Cat Inquiries
Dog Inquiries
Small Animals
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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.
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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.
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