Adopting rescue animals is an amazing and rewarding thing to do, anyone who has rescued will tell you why rescue is best and how much you gain in return.  It is also a serious commitment and one which we will help you through every step of the way.

Step by Step guide through the adoption process
Our commitment to you
Deposits
Adoption criteria
Cats - additional adoption criteria
Kittens - additional adoption criteria
Dogs - additional adoption criteria
Puppies - additional adoption criteria

Step by Step Guide to the Adoption process

1. Search - start your search at Find a pet
2. Contact us – to register your interest and then discuss your circumstances.
3. Introductions – an opportunity to meet your prospective new pet and get to know each other
4. Home check – if successful our rehoming coordinator or an approved and trained volunteer will visit your home soon after your introduction to check you are able to meet our adoption criteria.
5. Adoption agreement – after meeting our adoption criteria the paperwork will be completed and copies held by you, the adopter, and us, the branch.
6. Its official - you and your chosen pet begin your new life together.
7. Check up - 8-12 weeks after adoption a post home check will be carried out by the rehoming coordinator or an approved and trained volunteer to make sure that you and your pet are made for each other.   

Back up to top

Our commitment to you

We are always on hand to help you and your newly adopted pet with any questions or problems.  All our animals are vet checked, neutered (see Note below), vaccinated, flea treated and wormed.

Back up to top

Deposits

As we are a charity and have to spend our money efficiently to ensure the funds are spent on the animals in need, and after Covid impact on our income and fundraising initiatives we have identified ways to ensure we get a regular income to support our animals and to keep this local independent charity running for the future.

With the hugely rising costs of dogs to buy from breeders, people are willing to pay thousands per animal. All our animals come neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, behavioural and vet checked and are still significantly less to rehome from us with all these added benefits that you do not get from a breeder. Our money made goes straight back to the animals not for profit. We are now asking all potential adopters to pay a non-refundable deposit at the point of a successful viewing of the animal to cover the costs of our rehoming coordinators time, and petrol costs for pre and post home checks as well as pre adoption information packs and for ongoing support. This is to ensure we do not get people who waste our time when they either change their minds or have not been truthful in their adoption application which then makes them not suitable for adopting the animal. This has been agreed by the committee and is now officially part of the adoption process going forward. This is not our rehoming coordinators decision and any questions regarding this please be directed to the committee.

The agreed non-refundable deposit for a dog is £35 and for a cat is £20 to be paid before the home check. Dog rehoming is significantly more in-depth and require more ongoing advice therefore requires a higher deposit to reflect this.

Back up to top

Adoption Criteria

• All RSPCA animals must be neutered and not used for breeding.    
• Adopters must live within a 30-mile radius of Basingstoke and Andover.
• If adopters live in rented accommodation they must have permission from their landlord.    
• Our experienced rehoming coordinator will assess our animals based on their personality, size, breed, age and trauma history matching with the adopter’s previous experience and suitability.  This is not just a tick box exercise.      
• Where possible we try to have all our animals held in individual foster homes within our area, however, there are circumstances when this is not possible.  In these cases animals are held in a boarding establishment, possibly outside our area, and will be rehomed from there. 

Please also see our Frequently Asked Questions         

Back up to top   

Cats

The following also apply:

• Some cats may come to us as indoor cats, so we will home as an indoor cat.
• Adopters must not live on a busy road.

Back up to top

Kittens

The following also apply:

• We try to rehome kittens in pairs where we can
• If adopters just want one kitten then they must either already own another cat or be home during the day
• Adopters must live on a quiet road.
• We don’t rehome with children under 5 years old.
• We do not rehome as indoor kittens.

Back up to top

Dogs

The following also apply:

• If there is a pond then it needs to be a safe for the size of the dog. It should be covered and dogs supervised when nearby.
• Adopters must have their own fully enclosed garden (not communal) with 6-foot perimeter, sometimes slightly lower if a small dog.
• Suitability for living with other children or pets will form part of the adoption assessment.

Back up to top

Puppies

The following also apply:

• Adopters must have their own fully enclosed garden (not communal) with 6-foot perimeter, sometimes slightly lower if a small dog.
• If there is a pond then it needs to be a safe for the size of the dog and covered with dogs supervised when nearby.
• The adopter or their family must be home most of the time.  Puppies can be left for short times to start with and once the puppy grows to an adult can then be left up to 4 hours.
• On adopting a puppy the owner must agree to do puppy classes.
• Suitability for living with other children or pets will form part of the adoption assessment.

NOTE: if an animal is rehomed under neutering age, then a neutering voucher will be issued to you, the adopter, for use at your veterinary practice.  The rehoming coordinator or an approved volunteer will follow up to check this has been completed.

Back up to top