Pets in Rotterdam - shops, animal shelters, breeders, owners

 

Pets are great. For some people, a pet is everything, for others, a pet is a great addition to the family and for many, a pet is a best friend. Especially during times when staying and working from home is a thing, we would all like some company. But if you have not got a pet already, what to do? If you are not willing to catch yourself a wild parakeet freely flying around Rotterdam (also I am not sure if it is legal), then where can you get your hands on your furry or feathery or even scaly next best friend?

 

Somehow, the smaller your future pet, the easier it is to simply get one in a shop. There are still pet shops around Rotterdam, where you can get fish, turtles, budgies (and maybe even parrots), mice, hamsters, and rabbits. Anything furry and little, just make sure you do not get two of the opposite sex, or it will be you who will be supplying the pet shop soon. Also, you can get a lot of advice for the beasties on sale and all the gear and food they need too. 

 

 

If you do not mind an older animal (to be fair, they sometimes have young animals too) or one that already had a home that was not a fit, you can always visit an animal shelter. For the Rotterdam area, you can check out https://ikzoekbaas.dierenbescherming.nl/. You can find cats and dogs, but also rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, and even ex-test animals (mainly beagles, rats, and mice). It obviously also makes you a better person straight away to adopt your future best friend in a time of need, but there might be limitations, or you might just not be able to find what you are after. There are more websites with street dogs and such but have a good look before your “order”. Most of them are not from around as the Netherlands are nearly free of strays and will have to travel here from other countries. 

 

 

If you already had a pet, you could always go back to where you got it and try your luck. That is also true for breeders, of course. Just right now, you probably will not have much luck and might have to go on a waiting list. Also, be prepared to shell out a few more quid than the last time you got your pooch or kitty.  

  

 

Yes, an unlikely combination that title, but they are all worth a try. If you have friends with pets, ask them where they got them from. Maybe there are still some available where those came from. If you already had a pet and are considering a replacement now that some time has passed, you could check with your pets’ old vet or pet pension. These guys know a lot of people with pets and certainly, vets will have heard if young cuddlies have been born somewhere. Supermarkets are not that much of an outside chance as you might think. Check the notice boards there, people still leave messages in search of jobs or pets for or from the neighbourhood. Little old-fashioned, but still works.