You've decided to adopt — wonderful. Here's a step-by-step checklist to get the home, the supplies, the paperwork, and the first vet visit lined up before your new family member walks through the door.
1. Pet-proof the home
- Tuck away electrical cables and secure loose wires.
- Move houseplants out of reach — many common ones are toxic to pets.
- Lock away cleaning supplies, medicines, and pest baits.
- Identify a quiet "safe room" where your pet can decompress for the first week — usually a small room with their bed, water, and litter / pee pad.
- If you live above the ground floor, check balcony railings and windows for kitten- and small-dog-sized gaps.
2. Day-one supplies
- Food — get a small bag of what the shelter has been feeding. Switch gradually over 7–10 days.
- Food and water bowls — stainless steel or ceramic, not plastic.
- Bed or blanket — a soft, washable surface in the safe room.
- Collar with an ID tag (engraved with your phone number) and a leash for dogs.
- Carrier for the journey home — even for cats coming from a few streets away.
- Litter box and clumping litter for cats. Pee pads for puppies during house-training.
- Toys — two or three to start. You'll learn what they like.
- Grooming basics — a brush appropriate for their coat, pet-safe shampoo.
Stock up in our Dog and Cat aisles.
3. Paperwork to collect from the rescue
- Vaccination record (or a clear note on what's pending).
- Deworming history.
- Sterilisation status — date, clinic, post-op notes.
- Microchip number, if chipped.
- Any known medical history, allergies, or behavioural notes.
- The shelter's contact — keep it. They're a resource for life.
4. First vet visit
Book this within the first 7–10 days, even if the shelter says everything is up to date. The visit is for:
- A general health check — your vet should weigh, examine, and listen to the pet end-to-end.
- Confirming the vaccination schedule and booking the next due dates.
- Discussing parasite prevention — tick/flea control, monthly deworming.
- Starting a relationship — this is the vet who will see your pet for years, so pick someone you click with.
5. Settle-in protocol
Follow the 3-3-3 rule — see our first 30 days guide for the full version.
- Days 1–3: minimal handling. Let them explore the safe room. No visitors, no other pets in the room, no baths.
- Days 4–7: short, calm sessions in adjacent rooms. Start a feeding and walking routine.
- Week 2: introduce them to the rest of the home one room at a time. Start basic training — recall, simple cues — using treats.
- Week 3–4: introduce other household pets carefully (always supervised, always with an exit route). Expand walks.
6. Ask the shelter before you leave
Don't walk out without asking:
- Their best guess on age, breed mix, and approximate weight at maturity.
- Anything that triggers fear or aggression — fireworks, men, other dogs, brooms.
- Whether the pet is comfortable with children, other pets, being alone for a few hours.
- Food brand and meal timing.
- Whether the shelter offers a trial period or post-adoption check-ins.
7. Save these numbers
- Your vet's clinic and emergency line.
- The nearest 24-hour veterinary hospital.
- The shelter or rescuer who placed the pet.
- Our customer support: hello@thewagandwhisk.com for product or supply questions.
8. Register the microchip in your name
A microchip is only useful if the registration details point to you. Confirm with the shelter whether the chip is already registered under your name and contact number, or whether you need to complete that step yourself — a chip still listed under the shelter or a previous owner is far less useful if your pet ever goes missing.
You're ready
Once you've worked through this list, you're prepared. Submit your adoption inquiry and we'll help you find the right pet.
