not even get paid. To help them resolve your problem as soon as possible, you must observe the under mentioned guidelines:

• Make it very clear that you do not wish to retain the pet. There is no use beating around the bush. Just say that you wish to get rid of the animal.
• Your pet has only such organizations or even individual animal lovers to turn to at the time of need.
• Please do not try to convince the pet shelter provider that your pet is exceptional and deserves special treatment.
• Tell the truth, and the whole truth for the sake of the animal.

Please remember that even if you succeed in placing your pet in a pet shelter or foster care, do not for a moment think that they will take care of him, find him a good home and all will be well. Those people will surely give your pet every possible chance. But if they perceive serious health or behavior problems, they will let the animal end his or her life.

At least, support your local pet shelters. Donate blood, but also buy an extra bag of food and give it to them.