North Fork Animal Welfare League - Adoption Policies and Proceedures

North Fork Animal Welfare League, Inc.
Southold Animal Shelter

adopt1@softhome.net — 631.765.1811

Adoption Policies and Procedures

Southold Animal Shelter is an emergency shelter. Homeless animals need permanent homes. NFAWL Animal Shelter employees and volunteers are dedicated to the animals and desire to work in partnership with people adopting pets in all phases of the adoption process. Our goal is to find “forever” homes for the animals. To view photos and read stories about some of our many successful adoptions please visit our Alumni webpage

SELECT THE RIGHT COMPANION ANIMAL
This sounds simple, but it is the most important step in the process. It may begin with a cyber visit to the web site or an actual visit to the shelter. Our trained shelter personnel are available to help you select a companion animal that is right for you. Ultimately, every animal and home is unique, however experience has helped us identify the following considerations.

– Love and Money
While love is unquestionably the most important consideration, there are others. Some dogs need lots of room to run. Consider the commitment of time to take walks. If you do not already have a fenced in yard, consider the cost of a suitable fence. Long haired animals, especially cats need a lot of brushing. Do you have the time to this? Some may also require professional grooming. Can you pay for this?

– People in the Adoptive Home
A home with elderly people may not be the right fit for a large dog that needs a lot of exercise. A home with very young children may not be the right fit for very young puppies or kittens. Does everyone work? Will the animal be left alone for many hours each day?

– Other Animals in the Adoptive Home
Some dogs and cats in the shelter do not get along well with other cats or other dogs. It is recommended that if there is any doubt about the ability of the new pet to get along with existing pets that the existing pet(s) be brought to the shelter to meet the proposed adoptive pet.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS
The next step in the process is to complete the application for the companion animal. This important step helps to determine how serious you are about the adoption and provides information for the shelter to insure that the placement will be a good fit for you and the animal.

Getting a companion animal should not be an impulsive decision. More than likely, you will have this animal in your family for life. Completing the application shows your commitment to providing a forever home for your new companion animal.

ADOPTION AND FOLLOW UP
Approval of an application usually takes two or three working days. Your new companion animal is then ready to go home unless the animal still has to be spayed or neutered.

The process does not end there. Shelter personnel will make follow up phone calls to insure that the placement is going well and assist in helping with any issues that arise during the transition. They may even visit the home to help analyze and resolve any situation that may develop.

Do you allow test adoptions?
We encourage prospective adopters to spend as much time as possible with the animal at the shelter before making the adoption decision. After careful consideration, the decision should be considered as final. Test adoptions are generally not allowed and are discouraged. Going to a home and returning to the shelter can be extremely stressful for the animal. It may take a week or more for an animal to recover from a one night visit to a home.

Can I return the animal if things don’t work out?
We will work with you to resolve transition and behavior issues and ask you to be patient in allowing the companion animal an opportunity to adjust to its new environment. If the situation cannot be resolved we will take the animal back to the shelter and attempt to find it another home. Your cooperation to help solve problems and give the animal a fair chance to adapt may impact your ability to adopt another animal from the shelter.

Why should I adopt a shelter animal?
Just because an animal is in a shelter does not make it a bad companion animal. Many of the animals here just because they were not wanted by their owner. Sometimes the family situation changes ... an elderly person passes away, the family moves away, the children go away to college, etc. At times the animal is surrendered because not enough thought was given to the decision to buy or adopt a companion animal and people change their mind.

Usually animals are at the shelter thru no fault of their own, all they need is a fair chance to be good companion animals.

The best of care and treatment is provided to the shelter animals at NFAWL and at most shelters. They receive all required vaccinations and are treated quickly for any illness. A vet tech visits the shelter regularly to check on the health of all of the animals.

Many shelter animals are already trained, house broken, accustomed to be around other animals and generally more prepared to become a responsible member of a family.

In addition to all that, they need a home.

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Pets Ready for Adoption