Veterinarian as a guide to adoption
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Veterinarian as a guide to adoptions
2020 marked by adoption of pets
This last year, characterized by the pandemic, saw a significant increase in the adoption of animals by Italian families, up to the threshold of 39.5% of Italians who have at least one pet with them, the veterinarian can be a guide in the choice of animals and therefore of adoptions.[1]
The National Association of Veterinary Doctors (ANMVI) launched a consultation to which a sample of 808 veterinarians replied: 40% of the doctors surveyed observed an increase in new patients after the first lockdown. But there are also concerns, several families have had great economic difficulties in maintaining their animals, not only for food issues but especially for medical care and educational tools.
The veterinarian must direct the owners in the choice of animals and adoptions
In this perspective, the role of the veterinarian also takes on the role of guide, when a family or an individual decides to adopt a pet.
In the end, the goal is to create happy families, offering advices to customers and the community on pet selection is a great way to help. The secret is to combine your veterinary skills, knowledge of animal habits and needs, with customer information, to guide their choice.
Do not make this commitment lightly, the more knowledge you have about different pets, the more value there will be in your recommendation, take the time necessary to study, direct experience, reading, video viewing, webinar, Online learning and more are all great ways to acquire knowledge about the needs of pets before you start.[2]
More information helps adoption, use of the questionnaire
To best perform your task, you could write a questionnaire (or use one of the many that are online, after having tested it several times), a series of questions structured in a way as to propose the most suitable coupling.
From which animals is the family naturally attracted? How much time does the family have to dedicate to a pet? What is the experience with a pet? Training, grooming, checking, feeding, walking, embarking for holidays and more. Are they aware of all the less pleasant aspects of adopting a pet? All of these are great questions to ask in your questionnaire.
You can inform them about the predisposition to the pathologies pathologies of the different breeds, necessary vaccines, new legal provisions, such as the microchip for cats in the Lombardy Region [3] Region or the increase in deductible expenditure for the purchase of veterinary medicinal products.[4]
The greatest concern in fact in this period of adoptions is that linked to mistreatment and abandonment, individuals and families not prepared could find themselves uncomfortable in their situation, it is therefore good to instruct them so that adoption is not underestimated.
