RISPCA - Find your new best friend at the RISPCA

Adopting from the RISPCA A step-by-step account of our adoption process. *See who is available now*
ADOPTION FEES updated 1/4/08	Cats/ kittens: $85 Dogs: $85 Puppies: $85 - Puppy adoptions may include an additional $75 prepayment for puppy training class) Rabbits: $20/$50 (altered/unaltered) Ferrets: $30 Guinea Pigs: $20 Other exotics: varies
SITEMAP Cat Inquiries Dog Inquiries Small Animals Dog Adoption Application Cat Adoption Application Small Animal Adoption Application Pick of the Litter Our Cat Room 4/22/08: Nina a special case UPDATE 9/2/08: Nina Adopted Low Cost Spay/ Neuter Programs in RI & Eastern MA.	Step One: Check out some of our adoptable pets by using the search feature located in the right-hand column of this page, and please feel free to visit the Rhode Island SPCA during business hours to see the pets that are currently available for adoption. Each animal will have a profile card that will answer questions about their temperament, diet, medical records, whether or not they're housebroken, whether or not they like to be left alone, their good and bad habits, along with other helpful information. Step Two: Once you have chosen an animal you are interested in, you must fill out an adoption application. All applications must be delivered in person. When the animal is available for adoption, all applications will be considered on a "best fit" basis, not on a "first come, first serve" basis. The approved applicant will then be contacted. Denied applicants are not contacted as we have numerous applicants for each animal, but feel free to contact us to check on the status of your application. Step Three: Once your application is submitted and approved, you will then meet the animal outside of its kennel. Most animals act differently once they are out of the kennel, so this is an essential part of the process. In addition, if you are adopting a dog and you have another dog at home, you must bring your resident dog to meet our shelter dog. Often, the dogs are the ones who decide if the match is a good one!! Finally, in some cases an interview may be neccessary. Step Four: If everything works out, you will then begin the adoption process. This process involves about 15 minutes of paperwork and requires that you have a valid driver's license or photo ID. Step Five: Now it's time to take the new member of your family home! You will need a carrier or leash/collar suitable for the type and size of your pet. If you are unable to bring these, some may be available for you to use temporarily. Step Six: A few weeks after you have adopted your new pet, you may receive a call from the Rhode Island SPCA. We are very concerned about the animals that are adopted from us and like to follow up on their progress. Your comments will often be posted and shared with the staff of the Rhode Island SPCA. Step Seven: Enjoy many, many years of fun and companionship with your new pet!!
Why does it cost so much to adopt a shelter animal, when I can get one for free somewhere else? You can get a new pet for free somewhere else, but to receive the same amount of medical care that our donation includes, you will end up spending hundreds of dollars. Our adoption donations include: Spaying/Neutering prior to adoption (when possible - $30 is refunded if the animal is altered by the new family after adoption). Rabies vaccine and tag (If an animal is too young, you will receive a voucher to come back for a rabies vaccine when the animal is older). Distemper combo vaccine. De-worming. Flea, tick, and ear mite treatment. One free veterinary visit (at participating veterinarians). Free behavior literature. Free behavior problem assistance. All of our adult dogs and cats are temperment tested before they are placed, and we do our best to match all animals to the most appropriate home. We are a non-profit organization. We do not make money from adoptions, as the amount of money we spend on the animals in our care far excedes what we receive when they are adopted. When you adopt an animal from us, your donation may be going toward milk suppliments for a nursing mom, heart worm treatment for a dog rescued from a puppy mill, or antibiotics for a sick kitten abandoned in a basement.
*Other Questions About Adoptions* Will my new pet need vaccinations? R.I. State law requires that all felines,canines, and ferrets be inoculated against rabies. There is also a series of vaccinations that are necessary to keep your new pet healthy. The Rhode Island SPCA provides all animals in the shelter with rabies and distemper vaccinations. Additionally, we ensure that all animals are de-wormed and treated for ticks and fleas. Will my new pet need to be spayed/neutered? The RISPCA works very hard to make sure the animals we adopt out are spayed/neutered prior to adoption. However, is some cases animals are placed before we have a chance to spay/neuter them. R.I. State law mandates that all animals adopted from a shelter must be spayed or neutered within a certain time frame. A $30 deposit is required to assure that the animal will be spayed or neutered within that time frame. The person adopting the pet must return to the RISPCA a certificate issued at the time of the adoption, signed by a licensed veterinarian certifying the date the pet was spayed or neutered. Upon receipt of this certificate the pet owner will recover their $30 deposit. Here are some Low Cost Spay/ Neuter Programs in RI & Eastern MA. What if the pet doesn't work out in my home? Every person who adopts an animal from the RISPCA must agree to return the animal to the Society if for any reason the animal does not work out well with the family, or if we receive any complaints about mistreatment that we verify. What if my pet is having a behavior problem? The RISPCA provides behavioral guidance and training advice to everyone who contacts us, whether the animal was adopted from us or not. Initial evaluations for animals adopted from us are free, regardless of when the animal was adopted. If you are having behavioral problems with your cat or dog, please contact our animal behaviorist.