Health checks
Here at Leicester Animal Aid, all cats and dogs are wormed, flea treated, and vaccinated. All new animals are also seen by our Vet and are given a health check. If a cat or dog needs any treatment, this is started straight away. All animals are weighed on arrival and their weight is monitored throughout their stay. Diet is very important for cats and dogs and we tailor food to each animal's individual need. The majority of cats are neutered before they are rehomed, and some dogs are, although this is more difficult with identifying dogs' seasons.
Behavioural assessments
Dogs are assessed for their reactions to other dogs, how they behave around food and toys, what motivates them in training (i.e. food, toys), what commands they already know, how they travel in a car, and whether their behaviour is the same off-site as it is at the Centre. We also assess dogs are with a variety of people. Of course, it can be unsettling for a dog to be in a kennel environment so we may not see their full personality here, but we are usually able to pass on useful and detailed information about an animal's behaviour and their likes and dislikes. We'll also be able to tell new adopters about their pet's food preferences and general health.
Cats are assessed for how they interact with people, how they like to play, whether they enjoy grooming and what their likes and dislikes are. As with dogs, we also assess for their ideal home – whether that would be with children or adults only, and whether they can live with other pets.
Training and socialisation
When we assess the dog or cat’s behaviour, we are looking for things we can work on to help them fit into a new home. We will work on a dog’s manners when walking on a lead and their recall, for example. For shy dogs and cats we will gradually introduce them to different people in different situations to help them to start to trust a variety of people. We use only positive reinforcement and will explain the training we have done at the Centre to potential new owners so they can carry on with this after adoption.