Your responsibilities
Adopting a dog or cat from Orphans of the Storm means adding a new member to your family. Of course, the care, feeding and well-being of your new family member are important responsibilities that you take on when you adopt.
In your home
Many dogs end up at Orphans of the Storm because they ventured away from home, were let outside on a faulty line or runner system, or broke through an improperly fenced yard and become lost. To prevent this from happening to your new dog, it is your responsibility to ensure that your dog is secure and that your yard has proper, strong fencing or a runner system. This also means keeping your dog on a leash at all times outside your yard.
A number of the orphaned cats that end up at our doors simply left home after being let outside, or they were intentionally left outside. To prevent this from happening to your new cat, it is your responsibility to keep your cat indoors at all times. With our responsibility to adopt out cats to loving adoptive homes, we do not prohibit our adopters from declawing their cats.
Medical/vet care and feeding your new pet
Just as with any member of the family, it is your responsibility to keep your adopted Orphan well-fed and provide adequate medical care and attention. As important as security is for your new pet, so is its medical care and proper feeding. This means a well-balanced food product and clean water for your dog or cat. If your Orphan is suffering from any symptoms or ailments, it is your responsibility to provide prompt and thorough medical care by paying a visit to your qualified veterinary doctor and follow his or her advice for treatment. Also, rabies vaccination and other state-required shots and vaccinations that your vet will provide is your responsibility to keep current.
Love and attention
Finally, part of caring for a healthy pet is providing love and attention. As part of being a healthy animal, pets need attention and caring. Dogs and cats are companion animals which need and want attention from us. It is your responsibility to make sure that you do not neglect your new family member.
We at Orphans find that it is usually not a problem for our adopters to provide for the animal’s security, medical care, love and attention. Our current and former Orphans are so lovable that meeting and exceeding the requirements for responsible pet ownership come naturally. If you have any questions about the responsibilities of adopting a pet from Orphans, please contact us or come to the shelter.