An adult dog or cat comes with a story you only know part of. Here is what to ask before you sign, what the City and the government require or recommend, and how to handle the first weeks and the first visit.
This guide is provided for information and support. It does not replace your veterinarian's personalized advice: every animal and every story is different. At the slightest doubt, talk to our team. If you need us, call 514 223-1197.
A pet coming from a shelter or another home is tired and stressed, but these signs are never "just settling in".
They are struggling to breathe, or their gums are pale or bluish. In a cat, open-mouth breathing at rest, or that does not settle a few minutes after the car ride once they are calm and cool, cannot wait.
A cat, especially a male, is straining in the litter box and nothing comes out.
They have a seizure.
They vomit blood or have diarrhea with blood, or they are so flat they will not get up.
They come from Northern Quebec, from an area affected by rabies or from another country, and one of these signs appears: aggression or biting for no reason, sudden lethargy, drooling, weak or paralyzed legs, a staggering walk, a hanging jaw, unusual crying or howling. Shut them alone in a room without touching them, then call before you set out, and say where they come from.
You do not have to work out which of these matters most. If one of them speaks to you, go; for the last one, call first. If you are unsure, call anyway: triage is our job, not yours. Outside our hours a 24/7 emergency centre answers, and describing the situation on the phone commits you to nothing. Call us at 514 223-1197, or see What to do in an emergency and 24/7 centres.
Has someone been bitten or scratched?
Wash the wound with soap and water, call Info-Santé at 811 and say where the animal comes from, then call us. Do not get rid of the animal, and keep it alive: it may need to be placed under observation. In Montreal, if your dog has bitten or tried to bite, the City requires notice within 3 days and imposes conditions, including a basket muzzle outdoors.
A shelter, a foster home or a private owner knows part of an animal's story, rarely all of it. Your questions help you choose an animal who fits your life and prepare their first visit; "we don't know" is already an answer.
What to ask
Their health: what has been done (dated, documented vaccines, deworming, tests, spaying or neutering, microchip), any illness, medication, what they eat, their last exam. The printable list covers it all. Offered a cat who is FIV- or FeLV-positive? First read Living with a positive cat: the two viruses do not have the same outlook.
Where they come from: the street, another home, another region, another country, and how long they have been at the shelter. If they come from Northern Quebec, from an area affected by rabies or from another country, read the next box.
Their temperament: with cats, dogs, children, strangers; have they ever bitten, are they house-trained, can they be left alone? If they lived in foster care, ask what the foster family saw: it is a good reflection of life in a home.
Your home: in Montreal, the City prohibits keeping more than 4 cats or dogs per dwelling, and never more than 3 dogs. Have your own pets' vaccines checked before the newcomer arrives: no one knows yet what they may bring in.
Checking who you are dealing with
In Quebec, a shelter or an SPCA must hold a government permit: ask for the number. Walk away if you see any of these five warning signs, which the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) gives for any seller or giver:
an offer to meet somewhere neutral, or to ship the animal, instead of letting you see them where they live;
no way to see the animal before paying;
money to send to another country;
no questions about your lifestyle;
no veterinary records, no health guarantee, no return policy.
From the North, from an area affected by rabies, or from another country
Here, some precautions start before the animal walks through your door. They come from Quebec's agriculture ministry (MAPAQ) and from the Government of Canada.
A dog from Northern Quebec
Rabies is established in foxes in the North, and an infected dog can look healthy for months: no test can tell, and a vaccine given to a dog who is already infected does not prevent the disease. MAPAQ recommends:
having your other animals vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days before the dog arrives;
for six months, even with an up-to-date record: limiting the dog's contacts and writing down who they met, keeping them leashed outdoors, not giving them away or selling them;
passing these instructions on to anyone who looks after the dog.
Already home, and your pets are not vaccinated against rabies? Say so when you book.
An area affected by rabies
In 2026, raccoon rabies is present in parts of Montérégie, Estrie and Centre-du-Québec (current map on Québec.ca (opens in a new tab)). For a stray dog or cat, or one whose history is unknown, coming from there, MAPAQ recommends six months of precautions: limited contact, your other animals up to date on their rabies vaccine, the newcomer indoors if possible (especially a cat) and leashed outside, no dog parks, no giving them away or selling them. MAPAQ asks the shelter to give you its notice.
