Vale Park Animal Hospital and Lakeshore PAWS advocate and support adopted pets through Furever Pet program

Every pet deserves exceptional care, yet some need more help than others; when a furry friend has been brought in from the cold as an adoptee, owners and veterinarians often face unique challenges. Vale Park Animal Hospital aims to create a smoother process between adopted dogs, their owners, and necessary medical care with its Furever Pet Program, a partnership that Vale Park holds with Lakeshore PAWS.

Vale Park Animal Hospital is an eight-doctor practice located in Valparaiso with a mission to support the community through high quality veterinary care, placing an emphasis on providing exceptional client service and patient care. With areas of expertise ranging from dental care to feline medicine, each veterinarian brings their own background and experience to the practice, allowing patients to receive care tailored to their individual needs.

When it comes to adopted pets, the kind of assistance they need and how to go about treating them can be more complicated.

As adopted pets transition from life on the street to living in a warm home, an unknown past can potentially be host to a myriad of issues and triggers. A shelter dog can take up to six months to fully adapt to a new environment, and it’s possible for unanticipated issues to crop up as adjustment begins.

Lakeshore PAWS, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization also located in Valparaiso, is no stranger to the struggles adopted dogs face.

“You don’t know what can upset adopted pets, and they’re not going to tell us. It takes someone that is willing to be patient and give that dog the space and the time that they need,” said Kate MacDonald, veterinary assistant at Vale Park Animal Hospital. “The number one key when adopting a shelter dog, versus a dog from a breeder or other location, is patience.”

The team at Vale Park Animal Hospital is familiar with what it takes to keep the process of bringing an adopted dog to the vet smooth, thanks to its partnership with Lakeshore PAWS and the Furever Pet program.

The Furever Pet program was established because of the close ties with Lakeshore PAWS. This includes a solid friendship between Dr. Jerry Rodenbarger, an associate veterinarian at Vale Park Animal Hospital, and Jeanne Sommer, the founder of Lakeshore PAWS. A previous veterinarian at Vale Park, Dr. Lisa Booth, is also part of the Lakeshore PAWS board and serves as medical director. With these relationships, the Furever Pet program was created, and Vale Park Animal Hospital hopes to ease the transition for new pet parents as well as the adopted dogs.

When an owner adopts a dog from Lakeshore PAWS, the first exam is free.

“It’s kind of like a ‘Congratulations on your adoption.’ After that, owners pay a normal exam fee,” MacDonald said.

Additionally, as long as owners bring their dog back each year around the same time for a wellness exam, their rabies, distemper, and leptospirosis vaccines remain free for life.

If an adopted dog is received without having been spayed or neutered, Lakeshore PAWS will cover the cost, though this may depend on other factors given the laws on spaying and neutering. The only fee that will come from the new pet parent’s pocket is necessary bloodwork.

Vale Park is also equipped to handle adopted dogs for annual visits, and advises that owners let the staff know an adopted dog is coming in ahead of time.

“We are a fear-free clinic. We try not to overwhelm the pets or stress them out. We try to take a different approach and go at their pace,” MacDonald said.

It can be difficult to bring a recently adopted dog into the clinic straight away. New owners may only have had the dog for a few days, which is far from enough time for the pet to properly adjust, yet Vale Park highly recommends bringing the dog in within the first 10 days of ownership. That way, if there is anything that Lakeshore PAWS should know about a pet adopted from their organization, Vale Park can let them know immediately.

Prior to beginning the adoption process, Lakeshore PAWS temper tests all dogs in hope of discovering what it takes to keep the dog comfortable, such as if the dog does well around other dogs or if they have food aggression. This not only helps find the pet the perfect forever home, but makes visits into the vet easier.

“It’s great Lakeshore PAWS finds that stuff out. When temper-tested pets come into Vale Park Animal Hospital, the new owners can say, ‘I know my dog doesn’t like other dogs,’ and we have a side door that we can use for them,” MacDonald said.

When given notice ahead of the appointment, staff are able to soften their approach, give out a few treats, and get the furry patient used to getting a checkup. The clinic refers to these as “happy visits,” where being able to add some positivity and friendliness improves the experience for everyone. 

“To the pets, we’re the bad guys. We do the shots; we do the blood draws. Not every pet is going to like us. That’s okay,” MacDonald said. “There are no dumb questions. You’re figuring out your pet, we’re figuring out your pet, and we’re all here to help you.”

Vale Park’s support of Lakeshore PAWS and its important work extends outside of the Furever Pet Program. It also participates in Lakeshore PAWS’ annual fundraising Pup Crawl as a top sponsor. The clinic makes use of their donation bin as well, so the community can chip in.

While the contents of the bin may end up at different shelters depending on the need in the area, there are plenty of instances that it goes to Lakeshore PAWS as well. Vale Park makes it known that Lakeshore PAWS has wishlists available to browse on their site, and will post on social media when it is in need, and everyone is able to donate — whether that be funds, time, or materials.

“Lakeshore PAWS does fundraisers besides the Pup Crawl. They also accept donations and hold events to raise funds. Lakeshore PAWS is not funded by the state, it’s all by donations,” MacDonald said.

When it comes to adopting a dog from Lakeshore PAWS, MacDonald advises researching breeds and considering your lifestyle. It’s possible to find your perfect couch potato or active pup — you never know what personality might be in a shelter. Having patience and expecting the unexpected is key, too, as not everything about an adopted dog will be clear, despite Lakeshore PAWS and Vale Park’s diligence.

“When I volunteered at Lakeshore PAWS and I would show people the dogs, I would be asked, ‘Are they potty trained? Are they this, are they that?’ I could only say, ‘I haven’t seen them have accidents here, but your home is a new environment. They’re not used to all of this.’ We don’t know anything for a fact, so I always tell them to treat the adopted pet like a puppy, because you’re not going to know until you’re in that situation,” MacDonald said.

Shelters are constantly overflowing, and a variety of dogs are ready for their forever homes at Lakeshore PAWS. The organization doesn’t believe in euthanization in order to make room, but rather, finding the perfect home to fit what both dogs and residents need.

Adopting a dog can be life-changing. They come from all over, and rarely does Lakeshore PAWS or Vale Park know their history. However, this doesn’t stop Vale Park from working with organizations like Lakeshore Paws to give these pets the homes they deserve.

To learn more about Vale Park Animal Hospital, visit its website atvaleparkah.com. For more information on Lakeshore PAWS, browse its website at lakeshorepaws.org.