TIPS FOR GETTING DOGS AND CATS DURING THE PANDEMIC

Charities have advice for avoiding illegal breeders and getting the most suitable pet.

As the lockdown rumbles on, a lot of people are stuck at home growing increasingly interested in getting a cat or dog to keep them company.

But there are many obstacles to getting a new pet as well as worries about cruel puppy farms and irresponsible breeders, so here’s a handy guide to getting cats and dogs during the pandemic, based on advice from animal charities.

The Dogs Trust offers this advice for anyone about to embark on the adventure of a new dog: do plenty of research.

While animal rehoming centres like the RSPCA’s Woodside Animal Centre in Scudamore Road, Leicester, are ideal places to find an animal in desperate need of a forever home, some people will have their heart set on a particular breed.

It is recommended you only go through a breeder registered with the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme and be aware of online adverts.

Puppies sold via websites can often be animals illegally smuggled into the country from overseas where welfare standards are very low.

When you’ve found a seller, The Dogs Trust recommends that you:

• Speak to the seller on the phone before visiting
• Ask lots of questions about the puppy
• Meet at the puppy’s home and be suspicious if the seller wants to deliver the dog or meet at another location
• Ask to see the puppy’s mother and see them interacting
• Ask for a full health history of both parents.
• Visit more than once and don’t feel pressured to make a snap decision
• Walk away if something doesn’t look or feel right
• Ask for proof of any vet checks, vaccinations, microchipping, or pedigree papers.
• The puppy should be at least eight weeks old at the point when it goes home with you.
  
  

When it comes to getting a cat or kitten, the PDSA animal charity recommends visiting a charity rehoming centre, such as one run by Cats Protection, Blue Cross or the RSPCA.

Again, the Woodside Animal Centre in Leicester has plenty of cats and kittens desperate for new, loving homes.

The alternative is getting a cat or kitten through a private individual and the PSDA recommends only getting one through someone you trust.

It states on its website: “You should try to see kittens with their mother, in the place they were born, so you know they’ve both been well cared for.

“You can also check the health of the mother and make sure she is up to date with routine health care such as vaccinations and worming.

“Most rescue centres are already full of cats needing loving homes.

“We recommend that all cats are neutered as soon as they are old enough and have been checked by a vet.

“Neutering your cat has lots of health benefits for them and will help to reduce the cat population crisis.”

The same applies when going through a cat breed club.

The charity recommends against buying a cat from a pet shop or buying a cat from an advertisement in a newspaper or online because it can be harder to check the health of the animal and its mother.

The PDSA said on its website: “Where your cat comes from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy they are for the rest of their life.

“Try to do as much research as you can and choose where you get your cat from carefully.

“The wrong choice can mean your cat might require lots of vet treatment, which can be expensive.

“Reputable welfare organisations will health check their cats and many do ‘temperament testing’ to try and match the most suitable cat to your home and lifestyle.”