Post Adoption Support Information

We want to thank you for adopting an animal from Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter.  Bringing a new pet home is an exciting time, but it is easy for new owners and new pets to become overwhelmed.  Below is a list of materials and links that may provide useful information in helping your animal adjust to their new home.

The number one rule - It takes time to adjust!

It takes a while for your new friend to adjust to your home.  Your new pet has undergone a lot of change and will need some time to settle in.  At first your new pet is likely cautious and guarded.  As they get used to their new home, their personality will start to emerge and they will start to feel safe and bond with their new family members.  Please see the below graphic from Rescue Dogs 101 with some general guidelines on how long the adjustments may take.  

3 rule

Behavior Consultation

If you have adopted an animal from us and are experiencing behavior issues, we want to help.  ICACS has a staff behaviorist that may be able to provide tips on how to correct issues and keep your animal in the home.  Please fill out this form and our behaviorist will contact you for a phone consultation.

More Resources

Please see the documents below for more information on you can manage common behavioral issues that occur in dogs and cats.
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Document Center

The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.

Categories always sorted by seq (sub-categories sorted within each category)
Documents sorted by in Descending Order within category

Helpful Information on Dogs9 documents

  • Preventing separation anxiety in your dog
  • Bringing home a new baby, or introducing your new dog to children
  • How to crate train your new dog
  • Tips to housetrain your dog
  • Keeping your dog inside your fence
  • What is trazodone? And why is my new dog taking it?
  • Is your dog a "dog park dog"?
  • Feeding recommendations for dogs
  • Successful adoption habits

Helpful Information on Cats4 documents

  • Introducing your new dog to your cat
  • Introducing a kitten to adult cats
  • Litter box basics
  •   Feeding recommendations for cats