We know that every animal and adopter is unique, and we use all of our expertise to make the best match based on the details provided, while also considering the animals individual behaviours, personality and needs – this is determined through behavioural and medical assessments we carry out (and sometimes their previous history if it’s available to us).

If the information provided on an application suggests it could meet the needs of the animal, then the application will be shortlisted and we will be in touch by phone to chat in more detail. This call will allow us to discuss the finer details of the adoption process and our animals. If the home is still considered suitable, then we may invite you to next steps. 

Unfortunately not – we invite adopters to meet animals by appointment only, once the matching process has been carried out. We understand this might be frustrating, as some people hope to meet the animals to see if there is an instant spark. However, an instant connection may not mean the animal is best suited to your home and lifestyle, which is why the matching stage is so important.

As you can understand, many of our residents come from difficult backgrounds, and some find it hard to cope with visitors, therefore, we believe in keeping our centre a calm, and stress-free environment.

Below outlines any conditions we ask to be met in order to be considered for adoption, related to the species of interest:

To adopt a dog, we ask for: 

• Access to an exercise area and safe walking routes, to fulfil the individual dogs’ needs.

• For the dog not to be left alone for more than four hours a day – consideration of a dog walker will be expected for working households. 

• If you have other dogs in the home, you’ll need to bring them into the centre for your initial viewing, to ensure they get on.

To adopt a cat, we ask for: 

• All cats to have access to the outdoors once settled in to a home, unless they have been identified as needing an indoor only environment (this is usually due to medical, or behavioural reasons)
• An initial safe space to allow the cat to settle in and decompress on arrival to your home – we recommend, a quiet area, which can be avoided (i.e. spare room). We would be more than happy to advise further during your virtual home check. 

To adopt a small animal, we ask:

• Your accommodation size meets their individual requirements! Bare minumum size requirements are: Rabbit pair – 3mL x 2mWx 1mH. Guinea pig pair – 120cm x 60cm x 45cm. Hamsters: 100cmL x 50cmW x 50cmH. The golden rule is that the accommodation can never be too big, so we always advise providing more space. 

• Rabbit and Guinea Pigs should always live in pairs unless they have specific needs that restrict this.

• Small animals should not share their accommodation with other species.
• Accommodation should provide suitable enrichment,  predator proofing, protection from all weathers and changes to temperature, be dry & well ventilated, be safe from other pets. 

General requirements, for all species:

• You must be a minimum of 18 years of age to adopt
• No-one in the home should have any unspent convictions for offences relating to animals
• If you live in rented accommodation, you’ll need to provide proof of permission from your landlord or the home owner, to house pets within your property.
• Anyone who lives within the household will need to come to the centre to meet the animal you are looking to adopt. 
• Existing pets in the home need to be up to date with their relevant vaccinations (cats/dogs & rabbits)

Our standard adoption process allows 10-14 days for a full adoption process, including initial call, home check, viewing and adoption. However, every animals journey will be slightly different depending on their situation and needs, and some may take a little longer – this could be because they require more time to build a bond, are too young to leave our care, or have an outstanding medical need. 

We ask that all those applying to adopt an animal, are ready to welcome a new pet in to the home at the time of application, with holidays, and home improvements already complete, to avoid delay and allow for a suitable settling period. 

We would love to speak to everyone, but as we are a very small team, and receive hundreds of applications, sadly, we’re unable to get back to everyone individually. If your ‘Perfect Match Form’ is shortlisted, we will be in touch to carry out a suitability discussion and talk to you in more detail about our rehoming process.

When you submit a ‘Perfect Match Form’, this will remain available to the rehoming team for 28 days. If you do not receive a response within the suggested time frame, it may indicate that your application was not successful for the animal you applied for on this occasion, or that they are already reserved to someone else, so you have missed out. Please keep an eye on their profiles for updates.

Don’t let this put you off applying again – you may be successful next time!

Our mission is to find the most suitable homes for the animals in our care, as quickly as we can, and many factors are taken into consideration to ensure the well-being of the animals and adopting families alike.

If your application isn’t successful this time around, please know that it does not reflect your suitability as a pet owner, you may have simply missed out due to timing or popularity. If you’ve indicated you are open to suggestions, or listed multiple animals of interest, our team might get in touch at a later date to let you know about another potential match we may have, but as applications expire after 28 days and we’re unable to keep everyone in mind, we encourage you to keep an eye on our website for updates or new arrivals, and to re-apply should any sound like a good match. 

Yes!! We’re happy to consider adopting an animals to homes with children, should they be considered behaviourally and medically suitable. There is no blanket rule – this is considered on a case by case basis, following in depth assessments carried out at the centre.

