Adoption FAQ

It is important that you understand two things going into the adoption process:

1. The adoption process is the same for everyone
2. It is not our intention to frustrate you during the adoption process

Everything we do is for the best interest of the animals in our care and to give them the best possible chance of finding a permanent home.

How can I see the animals available for adoption?

Adopting an animal may be a more involved process than you expected, and you will not have immediate access to an animal you are interested in. We do not have a facility where you can go to see the dogs. All of our rescue dogs are currently living with foster families – should you see a dog you are interested in adopting, we encourage adopters to speak with the foster family to get answers to your questions about the dog. Once we have your adoption application, we can provide the name and number of the foster family.

What is the first step of the adoption process?

Before you can adopt an animal, you must complete a Pet Adoption Application, designed to help people understand the long-term responsibility of owning a pet and to ensure that all adoptions are in the best interests of the animals.

Please Note: There is a waiting period to give us the necessary time to check references/landlord approval, and review applications. Chatham Kent Animal Rescue reserves the right to refuse any adoption, which it feels is not in the animal’s best interest.

If my application is approved, what are the next steps?

Once your application has been approved you’ll be contacted to schedule a home visit with our volunteer.  The home visits take approximately one hour where the volunteers check fencing for any escape routes, a quick tour inside to ensure there are no safety issues for younger dogs who may be chewers and there is a questionnaire.  Providing there are no safety issues, and the adopter wishes to go ahead, then a meet ‘n greet is scheduled to meet the dog (or cat). If there is a love connection, you will be asked to sign an adoption contract.

What does the adoption fee cover?

The adoption fee for each dog and cat helps reimburse costs already paid for the spay/neuter, de-worming, vaccinations, and microchipping (for dogs) as well as any other medical needs the rescue has taken care of while the dog or cat has been in our care. Spay/Neuter are mandatory for all rescue animals in the care of Chatham Kent Animal Rescue.

The adoption process seems long, why is that?

It is stressful and upsetting for the animals and our volunteers when adoptions do not work out and pets have to come back to us. Please bear with us, be patient and understand that this process is the best policy… for you, our rescue AND the dogs.

What are the requirements for adopting from Chatham Kent Animal Rescue?

To adopt an animal with Chatham Kent Animal Rescue, a person must be:

1. 21 years old with the responsibility for maintaining a household.
2. Willing to allow a Chatham Kent Animal Rescue representative to conduct a home visit.
3. Financially capable of providing for all veterinary care of the animal and any training as needed.
4. Able to pay an adoption fee to help cover the costs of rescue care.
5. Our boundaries for doing adoption meet ‘n greets are within one hour’s drive of Chatham as our volunteers take the drive to bring the dogs and cats to the potential adopter’s home for the meet ‘n greet (includes Sarnia, Windsor, Chatham Kent and surrounding areas).

Are there any age restrictions for adoption with children?

Children in the household must be a minimum of 5 years old. However, specific animals may have different age requirements based on their needs or past history. This will be called out on the animal’s profile.

What are the housing requirements for adopting a dog?

For the adoption of our dogs, homes must have a secure fenced yard (which will be checked during home visits) and provide locks on any gates. Apartments on ground level must have a secure barrier across the patio area; upper floors, if balconies, must be secured with mesh to provide safety for small animals.

Does completing an adoption application guarantee adoption?

Completion of the adoption application does not guarantee the adoption of a pet. There are numerous reasons why an application may be rejected in general, or for a particular pet, depending on the needs of each pet. Please do not take offence if this is the case. We have these pets in our program for a while and truly get to know what each of their needs are, and what type of home is most suitable for each of them.

How much is the adoption fee?

Adoption fees are posted on the animal’s profile on Petfinder as well as on our Adoptable Page. Adoption fees include primary vaccines for an adopted dog/cat, the spay or neuter of the adopted pet, health and veterinary costs, food and care in our foster homes.

What happens if multiple people are interested in the same pet?

Sometimes several people/families are interested in the same pet. There can obviously only be one family or person chosen to adopt a pet, and it is Chatham Kent Animal Rescue’s responsibility to the pet and to the potential adopters to select the person or family that is best suited for a particular pet. We do understand that this sometimes can cause hurt feelings and it is certainly not our intention to do so. It is actually a much nicer problem to have more than one good home for a homeless pet than none at all! Please understand our position and that our number one responsibility is the best possible placement for each pet.