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After Adoption

What to Expect Once You Adopt From HTFF

We, like most reputable animal rescue organizations, seek to make sure the creatures we save never end up homeless again. We especially want to make sure our saved creatures are well cared for and safe once they are placed in their Forever Homes. The following information helps us with a match made in heaven, in which we have taken our rescued animals from the worst situation to the best situation.

Our contract does require regular update contact via email or snail mail or a phone call or text from the Forever Owner. Photographs and a simple email typically suffice.

We do follow up calls from volunteers to maintain contact information and make sure everything is going smoothly.

We hope that adopters will provide the best of care to each creature adopted from HTFF

The following are suggestions, that by experience, we know help keep creatures healthy and happy:

Preventive Care

…the way to a long, healthy life….

  • Veterinary check ups at least one time a year, should include blood panels. As the animal grows into a senior, twice a year wellness checks, with at least one visit including the senior panel. Especially important is to check for diabetes and have the kidneys checked.
  • Dental care is vital! Make sure to have your creature’s teeth checked at every vet visit. Cleaning should be done by expert veterinarians and maintenance cleaning done by expert animal dental care specialists. Non-anesthesia dental cleaning is available on monthly or other regularly scheduled calendar.
  • For critters have cages and areas reviewed daily and cleaned at least twice a week.
  • Guinea pig foot pads need to be checked by a vet regularly, as well as their teeth.

Safety

is the way to keep animals out of harms way and to keep them from trouble…

  • Animals are unpredictable. They always should be well watched and well secured when unknown children are around or in crowded or public areas. Teach people that they are not supposed to just up and pet your animal without first asking you if it is okay to do so.
  •  Don’t let strangers pick up your animal or hold the animal close to their face. Animals get wary about having their face shoved into unknowns and a normally docile creature can snap without notice. Rabbits especially can get very scared and scratch and bite if picked up by a stranger or someone they do not see everyday.
  • Off leash is NOT RECOMMENDED and it is against the law. Dogs have to be on leash and with appropriate collars and harnesses that are snug. In some areas, pit bull breeds have to have muzzles. Educate yourself on leash laws in your area.
  • Off leash has led to one of our HTFF creatures being killed by a car. Our precious little Momma dog that we rescued from Riverside County Shelter was killed by a car when her owner decided it was a great idea to have her off leash at a crowded beach on the Fourth of July. A firecracker scared Momma and she was lost and then hit by a car.
  • Keep collars snug and use harnesses. No question about it, many dogs have ended up in the shelter because they slipped out of their collars. We had one HTFF adopted dog slip out of his collar while on a walk with his owner, who ended up attacking two smaller dogs. Children should not be solely holding the leash.
  • Keep small dogs away from large dogs, keep small dogs away from large dogs, keep small dogs away from large dogs. Many of our adopters know about this as we have adopted about 25% of our small dogs to people whose previous small dog was killed or seriously injured by a large dog…no matter the breed, no matter how docile they seemed.
  • Dog parks can be places for trouble. Make sure to know all the rules of a particular park and have your dog in the proper section for its size and age.
  • It is safe to keep your under-one-year old puppy away from the public. Parvovirus and Guardia are very common and strong. Even adult dogs can contract these illnesses, but especially puppies. Be safe and patient with your pup as it grows that first year.

Suggested for Forever Pets

Dogs:

  • Toys (small dogs like soft toys, pups need chew toys)
  • Food bowl
  • Water Bowls in more than one location of both the house and yard
  • Bed
  • Blanket for colder months
  • Ramp or steps for small doggy to get on and off sofa and bed
  • Depending on dog or age may need a baby/pet gate
  • Depending on dog or age may need a black wire crate

Recommended Food: Wellness for both wet and dry, Blue Buffalo for both wet and dry, Science Diet Dry for Toy and Small Dogs, Nutro Dry Puppy Small Bite

Cats:

  • Toys
  • Food bowl
  • Water Bowls in more than one location of the house
  • Bed
  • Blanket for colder months
  • Scratching posts
  • Cat Trees

Recommended Food: Kitten Chow by Purina for kittens. Cats are very finicky eaters. Try all brands and see what food appeals to the cat. Kittens needs milk replacer at least once daily through the 12th month. Some cats continue to like kitten replacer milk even as adults, which is fine. We suggest for young kittens, Kitten Chow and we also use Royal Canin Baby Cat Instinctive loaf in juice (wet) and Royal Canin Kitten Instinctive for 4 months and older.