As many of our animals come from unknown backgrounds, or neglect, with no history of living with children, it can take longer to match homes with children, as not all animals will be suitable. You will see age restrictions and guidance detailed within each animals profile to highlight their suitability and any considerations required. 

Please note that viewings are essential to ensure compatibility between animals and children. Because of this, we cannot guarantee a match until a viewing has taken place.

We kindly encourage adopters to manage their expectations beforehand, as the meeting will help determine whether the pet is the right fit for your family.

Congratulations! If you’re expecting a baby or have recently welcomed a new arrival, we usually recommend waiting before introducing a pet into your home. Just like a newborn, a pet needs time to settle in, and it’s best to do this when you can dedicate your attention to their adjustment. Adding a pet during a time of major change can create additional stress, which may lead to behavioural challenges and impact their ability to adapt. Waiting ensures the best start for both your growing family and your future furry friend!

If you’re planning to move within the next six months, we recommend waiting until after you’ve settled into your new home before adopting a pet. Transitioning to a new environment can be stressful for rescue animals, especially dogs, and they need time to adjust and feel secure. A second major change so soon after adoption can be overwhelming for them.

If you have recently moved homes, we recommend completing any renovation/DIY work, and ensuring the home is unpacked.

Once you’re settled, we’d love to help you find the perfect pet to fill your home, therefore, register with us when you’re ready, and we’ll be happy to assist you in your search.

If you have a holiday planned in the next three months—lucky you! We recommend waiting to apply for adoption until you return. Any delays in the process may prevent us from considering your application, and more importantly, newly adopted pets need stability. Sudden changes to their environment or routine can cause stress and may even lead to setbacks in their adjustment

Once you’re back and ready to provide a consistent and loving home, we’d be happy to help you find the perfect pet!

Yes, we adopt to homes with existing pets, as long as it’s considered suitable for the animal in question. Some reasons we may not consider this, is when an animal has a history of not getting on with other pets, has behavioural concerns, such as high prey drive/ resource guarding, or they are simply too nervous to share their space.

We will ask questions about your existing pet during our initial rehoming conversation, to ensure that they would be a good match to the animal you wish to adopt. Existing dogs, will be required to attend the centre to meet any dogs you are looking to adopt – this is to ensure they get on before you welcome them in to your home!

Existing pets will need to be up to date with required vaccinations.

Work commitments are considered case by case, depending on the animals needs. Time alone for dogs needs to be kept to a minimum, with the maximum daily leave time once settled being no more than 4 hours. Longer working days should look to arrange alternative care, such as a dog walker, sitter, or trusted person visiting to ensure the animal has the opportunity for a toilet and exercise break. During the initial few weeks, we suggest organising more time at home to ensure you can assist with the dogs settling needs, and gradually build them up, so that they are comfortable being left in their new environment.

Cats and smalls are usually a little more independent, or happy to be left for a slightly longer, however, they will need constant access to their resources, such as food/water/shelter, as well as suitable enrichment to keep them occupied. Once settled, cats should not be locked in or out of the home for long periods, therefore, measures should be put in place to prevent this – a cat flap would be advised to allow free access to the home.

Yes, we frequently adopt to rented properties, however, we do require you to provide appropriate permission from your landlord or housing company. We will request proof of permission if we take your application forward, therefore recommend you have it in place prior to sending in your application. Some housing companies can take up to 28 days to respond, and as we are unable to reserve animals for any length of time, this may mean you miss out on your preferred match. 

This fully depends on the pet you wish to adopt and their individual needs, rather than a strict policy. For dogs and cats, outdoor space is important to meet their exercise and enrichment needs. Flats with secure garden access are generally considered suitable. However, homes without outdoor access may require additional consideration to ensure the pet’s well-being. This includes time commitment to regular and routine on-lead walks/ toilet breaks for dogs.

Small animals typically adapt well to indoor living as long as their needs are met. Similarly, cats that require indoor-only homes and well-trained dogs comfortable on a lead may do well in flats. However, some cases may be less suitable, such as:

• Dogs with high energy levels, reactivity, or additional training requirements that benefit from easy access to a secure garden. Close communal areas and stair access may also be an issue for dogs with anxiety or mobility issues. 
• Cats accustomed to spending significant time outdoors, who may become frustrated without free access.

Ultimately, adopters should carefully consider whether they can meet the specific needs of the pet they wish to adopt.

This is considered case by case, depending on the animals individual behaviours and needs. For pets who require garden access, they will need to have secure boundaries, which meet a suitable height. Homes with no garden may be considered, so long as adopters can fulfil the individual animals needs.