How to Adopt

APPLICATION PROCESS ADOPTION QUESIONNAIRE In order to adopt an animal from our shelter you must be at least 18 years of age or older and be employed. There is an application process in which you will have an adoption questionnaire to fill out. Depending on your answers there are follow up questions and it requires 2 people on staff to approve the application. If you are renting you will need a copy of your lease showing pets are allowed or a direct call to your landlord to confirm that you are allowed pets. Depending on your past ownership we may also require a reference from your Veterinarian. Once you pass this first phase you will then be required to visit the animal on site to determine if the animal you are interested in is compatible with you, any children residing in the household or who will have regular contact with the animal, and an introduction to any other dog also residing in the household. We do not transfer animals to other shelters to facilitate adoptions or transpost them. Since our goal is to find the best possible home for our animals we need to meet with you in person since expectations or perceptions may not be entirely accurate by seeing the picture of an animal on our site. Each animal is different and their reactions to you as a potential adopter is important to assure a good fit not only for you but the animal. As many of the animals that come into our care are strays we do not know with 100% accuracy how they will behave with certain people, children or other animals. Some animals may also have specific behavior issues that while correctable may pose certain challenges. We do our best to screen each and every animal but in the end the animal itself will choose their new owner. Finally, the final process allows us to answer your questions more thoroughly, give you proper advice for dealing with issues and to quite honestly determine how committed you are to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure that the animal will be given a fair chance to make the appropriate adjustments to its new home. HOW TO GET A QUESTIONNAIRE Adoption questionnaires can be obtained by emailing the shelter directly at gloucesterspca@nb.aibn.com. Only completed and approved applications are considered for adoptions. While your application may have been sent in you will be notified by email or phone (depending on long distance charges) on your approval and where you are in relation to the animal you have choosen. Applications are then ordered and numbered. We encourage you to send an application even though an animal may already have approved applicants ahead of you. If someone changes their mind we proceed to the following person approved for that animal until a successful adoption has been achieved. ONCE YOU ADOPT Once you have been successful in adopting your new animal companion you will have 30 days to trial the adoption. If you have made an honest effort and given the animal a reasonable chance at adjusting to its new home but things still don't turn out you may return the animal within this period. At this time we will evaluate your situation and make a decision to either refund your fee (less an admistration fee of $20.00), or we will allow you to try another animal, or we will accept the animal with no refund. Please note that Veterinary fees are not refundable for any reason. During the trial period you will also have to make arrangements to have the animal spayed or neutered (if it was not already done) in order to receive your spay/neuter deposit as part of your agreement. Part of the adoption package includes a 30 day pet health insurance compliments of Pet Health which covers any diseases the animal may have incurred while in our care including ingestion of a foreign body and vehicular incident as new animals are at risk of getting out on you. All licenses requirement under municipal or provincial laws are not refundable or transferable to other pets. After 30 days fees are not refundable, however, under your agreement with the shelter you cannot give the animal away without our express permission or the animal must be returned to us.
	ADOPTION FEES SPAYED/NEUTERED DOGS $180 NON SPAYED/NEUTERED DOGS $80 + $100 REFUNDABLE SPAY/NEUTER DEPOSIT SPAYED/NEUTERED CATS $100 NON SPAYED/NEUTERED CATS $25 + $75 REFUNDABLE SPAY/NEUTER DEPOSIT PUPPIES $80 + $100 REFUNDABLE SPAY/NEUTER DEPOSIT KITTENS $25 + $75 REFUNDABLE SPAY/NEUTER DEPOSIT RABBITS $20

	PLEASE NOTE: AS WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ADOPTERS FAILING TO HONOR THEIR CONTRACTS TO GET THEIR ANIMALS SPAYED OR NEUTERED WE ARE INITIATING A NEW PROGRAM EFFECTIVE AUGUST 11TH. YOU WILL NOTE OUR ADOPTIONS FEES HAVE INCREASED PARTICULARLY IN THE SPAY/NEUTER DEPOSIT. IT IS HOPED THAT ADOPTERS WILL TAKE THE SPAY/NEUTER PORTION OF THEIR CONTRACT SERIOUSLY AS IT IS PART OF OUR MANDATE TO REDUCE THE PET OVERPOPULATION AND ALL ANIMALS FROM THE SHELTER MUST BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED AS PART OF THAT MANDATE. tHE ADOPTION FEES FOR ALREADY SPAYED AND NEUTERED ANIMALS HAS ALSO GONE UP AS WE WILL ALSO BE INITIATING MORE SURGERIES FOR ANIMALS ALREADY IN OUR SHELTER AND THIS HIGHER PRICE REFLECTS THE INCREASE VETERIANARY BILLS WE WILL BE INCURRING AS A RESULT. DESPITE THE HIGHER FEES, AN ANIMAL ADOPTED FROM OUR SHELTER WILL STILL REFLECT A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS IN vETERINARY FEES SHOULD YOU TAKE THE TIME TO CHECK OUT THE VARIOUS PRICES IN OUR REGION. DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES, SIZE AND SEX OF THE ANIMAL YOU WILL BE SAVING FROM ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO 70 % IN VET FEES FOR SURGERY, DEWORMING, VACCINES AND CHECK UP. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE ADOPTION FEE DOES NOT EVEN COVER THE COST WE PUT INTO EACH ANIMAL FROM OUR SHELTER LET ALONE THE ONE GETTING ADOPTED. tHOSE FEES GOT BACK INTO THE RESOURCES TO HELP THE NEXT ANIMAL COMING IN SO LOOK AT THIS FEE AS YOU HELPING TO SAVE TWO LIVES: THE ONE ADOPTED AND THE ONE NEXT IN LINE.