Adopting with WAPP!
Congratulations!!
Adopting a new pet is super exciting stuff and we're here to help! Our biggest tip for adopting a pet of any kind is to do your research!
If you're adopting a cat, how are you going to ensure they settle in nicely? Some cats can take months to feel comfortable at a new home.
If you're adopting a puppy, have you looked into puppy school, training methods and socialisation techniques? Are you prepared for toilet training and chewing and digging? Then there's nutritional and health requirements.... There's lots to think about!
We aim to match our foster pets as perfectly as possible with their new homes. We also want to ensure that the potential home is suitable for our foster pets.... So there are a few easy steps we need to cover.
Please note: You must be an Australian Citizen or permanent resident to adopt an animal from us, no other visa types are accepted. If you are renting you will need written permission from the landlord or real estate for the adoption to go ahead, have this prepared before applying and attach it in the relevant section on the Expression of Interest form.
Application Process:‹
- Fill out the Expression of Interest form below. This step has to be done, please make sure there's a valid phone number and email address. If you have specific times you'd prefer for us to contact you in, make sure to add that too.
- We will then contact you within 7 days to discuss your application. Please be patient, we are small team and are 100% volunteer operated, we will get to your application as soon as we can. We suggest using the time to gather as many questions as you can about anything you would like to know from our processes, the animal or behavioural advice!
- After the call, if you think you can see the pet living happily ever after with your family, and you can provide their perfect home, we will then get their foster carer to set up a 'meet and greet' with your family and the animal. For cats, this can be done at the foster carer's home, and for vaccinated dogs, a local park also works (especially if you have an existing pet dog to introduce)!
- If the 'meet and greet' goes well and everyone's confident it's a good match, a home check will be done! We believe that cats and dogs should be treated equally and, therefore, we conduct home checks for both. For dogs, this includes checking fences to make sure animals cannot escape, For cats, this involves checking window fixings and for any common toxic plants (like lillies), it is also the perfect opportunity to get advice on how to set up to introduce a new feline into your household!
- At the completion of a successful home check, adoption can commence! Hooray! All of our animals come with a 14-day trial period. The trial gives everyone a good amount of time to settle into new routines to see if they truly are a perfect match! We recommend taking some leave from work and spending 2-4 days at home with your new pet.... Extra cuddles? We think that's a great excuse! If we feel a few extra weeks will help the pet really shine, we're happy to extend the trial periods.
Adopters: If at any time you have concerns please email us, we make a lifetime commitment to our animals. We'd love to get updates so if you have any great happy snaps make sure to email us on hello@wapetproject.com.au or join our WAPP Alumni group on Facebook!