Another country
Since 2022, a dog destined for adoption cannot enter Canada if it comes from a country at high risk for dog rabies: the CFIA treats it as a commercial dog. For an adult dog from any other country, the border mainly checks a rabies vaccination certificate, with no health test and no quarantine; that certificate proves a vaccine was written down, not that the animal is protected. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends keeping an imported dog away from other animals and vulnerable people for two to four weeks; among the risks, it names rabies, brucellosis and a tapeworm. If they lived in a region where rabies circulates in animals, MAPAQ also recommends six months of close watch.
In all three cases, say where the animal comes from when you book.
The paperwork: what you are given, what you ask for
At signing
If the shelter is located in Montreal, the City requires it to give you proof that the animal is spayed or neutered and microchipped, or a veterinarian's form explaining why this was postponed or ruled out: keep it. If the shelter tells you the dog has bitten before or is under keeping conditions, the City requires you to contact it as soon as you take the dog. Wherever you adopt, read the contract: Québec.ca advises turning down any clause that would stop you from following your veterinarian's advice.
Then, 15 days in Montreal
In the 19 boroughs, you then have 15 days to get their pet licence and, if they are over 6 months old, to have them spayed or neutered and microchipped, which the shelter has often done already. The City accepts the contract as proof if it states that the animal is spayed or neutered and microchipped (for a dog, with the microchip number): check this before you sign, especially with a private owner. Register the microchip in your name: that is how you can be reached if they get lost (check your details in the registry). Elsewhere in Quebec, a provincial regulation allows at most 30 days to register a dog with your municipality, which can set a shorter deadline or require a licence for cats too: check with your city. The details for Montreal: what Montreal requires.
To print
What to ask for before you sign, and what to bring to the first visit
What to ask for before you sign, and what to bring to the first visitHôpital Vétérinaire Métro Iberville · montreal.vet
Before you sign, ask for:
the adoption contract, read before signing, stating that they are spayed or neutered and microchipped
the health record: dated vaccines, dewormings, tests, treatments
proof of spaying or neutering and the microchip number (or the veterinarian's form)
where they come from, the date they left the North or arrived in the country, and how long they have been at the shelter
what is known about their behaviour, bites included
the shelter's permit number
MAPAQ's notice, if they come from Northern Quebec or from an area affected by rabies
Bring to the first visit:
all of that paperwork, even if it comes from another country or is in another language
In the first days, an adult tends to watch before coming closer: they hide, sleep, eat little. The 3-3-3 rule of thumb (3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months) helps you be patient, without being an exact science: every animal takes the time they need.
Cats
A quiet room of their own: a litter box, water and food well away from it, a hiding spot, a scratching post, the carrier left open. Let them come to you, keep them indoors for at least the first few weeks, and introduce them to your cats only after their exam and their test (Introducing a new cat).
Dogs
A routine from day one, few visitors, short walks, no dog park at first. An ID tag on the collar from the first day: a newly arrived dog may try to bolt. Restart house-training as you would with a puppy (an adult dog who was never housetrained), and get them used to short absences early (preventing separation anxiety).
For both
Keep their usual food at first, then switch gradually.
Reward, never punish: a growl or a hiss is a warning. If your new pet growls at a child, calmly separate them and call us: pain can be the cause, and punishment makes a bite more likely.
Keep them apart from your pets at least until their first visit, and longer if they come from the North, from an area affected by rabies or from another country.
Book within the first few days, ideally before they meet your other pets, say where they come from, and bring the list. New to the clinic? See First visit: becoming a client.
What we check
a full exam, teeth included;
their age, given as a range rather than a date;
their microchip, scanned and matched against the paperwork;
whether they are spayed or neutered: a small tattoo on the belly or, in a cat, a clipped ear tip often tells us.
Vaccines: we start from what is proven
Without reliable proof, veterinary guidelines recommend treating the animal as unvaccinated and vaccinating: it is safer than guessing, and it often takes more than one visit. A blood test sent to a laboratory can sometimes measure protection against a few diseases; for rabies, a result never replaces the vaccine. Rabies is not province-wide mandatory in Quebec, but remains a core vaccine: we'll discuss it together (Vaccination).
