Getting an animal ready for rehoming

Whether a dog or cat is gifted in to Leicester Animal Aid by their owners, or if they are a stray, we make sure that they all receive essential healthcare and assessments before they are made available for rehoming. By finding out as much as we can about each dog and cat, we are then able to provide as much information as possible about their likes and dislikes and their individual needs, to potential new owners.

Health checks

All dogs and cats are wormed, flea treated, and vaccinated at Leicester Animal Aid.

All new animals are seen by our Vet on a Tuesday and are given a health check. If the animal requires any treatment for a health condition it will be started straight away. All animals are weighed on arrival and their weight is monitored throughout their stay. Diet is really important for dogs and cats and we tailor the food to the individual animal’s needs. The majority of cats will be neutered before they are rehomed, and some dogs may be although this is more difficult with identifying dog’s seasons.

Behavioural assessments

Dogs are assessed for their reactions to other dogs, how they are around food or toys, what motivates them in training (i.e. food or toys), what commands they already know, how they travel in a car, whether their behaviour is the same off-site as at the Centre and how they 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 true personality here, but we are able to advise on what we have seen.

Cats are assessed for how they enjoy interaction with people, how they like to play, whether they enjoy grooming and what their likes and dislikes are. We also assess for their ideal home – whether that would be with children or adults only, with other cats / 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 so new owners are able to carry on with this once their pet is home.