Rabbits:

  • Food Bowls
  • Water Bowls
  • Toys
  • Bedding
  • Potty Boxes
  • Litter for Rabbits
  • Salt Chews
  • Chew treats
  • Safety covers for wires and extension cords
  • Baby/pet gates
  • Ramps/steps
  • Wire gates, x pen gates to partition certain areas as needed.

Recommended Food: Healthy, plain pellets, hay, and generous servings of well washed veggies and fruits. Try some healthy fruit chews and yogurt vitamin drops, but really the best for bunnies and other critters are fresh foods devoid of manufactured junk.

Guinea Pigs

C&C Housing: Please note C & C grid cube housing is the best for guinea pigs. You can buy these online or at selected independent pet stores. They can be constructed to suit your space and needs. Any housing for guinea pigs should have solid bottoms because their feet can get severely injured and infected with wire flooring. Flooring should be cleaned daily.

  • Food Bowls
  • Water Bowls
  • Toys
  • Bedding
  • Potty Boxes
  • Litter for guinea pigs/critters
  • Salt Chews
  • Chew treats
  • Baby/pet gates

Recommended Food: Healthy, plain pellets, hay, and generous servings of well washed veggies and fruits. Try some healthy fruit chews and yogurt vitamin drops, but really the best for guinea pigs and other critters are fresh foods devoid of manufactured junk.

 Rats:

  • Large, multilevel coated cages…NO aquariums/glass cages for rats.
  • Cover ramps with safe nontoxic materials to keep feet healthy and safe.
  • Wheels
  • Toys
  • Bed and bedding that allows the ratty to be comfy and warm. Sometimes even comfy dog/cat blankets work, nursery bedding, also can buy bedding specifically for rats at pet stores.
  • Cannot be in direct sunlight or near drafts.
  • Climbing toys, little buildings that they can entertain and get exercise from climbing.

Recommended Food: Healthy, plain lab blocks, grains, and generous servings of well washed veggies and fruits. The best diet for rats, mice and other critters are fresh foods devoid of manufactured junk.

Mice:

Glass cages can work well, but they have to be large and cleaned often, multiple times a week. Beddings and floor should be reviewed and/or cleaned daily.  Otherwise other types of safe and roomy cages with flat floors. No open wire floors.

  • Bed and bedding…at least and inch thick of paper based and other nontoxic material bedding. Clean out at least 3 times a week. NO pine shavings or any other type of wood shavings.
  • Cannot be in direct sunlight or near drafts.
  • Wheel
  • Toys
  • Chews
  • Huts, houses
  • Climbing toys, little buildings that they can entertain and get exercise from climbing.

Recommended Food: Healthy, plain lab blocks, grains, and generous servings of well washed veggies and fruits. The best diet for mice, rats and other critters are fresh foods devoid of manufactured junk.

Hamsters

Glass cages can work well, but they have to be large and cleaned often, multiple times a week. Beddings and floor should be reviewed and/or cleaned daily. Otherwise other types of safe and roomy cages with flat floors. No open wire floors.

Bed and bedding…at least and inch thick of paper based and other nontoxic material bedding. Clean out at least 3 times a week. NO pine shavings or any other type of wood shavings.

  • Cannot be in direct sunlight or near drafts.
  • Wheel
  • Toys
  • Chews
  • Huts, houses
  • Climbing toys, little buildings that they can entertain and get exercise from climbing.

Recommended Food: Healthy, plain lab blocks, grains, and generous servings of well washed veggies and fruits. The best diet for hamsters and other critters are fresh foods devoid of manufactured junk. NOTE: Dwarf hamsters are very susceptible to getting diabetes. Hamsters and other critters should NEVER be fed sugary treat, cookies, etc.

Please refer to the recommended vendors page for great referrals.

Tell us your story, we would love to hear about how you found your forever friend