Preparing your home before adoption day
The week before adoption is the most important training week in the whole arc — because it's the week where you, the human, set the stage. The animal will be too overwhelmed in…
Bringing Home a New Pet
The first days, weeks, and months
Decompression isn't 'doing nothing.' It's the most important work a newly adopted animal does. These guides walk you through what to expect — and what to do — from the moment you walk in the door.
The first 24 hours
Your new pet has just had a huge day. They've been moved, driven, possibly bathed at the shelter or sanctuary, and now placed in a brand-new home with brand-new humans and…
The 3-3-3 rule for new dogs
Every animal who comes to Always & Furever has been through some kind of upheaval — surrender, transfer, loss of a person, often more than one. The transition from sanctuary to…
The 3-3-3 rule for new cats
Cats decompress more slowly than dogs, and more invisibly. A dog in shock often looks anxious or shut down in obvious ways. A cat in shock disappears under the bed for two weeks.…
Don't make permanent decisions about your animal in the first three weeks. The animal you bring home isn't the animal you'll know in a month.The 3-3-3 promise
