Dog and Cat Adoption

Thank you for your interest in the Tamworth Dog and Cat Refuge.
EVERY animal we offer for adoption (including kittens and puppies) is spayed or neutered (desexed) and given age-appropriate vaccines and screenings prior to being made available for adoption. Some have also been treated for other medical issues such as heartworm, kennel cough, broken limbs and parasites. To help us offset these costs, we charge a fee to cover medical expenses, if needed, and spaying/neutering. All adoption fees go directly to the vet involved and to the Refuge to help pay for these services.

The Tamworth Dog and Cat refuge is open for adoption every weekend at our Kootingal Refuge farm. We are also open during the week on request so please call us if you wish to come and select an animal for adoption. Phone Jean 02 67 603 650.

The Tamworth Refuge does NOT allow declawing of any cat or docking of any dog tails. However, we do rescue cats and dogs that have been previously declawed or tail docked.

Adoption Procedures
All of our adoptions take place in at our Kootingal Farm.

STEP ONE: Think it through… Do you have the time, energy and resources to devote to a new pet? Are you committed to caring for the pet for the next 10-15 years? If you are ready, there are many factors to consider in determining WHICH pet is right for you.
Size - Is your home environment suitable for a large pet? If you live in a building with various pet controls, is there a limit to the size of the pet? If you do rent, please bring a copy of your lease indicating that pets are allowed. If you are considering a puppy, remember that the puppy’s adult size could exceed our estimate and plan for that.
Energy Level and Exercise Needs – Exercise is one of the key factors in keeping a pet healthy, happy and well-behaved and the amount of exercise needed varies a great deal with individual animals. Make sure that your ability to provide exercise corresponds with the amount of exercise needed by the animal you choose. Do not rely on size alone to determine exercise needs! A 20 lb Jack Russell Terrier needs much more exercise than a 180 lb English Mastiff, so do your breed research and ask questions. Also consider whether your home and surrounding area have easy access to a safe place to exercise? If you have a yard, is it adequately fenced? Is your fence tall enough for the type of dog in which you have interest (many dogs can scale a 1.5m fence)?
Compatibility – Does your new pet need to get along with children? Other animals of its kind? Other types of animals? Does your new pet need to be able to tolerate crowds and noise? Will it be walked on noisy city streets? Will it have to go up and down stairs to get outside?
Temperament – Do you want your new pet to be a snuggler or the independent type? Would you prefer an animal that is very mellow or one who is extremely enthusiastic? Can you tolerate barking and meowing or do you want a quieter pet?
Age and Other Needs - There are many factors when considering the animal's age. Younger pets require more time and attention and older pets can have medical needs which can be a higher cost to you. Some pets have special needs ranging from medical requirements to a need for professional behaviorists or obedience trainers.

STEP TWO: Give us a call at the Refuge on 02 67 603 650 or visit us on the weekend and have a look at the dogs we have available.

STEP THREE: Adoption Contract – Once approved, you will need to finalise your adoption by completing an adoption contract and paying the adoption fee in cash. At that time, available medical records will be provided along with a variety of other information.

STEP FOUR: The Tamworth Dog and Cat Refuge is committed to the animals it rescues for their entire lifetime. Therefore, once an animal is adopted, we reserves the right to:
Check on the pet at any time to ensure its well-being.
Remove the pet from the home if any conditions of the adoption contract have been violated or, if in the opinion of the Refuge, the environment is unsafe.
If at any time you cannot keep your pet, please return it to the Tamworth Dog and Cat Refuge and not to any other individual or shelter.

ABOUT PUPPIES & KITTENS
Puppies and kittens are popular! In the interest of managing the volume of potential adopters, the Refuge encourages you to phone us prior to the weekend and discuss your families pet needs with us so we may be able reserve the most suitable animal for you.

We cannot guarantee the health of any animals adopted. Any time you adopt an animal, you should take it to the vet as soon as possible. Your animal has been checked by a vet, but will need to be started on a program of preventative vet care.

Please be aware that the animals available for adoption are rescue animals and, as such, may have been exposed to a variety of diseases. Like human illnesses, these disorders can have an incubation period of up to several weeks. If the animal you adopt shows signs of illness at any point, please take it to the vet for treatment. Once an animal is adopted, the adopter is responsible for all medical expenses. The Tamworth Dog and Cat Refuge will not pay for medical care for an adopted animal.

Please love me

Here are our latest pets
available for adoption:

If you are interested
in adopting a dog or cat
please phone Jean on
02 67 603 650