Adopt a Dog in NYC with No Stress
Owning a dog in NYC can add some light to your life
5 Min Read
5 Min ReadYou’ve finally achieved your dream of moving to New York City. Your job is great, you have great friends, and you’re loving everything this incredible city has to offer. However, you’re feeling a little lonely when you get home, so you’ve decided to adopt a dog in NYC.
The problem is that you aren’t sure what do to do to get the ball rolling. Here are some tips to make the process easier.
Consider what you really want
Pets are wonderful. They provide companionship and can make you smile, even when you don’t really feel like smiling. However, before you adopt a dog in NYC, you have to consider your lifestyle and what you want.
If you travel a lot, for example, a pet might not be the best idea. You have to be around to take care of your furry friend and leaving them on their own for extended periods of time is not an option.
Naturally, you have the option of using pet sitting and/or boarding services, but this is an additional cost you need to take into account. So, make sure to consider your lifestyle and whether a pet will fit in seamlessly. Otherwise, you’ll just be creating more stress for yourself.
Avoid nasty surprises by talking to your landlord
You need to discuss your idea to adopt a dog in NYC with your landlord to avoid any unpleasant surprises. The last thing you need is to go through the entire process only to find you can’t bring your new pooch home because you aren’t allowed to have pets in your apartment.
Unfortunately, if your landlord says no to the pooch, your only other option is to move to a pet-friendly apartment in NYC, which can be challenging. So, you need to make sure that adopting a dog is what you really want.
If it is, then one of the easiest ways to find pet-friendly housing is to turn to a company like Blueground that offers beautiful apartments all over New York City. The properties are completely furnished and fully equipped, and many of them are open to pets. You can find these pet-friendly apartments easily by applying the ‘Pets Allowed’ filter on the listings page.
Do your research to pick the right pooch
“Aw, he’s so cute!” should not be the only factor that you consider when you adopt a dog in NYC. You need to do your research to find the best breed for your situation and lifestyle.
For example, if you live in a relatively small apartment and aren’t exactly active, then an English Bulldog or a Pug might be your best bet. On the other hand, if you don’t mind a little exercise every day, then a Bichon Frise might be right up your alley.
When choosing a doggie companion, just remember that personality is far more important than looks. A dog might look like the most adorable thing on the planet, but could turn out to be aggressive and loud, which can cause problems.
Look into where to adopt a dog in NYC from
New York has many organizations that help down-on-their-luck pooches find new homes, which means your options are not limited at all.
However, you do need to consider a few factors when choosing where to adopt your doggie from. For example, if you don’t have a car, then you might not want to go to a shelter that’s too far away from where you live.
Likewise, you probably want to avoid shelters that have a reputation for being less-than-honest about the animals they’re putting up for adoption. While these are few and far between, you still need to do your due diligence.
Some great places to adopt a dog in NYC include:
- ASPCA Adoption Center
- Animal Care Centers of NYC
- Bideawee
- City Critters
- Animal Haven
Check out the pooch in person
Most places where you can adopt a dog in NYC will have a catalog on their website of pets you can adopt. You’ll see adorable pictures and a short description of the pooch. However, don’t rely only on this information when adopting a pet. You have to meet the doggie in person.
First, the descriptions on the website are meant to encourage people to adopt a pet. That doesn’t mean you aren’t being told the truth – far from it – but the facts might be embellished a little.
Another factor to consider is that dogs don’t always react the same way to everyone. That’s precisely why you want to meet the animal in person. After all, the last thing you want is to adopt a dog in NYC who always seems to be terrified of you. You also don’t want a dog who’ll only be nice to you, while being aggressive to strangers.
Go through the process to adopt a dog in NYC
The specific process to adopt a dog in NYC varies from one center to another. In most cases, it will only take a few hours and require you to fill out some paperwork. However, some centers are far stricter, and it can take days or even weeks to complete the adoption process.
You also have to be at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID. You must also provide proof of your current address, and you will need to pay a fee. Some centers will also provide counseling on how to care for the pet you are adoption, as well as offering advice on how to interact with them.
Also, don’t be surprised if the center wants to conduct an interview to determine if you’d make a suitable pet owner. Don’t get upset. It’s not a personal slight against you. Just remember that many of the poor animals looking for new homes are there because their owners were irresponsible.
During the interview, they’ll also see if you and to pooch you chose are a good fit. You’ll definitely appreciate this because you’ll be much more likely to go home with a doggie that will seamlessly fit into your lifestyle.