Parasites and screening
A stool test and treatment for worms and fleas (parasite prevention). For a dog, a heartworm test. For a cat, a test for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus before they meet your cats, sometimes to be confirmed later (our guide explains when). Depending on where they come from, other tests may be suggested, some of them sent to an outside laboratory.
When to call us
What to expect, and what you should not wait out
Hiding, sleeping a lot, watching before coming closer: that is settling in. Stress can also dull the appetite a little or soften the stools, but it is never a reason not to call. Call us the same day for any of these:
A cat who eats nothing, or clearly less: at the first real meal refused, call. In an adult cat, never let more than 24 to 48 hours pass without eating (why).
A dog whose vaccines are unknown who is vomiting or has diarrhea, even just soft stools: we do not watch that overnight, and if we are closed, call an emergency centre rather than waiting for opening.
For diarrhea in any other pet, reassess over 24 hours: that is a ceiling, not a timer to run down (dog, cat).
A cat who sneezes or has runny eyes, if they are eating less, seem flat or keep an eye shut: stress often wakes up a cold they were already carrying (My cat is sneezing and has a runny nose).
A dog who coughs after a stay at a shelter, if they are flat, feverish, eating poorly or the cough is getting worse (kennel cough); in the meantime, keep them away from other dogs.
A pet who drinks little or stays flat.
The signs at the top of this page never wait.
If you are unsure, call anyway: triage is our job, not yours. Outside our hours a 24/7 emergency centre answers, and describing the situation on the phone commits you to nothing.
Protecting the household: your pets, children, you
Pick up stools and scoop the litter every day, then wash your hands, as you would after handling the animal. Make sure children wash their hands too: they are more exposed to animal worms.
Anyone who is pregnant or whose immune system is weakened should talk to their doctor before adopting a cat, and let someone else scoop the litter.
A hairless patch on the pet: think of ringworm, which people can catch, and call us. A round, itchy patch on your skin or a child's: see your doctor or call Info-Santé at 811, and mention the new pet.
The guardrail
Give no home medications
A stressed pet with diarrhea, a sneeze or sleepless nights makes you want to open the medicine cabinet, or buy something "to help them settle" without asking us. That is where a kind impulse can turn dangerous.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Deadly to cats, even a single tablet. There is no safe dose. In dogs it attacks the liver. If your pet has swallowed some, that is an immediate emergency.
Ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), aspirin
Stomach ulcers and kidney damage, in dogs as well as cats, and cats are affected at smaller amounts than dogs. Never a human anti-inflammatory, whatever the reason. In a small animal, a single tablet can be enough.
Leftover prescriptions and pharmacy products
Another pet's antibiotic or eye drops, something for diarrhea or a cold. A prescription is worked out for one animal, one problem and one weight: it does not transfer. And many cold products contain acetaminophen.
Human sedatives and sleeping pills, "calming" products and essential oils
An animal who is adjusting needs time, not a product given blind. Cats are very sensitive to essential oils, and a diffuser can be enough. Talk to us before you buy.
Dog flea products
Several contain permethrin, a violent poison for cats (tremors, seizures). Never a "for dogs" product on a cat, even a small amount, and watch the cat who rubs against a freshly treated dog.
Medications sent home by the shelter
Give them exactly as directed, and bring them to the first visit.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Since arriving, my pet barely eats, has diarrhea or keeps sneezing. Is that normal?
A little, in the first days: the move is tiring and stressful. A smaller appetite the first evening, slightly soft stools after a change of food, a cold flaring up in a cat who was already carrying it: all common. But some limits are not up for negotiation. In an adult cat, never let more than 24 to 48 hours pass without eating, and you do not have to wait until you get there: at the first real meal refused, call. Your resident cat too: if they are eating much less since the newcomer arrived, the same limit applies to them. Call too for a cat who has still left nothing in the litter box after the first day. A dog who is refusing food completely is seen the same day. For diarrhea, reassess over 24 hours: that is a ceiling, not a timer to run down; and a dog whose vaccines are unknown is not watched overnight, even for soft stools. Blood, a pet who is flat, or laboured breathing: call right away. If we are closed, a 24/7 emergency centre answers: do not wait for us to open.
