Companion animal overpopulation has been a global crisis for decades. This problem is derived from pet owners abandoning their pets and failing to spay or neuter them. The situation is getting worse because of the increase in the number of pets every day.

According to a survey conducted by Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development, there were around 820,000 stray dogs and cats in 2017. The estimated number of stray dogs and cats in 2027 will be 1,920,000! This figure doesn’t even take into account the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributes to an increase in the pet abandonment rate.

When pet overpopulation occurs, many organizations attempt to manage it by transporting them to shelters and providing birth control. Currently, all pet shelters exceed their limit in taking care of all companion animals. They would like all of us soon-to-be pet parents to help!

MyFriend would like to invite you to spread LOVE to all companions in need of help and a forever home! Here are some pet adoption information and guidelines in Thailand for you to look at before making a decision to adopt these loving fur babies.

Step 1: Are you ready to adopt? 🤔

Before adopting, ask yourself these questions and take the time to answer carefully. It’s very important to know your own needs and come to terms with your readiness before adopting. When you are interviewed by the shelter, they may ask some of these questions.

• Are you ready to take care of a pet for the rest of their life?
• Do you have enough resources such as time, energy, money, and space, to take care of another life?
• Do you have the basic knowledge of taking care of a pet? Have you done your research?
• Are your family members and neighbors okay with you having pets?

Step 2: Find your “Paw-mate” 🐾

Everyone should search for a shelter that they would like to support and meet their new lifelong friends! You can choose the right pet face-to-face or look through their shelter website and contact them for further information.

Step 3: Prep your home 🏠

Make sure that you have enough space for your pet. If you’re adopting a dog, you will need a fence that’s at least 1.5 meters high. If you’re looking for a feline friend, you might need a separate room, according to the shelter’s regulations. And don’t forget to make sure that your family members and neighbors are alright with you having a pet to prevent any conflict.

Step 4: Gather documents 📝

If the shelter allows you to adopt a pet after examining your house, you can ask for a list of all documents required from the shelter and gather them all thoroughly. Usually, it should include identification documents and house registration. If you would like to adopt from overseas or relocate in the near future, please check with the shelter first, documents needed can vary from shelter to shelter and from country to country.

Step 5: Medical Evaluation 🩺

Don’t forget to request health records from the shelter. It should include vaccination, microchipping, spaying/neutering, and general health record history. Also, find out if there are any pre-existing chronic diseases or genetic disorders that require further treatment, and care.

Step 6: Pet socialization 🐶

The sad truth is that most friends from shelters are not familiar with a cozy and comfortable environment because they grew up on the streets. That’s why we need to be generous and extremely patient. Spare some time to help them get used to the new environment and go through some training, as well as the pet socialization process!

Step 7: Love & Care ❤️

Give all of your love and care to your new friend! Just as you have hoped before giving them a forever home. Being a pet parent is a full-time job that can be challenging at times. Circumstances change, and if you truly believe you can’t continue, please take all the time to reconsider before returning them to the shelter. Don’t abandon them on the streets, dangerous situations and accidents can happen.

Adopting a dog or a cat allows you to save not one, but two lives. There will be one more space available in the shelter for another fur baby who is still out there, looking for a forever home.

MyFriend would like to encourage all pet lovers who are ready to have a pet to adopt from shelters in order to help reduce domestic pet overpopulation. Please think carefully and take everything into consideration, before deciding if you are ready to take in a furry friend. Then, you can start your journey and share your life together!

🥰 MyFriend’s Parent things! Everything about us, pet lovers and pawrents. From lifestyle to taking care of our furry friends properly, and fun activities for everyone, it’s all here!

🐶🐱 MyFriend, your pet’s app. Where pet parents can find all services and content to take better care of their best friends!