Adoption Policy

1. Home Visit

Once you have decided to adopt a dog or cat (or puppy or kitten) and have seen one you like either on this web site or at the kennel or cattery then please contact our re-homing coordinator via our helpdesk to request a home visit from one of our home visitors. The home visit is designed to give you the chance to ask questions and for the home visitor to discuss the arrangements you have made for looking after your new animal. Please try to arrange for all members of your household to be present during this home visit.

We will try to arrange the home visit within 2-3 days but, unfortunately, this not always possible. Please note that the 3 Branches who kennel dogs (Altrincham, Stockport and Tameside Branches) are run entirely by volunteers who generally work full time. At busy periods, especially during the holiday season, there could be a short delay.

2. Adoption

Following the home visit you will be contacted by the Branch re-homing coordinator. If the home visit has been successful you will be asked to contact the kennels or cattery directly to arrange a time to collect the animal. if the animal is with foster carers you will be given instructions on how to arrange to collect or receive the animal. Please note that due to the urgent need for kennel or cattery space we would need you to be able to collect the animal quickly (certainly within a couple of days) after being notified that the animal is ready for collection.

The kennels or cattery will be able to give you the following information:

• The food which the animal is currently being fed on.
• Details of when the animal received its vaccinations.

Please note that you will need a collar with identity tag and a lead for a dog, and a pet basket for puppies, kittens and cats when you collect the animal from the kennels, cattery or foster carer. Please also consider if you will need a guard or cage for your car.

3. Adoption Fee

To try and recoup the costs of worming, neutering, vaccinations, micro-chipping and kennel or cattery costs there is an adoption fee of £100 for dogs/puppies, £60 for cats and £70 for kittens. The fee for pedigree animals may exceed this sum (to be confirmed by the re-homing coordinator). The adoption fee is payable to the RSPCA Branch when you collect the animal.

4. Neutering, Vaccination, Micro-Chipping

It is our policy to try and ensure that all our dogs and cats are wormed, flead, neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped before leaving our care (dependent on age). The costs of these are included in the adoption fee which you pay for the animal.

If the animal has not finished its vaccination programme by the time it is re-homed, the kennels or cattery will make arrangements for you to return for a follow-up vaccination to complete the programme. You may also have the vaccination done at your local vets, but it would than have be at your own expense. Remember that dogs and cats need to have booster vaccinations annually and that you must pay for this.

If the animal requires micro-chipping please contact the re-homing coordinator to make arrangements for this to be done by the Branch's vets or else you have have it done at your local vets at your own expense.

If the animal has not been neutered please contact the re-homing coordinator when the animal approaches 6-months of age so that they can make arrangements for neutering to take place at the Branch's vets at no extra charge to yourself as the costs have been included in the adoption fee. Unfortunately the Branch cannot pay for the animal to be neutered, vaccinated or micro-chipped at your own vets.

5. Conditions of adoption

When you adopt a dog or cat you will be asked to sign an adoption form which contains the following conditions:

• The Society accepts no responsibility as to description, condition or health of the animal adopted and gives no warranty of any kind expressed or implied.

• Information concerning the habits and past history of the animal is passed on by the Society to the adopter in good faith. This is based on statements made by the previous owner, however, and there is no guarantee of reliability.

• The Society is unable, therefore, to accept liability for any consequences whatever resulting from events attributable to the failure to give information or the transmission of wrong information.

• The animal is believed to be in normal health on leaving the kennels except where specific conditions have been made known to the adopter in writing. It is regretted that the Society is unable to accept liability for expenses of any kind arising from sickness developed subsequently.

• In cases where an animal is known to possess a specific condition, the presence of which is notified to the adopter, the responsibility for and cost of future treatment shall be solely that of the adopter.

• Attention is drawn to the possible liability of those adopting animals for damage or injury which they cause third parties or their property. In particular liability may arise in negligence under section 8 of the Animals Act 1971 and in the case of dogs section 3 of the Act imposes a general liability on the keeper of a dog for causing death or injury to livestock. The possibility of an action for nuisance should also be recognised.

• The Society strongly advises all adopters to arrange appropriate insurance cover against risks referred to above and also the costs of veterinary treatment.

You will be asked to confirm that you will:

• Not part with possession of the animal except to return it to the Branch by prior arrangement if for any reason you are unable to keep the animal.

• Feed, water and house the animal to the Society's satisfaction.

• Provide qualified veterinary treatment in cases of injury or illness

• Not use the animal for breeding purposes.

• Undertake to have the animal neutered if this has not been done already, unless there are overriding veterinary reasons why the operation should not be carried out.



• Ensure, for dogs, that your name and address is permanently engraved on the collar / disc attached thereto


• Notify the Police and the Society within 24 hours should the animal become lost or missing. Please also check your local authority stray animals register through the Dog Warden.

• Permit an authorised member / official of the Society to visit your premises from time to time to be assured that the animal is happily settled.

• Exercise the dog regularly; not to chain the dog except when absolutely necessary ; and not to leave the animal without companionship for extended periods.

• Allow the Society to repossess the animal, if, in the Society's opinion the terms of this agreement are not reasonably adhered to.