How can I Adopt an Animal from SCARS?
Go here to see who is currently available for adoption, and to apply to adopt.
Look below for information about the steps to adopt.
Adopting a SCARS rescue involves a few steps:
If you have any questions or concerns you can contact us at: adoptions@scarscare.ca
Are you new to dog guardianship?
Check out – Life with Dogs: 10 Things to Know Before you Adopt*
Note: We receive many phone calls and emails each day, so please allow a few days for SCARS to respond to you. We thank you for your patience.
- If you see a rescued animal on the website that you are interested in adopting, fill out the appropriate adoption form (there is one for dogs and one for cats).
- Once we receive the application, one of our volunteer screeners will contact you by phone or by email to review your application. The application allows us to help you find a pet that is the right match for your family. This is especially important for people who are new to pet guardianship.
- The screener will then forward your application to a foster home supervisor. The supervisor will phone you to provide more info and answer your questions. She will approve the application if she believes the adoptable animal would be a good match or might give you some suggestions for other pets to consider.
- At this point, we can arrange a “meet & greet.” Because SCARS rescues are cared for in private foster homes, meeting times are dependent on matching your availability with that of the foster home.
What if More than One Family is Interested in the Same Animal?
SCARS matches the animal to a family that most suits the needs of that animal. Many animals generate a number of inquiries and a home is chosen based on what we believe to be best for that particular animal.
If you are denied, this is not to imply that you would not provide a proper home; we always place the animal in the home that we deem to be most appropriate for the needs of that animal.
SCARS reserves the right to refuse any adoption request for reasons to be kept private and confidential within the administration of the organization.
Do my Current Pets have to be Spayed or Neutered?
Yes. If other cats/dogs in your home are not spayed/neutered, we may deny your application. SCARS exists due to lack of spaying/neutering and it is our goal to end this cycle. If there is a documented medical reason for your animal to not be spayed/neutered, we will work with you. If you are interested in having your current pet spayed/neutered so that you may adopt one of our pets, we will happily reconsider your application once proof of spay is provided. Intact pets are the cause of Alberta’s pet overpopulation crisis. Even when owners feel they are being cautious with intact pets, breeding accidents can and do happen. As well, Many territorial and behaviour issues are related to intact pets, and it can cause issues when a new pet is brought into the home. For information on the many benefits of spay/neuter, click here.
Costs of Adoption
Our guarantee:
Once a SCARS pet, always a SCARS pet. If you adopt from us but can no longer keep your pet for any reason, please contact us and we will accept the animal back into our care – no questions asked. We always accept the return of animals adopted from SCARS.
The nominal adoption fee charged is put towards the animal’s medical expenses and food while it is in our care.
Our largest expenses are medical bills, which include emergency procedures, medications, and spay and neuter procedures. The adoption fee rarely covers the animal’s expenses while in our care.
Included in the adoption contract is a clause requiring that the new owners spay or neuter their animal before a specified date. We will follow up to ensure that this procedure has been completed by this date.