Meeting your new companion

When welcoming a new canine companion into your home, an important step is your physical meet-and-greet. This step is especially valuable when you may already have other dogs in your home and when there are multiple family members who will be living with the dog.

Settling in your new dog at home

A meet-and-greet with your entire family and current dog before adoption allows you to assess their compatibility and can help you feel confident that you've found the perfect match.

Assessing compatibility can take time and we don’t expect both dogs will necessarily hit it off straight away, which is why our RSPCA Adoption team can provide advice about the introduction process in the home based on what they see at your meet-and-greet.

Every animal has their own history and experiences prior to coming into the care of the RSPCA. For example, a dog who has never seen a child or a male before, may be more reserved upon meeting.

During your meet-and-greet, just remember that every pet has their own unique personality, and our RSPCA Adoption Team can provide helpful advice about your new companion.

Meeting your new feline friend prior to adoption is usually conducted at an RSPCA location.

You may find that cats are more reserved upon meeting new people and when changing environments. Once settled into your home, cats will often become confident and social feline family members.

Our Adoption Team will help you find your purr-fect match. Just remember, we don’t conduct existing pet meet-and-greets with our cats. This can be done in your home with helpful advice below.

Settling in shy cats at home