Het adopteren van een hond
Adopt a dog
An animal shelter can help you adopt a dog. They will take into account where you live, whether you have children and what your lifestyle is. For this you have to fill in a questionnaire and then the employees can determine which dog suits you. It always takes some getting used to each other and the shelter can help you with this.
Getting a puppy or older dog?
You have thought carefully and you want to adopt a dog. Then you first have to determine whether you want to go for a young dog or an older dog. A young dog is full of energy and if you choose a puppy, you will have to raise it yourself. An older dog is a bit calmer and often the basic rules are already known and the dog is potty trained.
Dogs with a backpack
Sometimes there is a negative image of adopting a dog from a shelter. People think too quickly that these are problem dogs. Dogs that bite everyone or destroy everything in the house. But there are more reasons that a dog can end up in a shelter. Not all dogs have a backpack.
Why do dogs end up in shelters?
There can be several reasons why a dog ends up in the shelter. For example, if someone in the family turns out to be allergic to the dog. It is also possible that someone is divorced and cannot handle the care of the dog. Or someone gets health problems. Money can also play a role, for example if a dog needs special food that his owner cannot afford. In that case, the dog is often given up. They are sad situations. You also see that older people move to a care home where pets are not welcome and then a sad choice has to be made. Shelter staff will always be honest about the dog's past.
The adoption process
If you want to adopt a dog, you start with an appointment at the shelter. You fill in the application form and you will be called when a dog arrives that suits you. You are then invited to meet the animal. The shelter employee will assess whether the dog is right for you. It is sometimes recommended to meet the dog at the shelter a few times before you are allowed to take it home so that it can get used to it. If you already have pets, they will also be tested to see if they go well together. If everything clicks well, you can take your new pet home.
English 
Dutch 