Time to let the cat out of the bag - Shelter Animals are NOT Broken!

Every paw that walks through the doors of the Attleboro Animal Shelter , whether it is canine or feline, is a paw print in our hearts. We treat each as if they were our own, until they find their new homes. We devote love, patience and time to each and every one of them and prepare them for their next journey in life.  Who they go home to is always a decision that weighs heavy on our hearts and is not an easy choice to make at times.

It may be different at some shelters, but at our shelter we do not adopt out animals on a first-come, first-serve basis. We invest a lot of time getting to know each animal and we invest just as much time finding that “purr-fect” “Furr-ever” home for them! We do not look at animals for the breed they are or go based upon any breed identifying markers from a check list, we are focused on what is truly important which is their temperament, energy level and dig deep to further identify what type of home setting is best for them.  Quite often we receive multiple applications for the same animal, which is great, but in the end we are always going to disappoint some! Our sole purpose is to find the best match for the animals that we care for, so they never have to see the inside of a shelter again. There is no “expiration date” on our animals, they get any amount of time they need to be the best they can be and find the home that will be the right home for them.

We carefully review ALL applications and check veterinary/personal references. We contact veterinarians to ensure that current and/or deceased pets were properly taken care of; this means being current on all vaccinations and spayed/neutered. Often we see people who are willing to get their animals current just to bring home a new one, and although it’s great your pet was updated but you failed to maintain the proper health up until that point. We look up records of home ownership, although you do not need to be a homeowner we do also verify the landlord’s name you are giving us is the actual owner of the house your reside in.  We do all the proper footwork to make sure our furry friends have the best possible start to their new journey in life and we do reserve the right to deny any applications that we deem unfit or unsuitable for a specific animal. 

We see it in people’s faces and hear it in their voice – the look and sound of confusion. Some do not understand how a person could be denied an adoption of a shelter animal. 

• Shelter animals are the animals that nobody wants, right? 
• Shelter animals are other people's throw-aways, aren’t they? 
• Shelter Animals are the bad behaved ones, isn’t that a fact? 
• Shelter Animals need a home, so shouldn’t anyone be able to give them a home?

It is a commitment to add a new animal to your family – allow us the opportunity to make sure that new family member is the right member. Even when the shelter is full this does not mean just anyone can adopt them, it means we provide foster homes and do everything to get the word out about our kids in need. Still, finding the right match is the only match we settle for.

The following describes our adoption process and will answer most of your questions about the process.  Adoption is not a first come, we ask that you please respect what our animals have been thru and know we solely commit to each of them to do our best at finding them the right home.

1.      The application process begins with the Adoption Application.  Anyone wishing to adopt from the Attleboro Animal Shelter / Friends of the Attleboro Animal Shelter must first fill out an Adoption Application. The Adoption Application is available on-line and can be emailed. Faxed or brought to the Shelter during Adoption hours.  Please be sure to fill out the Application completely.  We cannot process incomplete applications.

2.      Upon receipt, your application will be reviewed by our volunteers.  If the application appears to be a good match for the pet you are interested in, then one of our volunteers will contact you via email or phone.

3.      A Veterinarian reference and personal references are required.  This may sound like a lot of scrutiny, but our responsibility is to adopt the animals we save into the best possible homes. If you are in the process of changing Veterinarians, we still require the name of your former Veterinarian.  This allows us to verify a history of proper Veterinary care (Vaccinations, Preventative Care, Spay/Neuter etc.)

4.      We do cross-reference your application with the city/town assessor to confirm home ownership or confirm the landlord you list is the owner of the house/apartment you rent.

5.      Contact is made with Animal Control in your city/town to confirm you are or have been in compliance with any city/town ordinances.

6.      Meet and greets are setup with any existing pets you may have.  Some times this is done off-site accompanied by a professional.  We do realize that it may take some time to integrate a new pet into the home and we are committed to as many introductions as it takes.

7.      Home visits are setup, in which the animal is brought to the home by volunteers to finalize the last piece of the puzzle.

8.      Some of our animals may have special requirements (fence, no children or children over a certain age, no cats/dogs, special crate, etc). It is possible you may be qualified for a different animal than you apply for based on the animal’s specific needs.

9.      Last but not least, please remember we are all volunteers which means we all work “regular” jobs and do the best we can with the time we have.  The main ones we have to answer to is the animal who sits in the kennel/cage and we commit to them to do our best to make sure the home that is chosen affords them a lifetime of happiness, love and commitment.  This process is setup in the best interest of our animals, so please be patient and allow us to do what we promise our animals we will do – commit to them so they never have to see the inside of an animal shelter again.

PLEASE do not be offended with our decisions – be proud of the work your local Attleboro shelter does and the commitment we make to each and every paw. The animals deserve the best. Who knows, just because we think one is not right for you, doesn't mean your new furry family member won't walk through our door tomorrow.