Host: What are some of the things that adopters learn when going through the adoption process?

Michelle Otis: The shelter is going to give you as much specific information as they can about the animal that you are applying for adoption on. Outside of that, it really depends on how savvy you are and what your pet experience is and that's why the application process and the communication between you and your adoption counselor is very important. It lets them know where you need to be educated and what you already know. Basic pet care, responsible pet ownership, feeding schedules, what types of foods, what qualities of food the dog should get, what types of toys the dog can play with or should play with, what types of activities this dog might need or might fit in with your lifestyle. Your adoption counselor can give you all kinds of ideas about that, but it's important that you be very honest and upfront with them about how much time you really want to spend with your dog and how much time you have to invest in training and things of that nature. So you will get a lot of information from your adoption counselor, but it is all going to depend on what your experience is and what information you need. Most adopters seek information on training and transition issues like how do I get this dog to transition into the household with my current dog or with my cat or with my kid and so, the information you get will be specifically tailored to you.