Question
Am I allowed to take my existing pets to the shelter to meet my potential new pet to check they get on before adopting?
Should I ask the shelter first, and if so what do I say?
Answer
You should definitely ask before just showing up with a pet in tow. The answer will probably depend on the type of pet.
My local shelter arranges "meet and greet"s for dogs, so it's probably possible for your dog to meet a potential adoptee dog. Cats really don't do well out of their homes (and I notice that they don't have feline "meet and greet"s). For bunnies, I'm pretty sure they actually require a supervised introduction if you already have a bunny. This is, of course, just anecdotal evidence from one (US) shelter, but it's meant to illustrate the range of possibilities.
As another answer notes, reputable shelters will allow you to return a pet who doesn't integrate well into the household. But that's a sad and frustrating situation for all involved, so if they can allow you to find out earlier about inter-pet issues, within the limits of health and their facilities, it's in their interest to do so.
Answered By - Monica Cellio