50 Wholesome Rescue Pet Pics To Heal Your Soul (August Edition)

When an animal enters a shelter, it has to get used to this (hopefully) temporary stop. The transition can be difficult. Sarah Bhimani, the Internal Communications and Content Producer at AHS, told Bored Panda that an animal's response to the shelter environment is very individual and varies.

"One challenge we see is that for some animals, the shelter can be an overwhelming place – lots of new smells and sounds, other animals, new people, etc," she explained. "We have different strategies to help these animals be comfortable, including housing them in offices (which tend to be quieter and away from other animals), extra enrichment (toys, treats, time with staff and volunteers), and occasionally prescribing anti-anxiety medication."

Bhimani said that having so many animals come through AHS facilities also means that "some dogs or cats may catch a respiratory infection (similar to the common cold in humans) while in the shelter (commonly referred to as kennel cough in dogs and upper respiratory infection, or URI, in cats)."

The good thing is that the Animal Humane Society has effective protocols in place to treat animals who develop a respiratory infection and to prevent other animals from catching it.

When you adopt a pet, the amount of time and energy it will take for the animal to settle in can also vary. But Bhimani provided some general tips that can help both of you:

• Before you bring your pet home (or before you leave the shelter), be sure to have all the necessary supplies you’ll need, including litter and litterbox, food and food/water bowls, collar and leash, toys, etc. Many of these supplies may be available for purchase from the shelter.

• Designate a room in your home as a “sanctuary space” for your new pet. While it’s tempting to want to give your pet the run of the house right away, it can be overwhelming for your pet. This is especially important if you have already other pets in the home or young children. This room should be set up with your pet’s food, water, bed, toys, litterbox, etc. Let your pet stay in this room for about a week to acclimate to their new surroundings and get used to you and the family. Always supervise interactions between pets and children and teach children how to properly interact with your new pet.
• If after a week your pet seems comfortable, you can let them explore other areas of your home. For dogs, it’s helpful to keep a leash on them while introducing them to the rest of the house so you can easily redirect them if they try jumping on or playing with something they shouldn’t.

As you can see from the pictures, dogs and cats aren't the only ones that need help.

"It depends on the shelter, but here at Animal Humane Society, for example, we also care for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, gerbils, mice, rats, small birds, chinchillas, degus, and hedgehogs," Bhimani added.

To read about adoption and other ways you can contribute to the well-being of animals, visit animalhumanesociety.org.