Adopting a pet can bring the gift of companionship when the preparation is right.

Since 1972, the Denton Humane Society has specialized not just in rescuing and pro­viding animals, but also in guiding their transition into new homes.

DRC/Barron Ludlum

Krisanne Key, president of the Denton Humane Society, with her Great Pyrenees Brinkley and Carolyn Boyd, fundraising coordinator, with her pup Leela, an Aussie mix.

“You have to have a background on the animal,” said Denton Humane Society President Krisanne Key. “You really have to have an idea of who that animal is before you commit, because you’re committing to 15 years of care. It’s a really long time. I think you would never go out and buy a car without researching it. You would never buy a home without research. You shouldn’t make a lengthy commitment to an animal without finding out who that animal is and what they have to offer to your family.”

To aid this, Denton Humane Society main­tains listings on Petfinder.com, a sear­chable database of available animals — complete with breed and personality in­formation and a current medical and vaccination up­date for each one. Denton Hu­mane So­ciety’s facility is not a shelter, per se; most of their animals live in local foster homes prior to adoption.

All were once homeless, or headed to a shelter or to death.

“Our foster animals are not kept in cages or a facility,” Key said. “They live in a family. They’re house-trained and know how to function as a pack. They are raised in an actual family setting, which we find makes the transition a lot easier.”

Key explained that while some groups can afford to maintain 40 or 50 homes, Den­­ton Humane Society, operating strong­ly on fundraiser proceeds and donated money, oversees three consistent local foster homes for cats and four for dogs. On average, between 130 and 200 animals are adopted out yearly.

Much of the available money goes to medical maintenance, and it is not un­seen for Key to spend more than $1,200 on an injured dog to prepare it for adoption — which only costs the custo­mer a $125 fee.

“A lot of our previous adopters donate money to us, since they understand there are many dogs that we spent four or five times the adoption fee on to save them,” Key said. “That’s where we make up the difference. There’s no profit … we have several vets that work with us and give us price breaks.

“They value rescue. They value animals in general.”

From start to finish, the adoption pro­cess can take about two weeks, including a phone interview, trial adoption period and application review. During that period, Denton Humane Society staff checks the prospective owner’s home for safety hazards and gets a feel for the environment and conditions relative to the animal’s needs — paying special note if children are involved. Sick and wounded animals are mended where needed and applicants receive medical history documentation.

“We are so observant with our animals that we can tell you how they react to a vacuum cleaner, we can tell you what key words they know, what toys they like best, how they interact with other animals as far as body language and as far as dominance.”

When the result is positive and the animal enters its new home, all known factors have been addressed.

If the result is negative, the adoption fee is refunded.

“We try to give them the best advice that we can on making a good decision that will be good for their household,” Key said. “Most of the people that we adopt to understand that it’s going to be a lengthy process and in-depth. They are very willing to go through that process. They are very pleased to know that we really value our animals and where they’re going, and they’re very cooperative.”

Key said kittens are highly adoptable, but older cats have a harder time getting attention. Dogs get more forgiveness in terms of age, she added, but smaller ones are taken faster than larger ones. She once received 60 e-mails in three days about a seven-pound shih tzu mix.

No matter what people want, Key explained, Denton Humane Society’s job includes considering factors beyond image.

“A lot of people who try to adopt can, first of all, be looking for a breed that doesn’t fit their lifestyle,” she said. “They may love the way a border collie looks, and think they’re beautiful and smart, but maybe they want a dog who is more low-key and laid back and doesn’t need a lot of exercise. And simply, that’s not a border collie. People get very hung up on the looks or the breed. And they forget what an animal is bred for, and the instincts of the animal.”

And while smaller dogs might seem a cute fit for children, Key added, the injury risk for the dog is high — being sat or stepped on by accident. Larger breeds, such as golden retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Saint Bernards, Great Pyrenees and beagles, are often a better bet.

“It’s very hard to have children and care for their needs and care for a pet,” Key said. “Families are so busy working, and the daily responsibilities can make that tough. A lot of people think that Chihuahuas are very cute, and they are, but they can be very snappy with children. Some of them are good, but some are not.”

Key assures the ability of Denton Humane Society in making matches, and their return rate has been low.

“We can really tell you, give you a good idea of how they will behave in your household setting,” she said. “You get one out of a cage, you don’t know.

“We really try to match up personalities.”

Denton Humane Society adoption processing fees are $125 for dogs and $90 for cats, which covers essential immunizations, sterilization and microchip identification implant. For more information, call 940-382-7387 or visit www.DentonHumaneSociety.org .

GREG RUSSELL can be reached at 940-566-6861. HIS e-mail address is grussell@dentonrc.com .

When you consider adopting a pet, there are some factors that can determine your long-term success. Keep these in mind when you see the animal you like:

* Your own lifestyle, and how much time you have to spend with an animal;

* The age and personalities of children in the house;

* The general activity and noise level of residents in the house;

* Your budget, in relation to a pet’s diet and medical needs;

* Any other pets in the house, and how they may react to a new animal;

* The conditions of yards and fences;

* The material of chewable items in the house and yards.