The shelter already examined my pet. Do I still need to see a vet, and when?
Yes, within the first few days. The shelter's exam may be several weeks old, and it starts the follow-up rather than completing it: a vaccine started at the shelter often needs to be completed, a test may need repeating later, and this visit is where the prevention plan for their new life is built. If you already have pets, ideally have the newcomer examined before they meet. Bring all the shelter's paperwork: what has been done counts.
How long does it take a rescue to adjust? Mine hides and is scared of me.
What should prompt a call is not shyness: it is a pet who is not eating, not drinking, not urinating, or whose fear is turning into aggression. And if they come from the North, from an area affected by rabies or from another country, aggression or biting that appears suddenly is not fear to work through: it is one of the signs at the top of this page.
My pet has no vaccination record at all. Does everything need redoing? And how do I find out their age?
Often, yes, and that is not a problem. Without reliable proof, veterinary guidelines recommend treating the animal as unvaccinated: vaccinating a pet who may already have been vaccinated carries little risk, while guessing wrong leaves them unprotected. The exact plan, and the number of visits, are decided at the exam. As for age, once the adult teeth are in, it is given as a range: teeth, eyes and overall condition give a ballpark, not a birthday.
Their record comes from another country, or from the North. Does it count?
It counts as information, and we read it carefully. For a pet from another country, the Public Health Agency of Canada notes that vaccines, tests and treatments given elsewhere are not always as reliable as those given here, and sometimes need repeating. For rabies in particular, the veterinarian decides at the exam whether to revaccinate. And for a dog from the North or a pet from an area affected by rabies, even an up-to-date record does not replace MAPAQ's six months of precautions: a vaccine given to an animal who is already infected does not prevent the disease. Bring the original, even if it is in another language.
How long should I keep my new pet apart from my other animals?
It depends on where they come from. For a healthy pet adopted locally, at least until the first visit, then gradual introductions. For a cat, at least until the screening result is in, and until the veterinarian's go-ahead before full contact: a first negative result sometimes needs repeating. For a dog from another country, the Public Health Agency of Canada recommends two to four weeks away from other animals and vulnerable people; if they lived in a region where rabies circulates in animals, MAPAQ also recommends six months of close watch. For a dog from the North, or a stray or unknown-history dog or cat from an area affected by rabies, MAPAQ recommends six months of precautions: not total isolation, but limited, supervised contact, and household animals vaccinated against rabies. The introductions themselves take time: often a few weeks, and between cats, sometimes months.
I am adopting from a private owner, through an online ad. What changes?
The same questions, with more caution, because a private owner does not have a shelter's obligations. Before committing, ask to see the animal where they live, along with their health record and microchip number. Keep a written record of what you are told, and have spaying or neutering and the microchip written into the contract: in Montreal, that is the proof the City accepts for the licence. Watch for the warning signs in the "Before you say yes" section. For a cat, ask whether they have been tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus; if not, have them tested as soon as they arrive.
It is not going the way I imagined. Did I make a mistake?
Not necessarily. The first weeks with an adult are often harder than people expect, and many difficulties ease with time, routine and support. Start by ruling out a medical cause: a pet who is in pain, itchy or has a urinary problem behaves differently, and that can be treated. If fear or aggression is settling in, an appointment lets us take stock and point you to the right help if needed; sudden aggression in a pet from the North, from an area affected by rabies or from another country belongs with the signs at the top of this page. And if, despite everything, it does not work out, reread the return policy in your contract and go back first to the shelter or person who placed them with you, who knows the animal; never leave them outside. If they came from the North or from an area affected by rabies less than six months ago, MAPAQ asks that you avoid giving them away: talk to the shelter and to us first.
This guide is provided for information and support. It does not replace your veterinarian's personalized advice: every animal and every story is different. At the slightest doubt, talk to our team.
Book their first visit and bring all their paperwork, even if it is incomplete: we start from what is known and build the plan for the rest with you. A question before you sign? Call us: we will tell you whether a visit is the right way to answer it.
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