What to Consider When Adopting a Pet in New York

Adopting a pet is a life-changing decision. It’s also full of teachable moments. Katherine Reeves, Community Kids Coordinator for Animal Care Centers of NYC, notes that “learning together about how to care for a pet is a great opportunity for parents to teach their kids not only about responsibility, but about respect and empathy as well.” If you’re looking to add a fur baby to your family, read on for tips about New York pet adoption.

What Type of Pet Is Right For Your Family?

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? However, you need to think carefully about what kind of animal makes the most sense for your family and situation. Do you travel a lot? Work nights? Plan on having a baby soon? Do you have energy for a fur baby, or would a more mature animal be more appropriate? Do you have a backyard or are you close to green space or dog parks in NYC? Do you live in a building with an elevator? Are you fond of vacuuming, or would you prefer an animal that doesn’t shed? And can you maintain this new routine for the pet’s entire life? Adopting a pet means plenty of snuggles and cute selfies, but it can also affect your lifestyle and upend your routine.   

When it comes to New York pet adoptions, we often default to dog or cat, but you might want to broaden the possibilities to include chinchillas, turtles, or parakeets. Reeves suggests a holistic approach: “Whether they are considering a dog, cat, rabbit, goldfish, or bird, it’s important [that families] understand and discuss what their potential new pet needs in order to be both healthy and happy. Learning about basic needs such as what is nutritional food, what are the space/habitat requirements, and exercise is just as important as understanding that animals also have higher needs such as emotional, social, and intellectual ones.” 

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Know Your Potential Pet’s Personality

The Cat Fanciers’ Association recognizes more than 40 types of cats, from American Curl to RagaMuffin, while the American Kennel Club describes almost 350 different kinds of dog breeds. Both sites offer searchable lists with photos and key characteristics like average weight and personality.

Still, as Reeves notes, every animal is unique: “Even though animals can’t tell us in our languages how they feel or what they like or dislike, they do use body language to express themselves. As good pet guardians, everyone in the family should learn about that type of animal’s body language and understand how important it is to respect what a pet is telling us, so that everyone in the home can be happy, healthy, and safe.” Undertaking that research before adopting a pet helps ensure a smooth transition for all.

Understand the Law

NYC bans a slew of animals as pets, among them ferrets, black widow spiders, pythons, tigers, hedgehogs, llamas, and elephants—in case you were hoping to go a little more exotic. Honeybees and horses are okay, though.