Adoption Process

By navigating to this page we can assume you are at least considering adding a rescue animal to your family which is wonderful news.

Here at HULA Animal Rescue we hope to help you through the process and see if we have a new companion who will fit in to your home. We rehome dogs, cats and small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs, we do also have farm animals at our centre however, they are permanent residents and not looking for new homes.

If you are keen to offer a HULA animal a new home, a first step could be to take a look through our website and see if there is a potential new family member who fits the bill.

When an animal comes in to our care we do not put them straight up for rehoming. We give them time to find their feet and get to know us, have a thorough veterinary examination and any vet work undertaken such as neutering, assess their temperament and gauge what type of home will suit them. Once they have completed this initial assessment period a photograph and information is uploaded to the website. Details are added about what type of home we think they will suit, such as whether they get on with other pets and what age of children we feel they would be suitable to live with.

Some of the animals come in to our care from their previous owners and we may have a full history for them. However, we do also occasionally take in stray animals and could therefore have less information about their past. It is worth noting that it is rare for us to be able to rehome dogs into families with children under the age of 5 years. This is because we cannot guarantee positive past experiences with youngsters and we do not know if our dogs will be used to the natural hustle and bustle that life with young children brings.

We are open for visitors between 1 and 3 pm, 6 days a week (we are closed on Mondays for staff training and deep cleaning) and would welcome you at the centre. You would be able to look around the animal houses and meet the animals in person. Please bear in mind if you do visit that the animals are sometimes stressed in the environment and may not show themselves off to the best of their abilities, in the kennels for example dogs who are usually quiet can bark at visitors.

Visiting us would mean you are able to speak to our experienced staff in person about your home and what you are looking for in a new pet.

OK, so you have fallen in love!

If there is a HULA animal that has melted your heart and they sound like a perfect match. What would happen next?

Application form

This gives us your contact information and a better idea of your lifestyle and what your home is like. Examples of the questions we ask involve working hours, other pets, experience with animals etc.

Chat with rehoming staff

Once we have a completed application form you would then have a more in depth chat with a member of our rehoming team. This would allow the details from your application form to be compared with the information we have for the animal you have fallen for. There may be things we would need to discuss to ensure that you are suitable for them and vice versa.

There can sometimes be occasions when we do not feel it would be a good match between a potential adopter and the animal they are interested in. If this is the case it will be explained to you in full. When rehoming HULA animals we are looking for forever homes that will work for the animal and for the human side of the equation also. Therefore it may be that we do not feel you would be the best match for that particular animal but may be able to match you to a more suitable companion in the future.

Introductions

If it is felt that you will be a good match for your chosen pet we would then book a time for you to come and visit. This will allow you to spend time with them and get a feel for their personality and temperament. A member of staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have during your introductions. Here at HULA we pride ourselves on this introduction process and we do ask that you commit time to this element of your adoption. Meeting your new companion on a number of occasions before taking them home ensures that you are certain they are the right one for you and bonding has begun before they leave our care.

The introductions also allow all members of the family including any existing pets if appropriate to come down and meet the HULA animal. For dogs this may mean bringing your existing canine companions to the centre to spend time with a potential new doggy friend. We would do on-lead walks, they could spend some time in our secure outdoor runs off lead or have some quiet time with you in our caravan which simulates a living room and helps you to assess how they may get on in a home environment. Bunnies can also come on site for mixing sessions in advance of adoptions to help pairings with supervision from staff.

All human members of a household who will live with the animal must be able to visit HULA and meet the pet in advance of adoption. If you live further afield you will need to take time to consider whether you are able to make the journey a number of times for introductions before applying to adopt a HULA animal.

Homecheck

Before cats and dogs leave our care we undertake a home visit and a member of staff or experienced volunteer will call round to see you. This allows us to consider the environment and be sure that it is right for the pet in question. Examples of what we might be looking at could include how busy the road is for cats that will have access outdoors, how high the fencing in the back garden is for a dog with a springy jump etc. It is also a chance for you to speak to an experienced pet owner about aspects of animal care and welfare that you may not have had time to discuss with us at the centre.

For small animals we do not always undertake a home visit, often pictures of the accommodation you will house them in and detailed discussion at the centre will suffice.

If you are a tenant we would need to see proof that your landlord or housing association will allow you to have a pet at the property and this needs to be organised with the HULA office before homecheck. We also need to see proof of identification such as a passport or driving licence.

Going Home

When the big day comes for you to take your new pet home we will complete your adoption paperwork and give you details of vaccinations and other health care information such as flea and worming treatments. All cats and dogs are micro chipped and your information is registered to the chip before they leave. All adopters of cats, dogs and rabbits get 4 weeks free comprehensive pet insurance through Pet Plan.

We do ask a rehoming donation which is £125 for dogs and £65 for cats (with an additional £50 if we have neutered them here at HULA ourselves to help to cover the cost of the operation). Our rabbit adoption donation is £30 and small animals are £10.

We will discuss how best to organise your first few days settling them in and the diet that they are used to eating. Our contact does not end when you drive away from the centre. We are always here to support and advise our adopters at any time. We will follow up with you and see how your new pet is settling in. For dogs we run a monthly adopters evening where you can come back to see the staff and discuss training and settling in issues.

Well, you have read about the rehoming process and we hope to see you very soon. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01908 584000 or email hularescue@tiscali.co.uk