Many places call themselves a shelter. Get to know the facility before getting a pet from it. Here are are a few recommendations:

• Visit the shelter during normal visiting hours.

• Staff and volunteers should present themselves professionally.

• The shelter should be clean, free of clutter and have minimal pet waste odors.

• Pets should be clean, free of mats in their fur and be healthy.

• Pets should be spayed or neutered to reduce the number of unwanted puppies or kittens.

• Dogs for adoption should be leash trained and be able to obey simple commands.

• Cats for adoption should want to be near people.

Adopting a shelter pet can be a wonderful experience. Finding a good shelter will have positive repercussions for both you and your new pet.

Dr. Anna M. van Heeckeren, MS, DVM, is founder, president

For many, this is the season of gift-giving. Most older adults have all the things they need. It’s a challenge finding just the right present.

If you have a loved one in this category and they have a dog or cat living with them, there are plenty of items or services you can provide to help make the holiday a bit brighter for pets and their owners.

Want to keep up appearances?

Offer to pay for pet grooming services.

Feeling generous?

Make a donation to their favorite pet-related charity in their honor.

More time than cash?

Give a coupon book filled with chores you can do to help them care for their pet over the year.

No time?

Pay for pet cleaning services so they don’t have to pick up pet waste from the yard. Or ask their favorite veterinarian if you can pay for their veterinary care services.

Feeling strong?

Buy heavy supplies such as pet food or cat litter and deliver it to older friends or family members to save them a trip to the store.

Like the outdoors?

Schedule a walk with them and their dog once a month or once a week.

Does the registration process require that your pet be vaccinated? If yes, you can trust the organizers know that some diseases might be spread if your dog or other dogs are not vaccinated. This is a great safety consideration. If not, do not enter this charity dog walk. You never know if other dogs are vaccinated. You might risk your dog’s health.

Is your pet current on all vaccinations and parasite control? If yes, then your dog is probably prepared to be around other dogs. If not, make sure you make an appointment with your veterinarian well in advance.

Is your dog comfortable around strange people and strange dogs? If yes, then you reduce the risk that your dog may become scared and bite another dog or a person out of fear. If not, this might not be the right opportunity for an outing.

Can your dog walk for as long as you plan to walk? If yes, then you’re doing a great job keeping your dog exercised well. If not, consider working up to that distance so your dog can enjoy the experience.

Will your dog be walking on pavement? Pavement can be very hot for dog paws, and they might get burned. If the day is sunny, and your dog is walking on pavement, feel the ground with your own hands and make sure it feels comfortable to you. If it’s too hot for your hands, it’s  probably too hot for your dog’s paws.

What do you need to bring? Bring a water bowl and some water for you and your dog. Walking is great exercise, and both of you need to be well hydrated. Snacks are optional. Have a well-fitted collar and strong leash. Retractable leashes are not advis- able because they can cause injury o your hand.

I f you have pets and plan to travel, you may be considering a place to board your pet while you’re gone. Here are five practical tips when planning to board your pet:

1 Update your pet’s core vaccines, plus those required by the boarding facility and as recommended by your veterinarian.

2 Make sure your pet is free of parasites such as fleas and intestinal parasites. Your veterinarian can help you manage these for your pet.

3 Get to know the boarding facility staff so you can feel that your pet is in the hands of people who care about your pet like you do.

4 Understand what your pet’s experience will be like during your absence.

5 Finally, and most importantly, don’t leave planning to the last possible moment. Make an appointment with your veterinarian and the boarding facility well ahead of time (one month ahead). If you don’t already have a veterinarian or boarding facility, start your research now for a suitable fit for you and your pet.

Your veterinarian can use different kinds of tests to identify why your pet is experiencing pain. Some of these tests can be performed by your primary veterinary care provider, and others require a specialist with novel diagnostic tests.

Pain can be a challenge to treat. Understanding the reason why your pet is in pain can help determine the best treatment options. The most commonly known treatment is pain medication. Pain medications for people may be harmful for your pet, so always talk with your veterinarian about pain medications that may be safe to use in your pet.

Therapies to treat pet pain include some you may have heard are used for people. These include acupuncture and laser therapy. The treatments Dr. Jennifer F. Johnson, a veterinary pain management specialist from Pennsylvania, explained were very convincing to me as effective options for treating specific causes of pain. Your primary care veterinarian may or may not have these specialized treatment options available, so they may refer you to a specialist.

Some tests and treatments are more expensive than you may expect, so understand how much it will cost and determine whether you can afford to pay for specific tests and treatments before you start approving them.

If your pet is experiencing pain that cannot be identified or managed effectively at a price you can afford, have a discussion with your veterinarian about whether you should consider euthanasia for your pet. It may be the  most humane choice you have. If you have a hard time thinking about euthanasia as an option for whatever reason, there are people who can help you cope with this decision.

Pet treatments continue to evolve. I recently attended a continuing education event for veterinarians that talked about recognizing pain in dogs and cats, and treatment options for pets experiencing pain.

If you are thinking about downsizing, you need to think about whether getting a new pet is more important to you than where you live; not all places accept pets.

Federally subsidized housing must allow residents to have a pet. They may restrict the species to just dogs or cats, they may limit the number or weight of the pet, the pet must be current on all necessary vaccinations and parasite control and they must receive annual veterinary care services.

The facility may charge non-refundable fees and additional monthly expenses. Understand the restrictions, extra costs and other rules.

If you haven’t lived with a dog or a cat before, you may want to start with an older pet that has no known behavioral problems. Some may have medical conditions just like people have, so you may need to be prepared to pay for their veterinary expenses (up to $5,000 for some life-saving procedures).

Ask about medical and behavioral history before you adopt from a shelter or buy from a breeder, regardless of how reputable the animal shelter or breeder is.

You also want to get a second opinion from a veterinarian that isn’t closely affiliated with the shelter or breeder. Get a thorough health checkup. Live with the pet for three months; it may take that long for everyone to learn to live in harmony with one another.

Puppies and kittens are a joy to watch and to play with, but they also can be difficult at times. If you want one, try attending a course such as the one Dr. Elizabeth Feltes from The Behavior Clinic in North Olmsted developed. She and her team are  trained in the humane way to socialize animals with people and with other animals. They also provide in-home help when a pet has been cleared of a medical issue.