ADOPTING A KITTEN

the Foster-to-Adopt Program

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Kittens are old enough to leave the shelter for their forever home around 8-10 weeks old, however, at this age, the kittens have not been spayed/neutered and typically have not received all of their vaccines, dewormers or flea/tick treatments. 

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In light of this, kittens that have not yet been fixed leave SHAID under the Foster-to-Adopt Program (FTA).

By signing the Foster-to-Adopt contract, you are agreeing to:

• Bring the kitten back to the shelter if it needs a booster shot, deworming, flea treatment

• Bring the kitten to the neuter/spay appointment booked at a vet local to Bridgewater when the kitten is 5-6 months of age.
  DROP OFF TIME FOR SPAY/NEUTER APPOINTMENTS IS ALWAYS 8:15-8:30 AM in the Bridgewater area, pick up is after 3:30 PM

• Take physical & financial responsibility of the kitten, providing food, litter, toys, love and any medical care needed that wasn't agreed upon with SHAID.

• Keeping the kitten indoors until after neuter/spay

 

When the kitten is fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped, the adoption is finalized and you will be sent your certification of ownership. Kittens are microchipped at their neuter/spay appointment. 

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As kittens become available for Foster-to-Adopt, they are posted on Facebook and the Adoption page of our website to collect applications via email.

We also accept applications at the shelter if you're visiting and meet a kitten you like! If you would like to adopt 2 kittens, they must be the same gender as they are not yet neutered/spayed and we don't want to chance unwanted pregnancy. PLEASE NOTE kittens that have been spayed/neutered do not require an application, they are available for adoption on a first come first serve basis. We only require applications on cats that are still intact.

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If you are interested in adopting a kitten through SHAID Tree Animal Shelter,

1. Download the kitten application and email a completed copy with the name of the kitten(s) you would like to adopt in the subject line 
   OR fill in a kitten application at the shelter. Include as much detail as possible and save a copy to your phone/computer if applicable. 

2. Play the waiting game! Our staff works hard tending to the animals and combing through emails from many lovely families looking to adopt fur-ever friends. Please be patient! It takes us few business days to organize adoptions and we cannot always respond to every applicant.

3. If you are the chosen applicant, you will receive a call or email to make arrangements to meet your new kitten and take it home! 

4. If you are not the chosen applicant, try again! Keep your completed application saved to your device, continue checking our Facebook page for available kittens and email us a copy when you see one of interest. Often people apply multiple times for kittens before being the chosen applicant as some kittens receive 100's of applications!
    

Due to the overwhelming number of applications we receive for kittens, we no longer keep applications on file but we encourage you to continue checking our Facebook page, website and visiting the shelter to see what we have!

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ADOPTING AN ADULT OR SENIOR CAT

 

 

Cats older than 6 months are available on a first come, first serve basis and DO NOT require an application. These cats are located at the shelter in our Adoptable room (across from the front desk). Our Facebook page is updated daily with cats as they're ready for homes but you're always welcome to pop by the shelter and see who we have!  If you've visited the shelter and are interested in a cat that's not yet ready to be homed (generally these cats are pregnant, waiting on a neuter/spay surgery or on medical hold) you are welcome to contact the shelter for an update and follow Facebook to see when they're available.

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PLEASE NOTE: We understand some people travel to our shelter for certain animals, however, we do not hold adult cats and are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If there is a cat you're interested in, you must be the first person at the shelter for that cat on the day the cat is available.

If you arrive before our open hours, you are welcome to let the staff know you are in line for this particular cat, however you will have to wait outside until we open at 11 AM. The staff & volunteers have busy mornings so thank you for your patience!

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ADOPTING DOGS

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When dogs arrive at SHAID Tree Animal Shelter, we give them ample time to decompress as we learn about their traits, needs, and quirks. They are spayed or neutered, vet checked, vaccinated, mircochipped, and treated for parasites. Once we have a good understanding of the animal, they are posted on Facebook and our website as adoptable! After collecting applications, we chose the best match for the dogs needs, complete a background check with the listed references and, if all checks out, we will set a meeting with you and the dog. If it feels like a good match, you take the dog on a foster trial for a week or two to test the waters and we will finalize the adoption following the trial.

 

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