Dog and Puppy Adoption

If you are interested in adopting a dog or a puppy we suggest you read our publication "All About Adopting a Dog or a Puppy." Once you have decided you can make the commitment to train, exercise and care for a dog or a puppy, give us a call and make an appointment to come and meet the dogs and puppies we have available for adoption. You can also look at the puppies and dogs we have available for adoption here. This may not be all the dogs or puppies we have available as there are new animals are coming into our animal centres daily. Be sure to bring in all the members of the family who will be living with the dog in your household. The process of adopting a dog or puppy takes approximately a week.

All our dogs and puppies have had their temperament assessed before they are made available for adoption. Our animal caregivers will give you information on the dogs we have available and help you choose one that suits your lifestyle and level of experience with dogs. Once you have chosen the dog or puppy you wish to adopt you will need to fill in an adoption application form. If you already have a dog we will ask you to bring it in to meet the dog you have chosen to ensure they get along with each other.

If you are renting you will need to provide written consent from your landlord that you may keep a dog at the property. We may also contact your local animal control to confirm you are a good dog owner.

An Animal Welfare Inspector will come out and check your property. You will need to have permanant fencing high enough to contain the dog or puppy you are adopting when fully grown. Your gates will need to latch securely and your fenced area needs to be directly accessible from the house. The Inspector will also check you have a watertight kennel or a dog door to give your dog access to shelter. These are available to buy at competitive prices in our retail area. Wellington SPCA does not rehome dogs that are to be kept in a kennel and run situation, or tethered on a rope or chain. We do not rehome to properties with electric shock fencing. If your property fails the inspection you will be told why and given time to fix the problem.

Once your property has passed the inspection, the dog or puppy you wish to adopt will be desexed if this has not already been done. At this point we recommend you book your puppy into puppy preschool so you can socialise your puppy with other puppies if they are not fully vaccinated. Dog and puppy owners should book their new pet into beginners' obedience classes as sometimes there can be a wait to get into a class.

Before completing the adoption of a puppy, adopters must attend a 1-hour training session with an animal caregiver before they can take the puppy home.

To complete the adoption process you will need to register your dog or puppy with your local council and bring in the registration tag or proof of registration. You will also need to have a collar (not a choke chain) and leash which can be purchased from our retail area. When you pick up your dog or puppy you will pay the adoption fee of:

• $295 for puppies under 6 months old.
• $195 for puppies and dogs aged 6 months to 8 years.
• $125 for dogs aged 8+ years old.

The adoption fee includes the cost of desexing, microchipping, vaccinations, worm and flea treatment. If your dog or puppy needs a booster vaccination or stitches from desexing removed we will arrange a time for you to bring them back for these at no charge.

All About Adopting a Dog or a Puppy (PDF)