Shelter Heroes: How a Pet Adoption Counselor Finds Forever Homes

A Day in the Life of a Pet Adoption Counselor

Kayla's role at DDFL involved a lot of research and preparation. She spent much of her time working with the animals to prepare them for adoption, but she had to be ready to switch gears from trainer to counselor on short notice.

"Every time a patron wanted to adopt a dog or cat that the behavior team had worked with, I was paged on the radio. I'd end my training session at a good place, and go to read up on the animal." After studying the dog or cat's history and care requirements, Kayla would outline the pet's needs and list her concerns about their care. "I then sat down to ask the potential adopters what they were looking for, what they saw in this animal, and what they were expecting as far as work. I then guided them toward understanding what this animal needed, or, if needed, I helped them find a pet that was a better fit."

Unfortunately, though, all of Kayla's hard work on behalf of the animals didn't always pay off the way she hoped. "There were times that an animal I loved went home with someone I didn't love," she says. "There were times that I had a bad feeling about an adoption, and then the dog or cat was returned hours, days or months later. Either way, that is always really hard."

But despite its challenges, the job was also full of rewards. "I loved helping adopters understand what their animals needed. Since I worked primarily with our behaviorally 'needy' pets, I was often explaining how to react when a dog growls, how to redirect a cat that tends to bite, or how to coach a pet over its phobias and fears. It was amazing to see people light up when they 'get it.'"

Ellen: A Success Story

One of Kayla's favorite adoptions that she had a hand in was that of Ellen, an 8-year-old shar pei mix from a shelter in Texas. Ellen had a number of issues, including arthritis, hip dysplasia and a lack of proper house training.

"She spent weeks on the adoption floor," says Kayla. "She just wasn't all that visually striking, and she was going to be a lot of work." But the staff at DDFL didn't give up on Ellen, and she was eventually adopted by an older woman who was ready to take on the challenge. "She sent the staff several updates per month for a long time, giving us updates on Ms. Ellen's progress. We really worried a lot about Ellen, but she managed to find one of the few homes in Denver that was really up for her challenges!"

An Important Link

Choosing a new pet can be fraught with uncertainty, and potential pet parents who don't choose carefully might find themselves in over their heads with a pet who needs more specialized care than they were prepared to provide. Adoption counselors can help alleviate that uncertainty and make sure adoptive pet parents are paired with pets that fit their personalities and lifestyles.

"The adoption counselors generally really know the animals they're working with. They know the animal's history, its needs, and what its past concerns were. This really helps them have a good idea of what the ideal home is for an animal," says Kayla, who has written a dog adoption checklist for K9 of Mine to help prospective pet parents prepare for choosing a new pet.

"The reality is, you might not be the perfect home for that pet — and they might not be exactly what you're looking for. Having someone there to help you is really helpful, because these decisions can be hard to look at with a critical eye."

Kayla calls pet adoption counselors the most important link in the chain when it comes to choosing the right pet. "We care a lot, and will spend the time you need to find the right pet!"

So, if you're interested in adopting a new pet, it's okay to look on the shelter's website, but remember to speak to adoption counselor if one is available first. They will be able to understand your wants and your needs and help you decide if the pet you liked online is actually a good fit for you. What you don't want is to go and fall in love with a pet at shelter and later have them tell you that that pet is not ideal for you and your situation. What's even tougher is finding out too late because bringing a pet back to the shelter after adoption is never a good situation for anyone.