Adoption Process

1.Here at WARS, we operate as a non-view shelter. After some careful consideration we adapted the way, we rehome our animals in order to make things as relaxed and as stress free as we possibly can while match making them to the best possible homes.

2.You can view our animals via our website, by visiting ‘Our dogs’ or ‘Our Cats’ or if you prefer, please come & visit us at the Shelter and our reception team will greet you and point you in the direction of our homing board.

3.For the following lifestyle changes, such as a House move within 6 months, a change of working hours, or a new baby in the next year, please consider that it might not be right time to adopt a Dog or Cat. Our team are at hand to give advice on this.

4.All of our animals will have a profile, explaining the reason they came to the shelter & what type of home they’re searching for, please read this carefully as it’s really important. We take pride in our match making, and want to find you the perfect companion, that suits your lifestyle & requirements.

4.5 Applications forms can be found at the top of these pages. Dogs: https://www.wars.org.uk/our-dogs.php Cats: https://www.wars.org.uk/our-cats.php

5.Once we have received your application, a member of our team will be in touch with you within 48 hours, & we will go through your application and be at hand to answer any more questions you may have. While ensuring you know lots more information about your chosen interest, if you’re a suitable match we will book you in for an appointment at our shelter to come meet your chosen Dog or Cat.

6.Please don’t be disheartened if we decide a particular Dog or Cat isn’t the right match for you, we will always do our best to find you an alternative match at the time.

7.At WARS, we will not keep your application on file if you’re not successful in finding a suitable Dog or Cat at this time. We will simply ask you to keep checking our website to apply again in the future or pop back in the near future to see us. We have Dogs & Cats coming through our Shelter gates on a weekly basis, your right match could be just around the corner.

8.If you’re in a rented property, you will need to request landlord permission at the start of your adoption process, it’s our policy to have this on record to ensure things go smoothly for you & your new chosen Dog or Cat.

What to expect during your rehoming process for a dog.

  1. Minimum of three meets at the Shelter, depending on your chosen dog, your final 3rd meet may be your Adoption date.
  2. If you’re adopting a dog from us that requires more meets at the shelter, we will be sure to advice you on this at your first initial contact with us so you can plan ahead.
  3. Once you have had your first meet at the shelter, and your chosen dog is reserved we will ask you to complete your remaining meets & adoption within 14 days.
  4. Be prepared to spend time with your chosen dog at the shelter, it’s important you’re comfortable & happy. We may give you any relevant literature that you may find useful, you will also receive a diet sheet so you can be prepared for your new dog’s arrival.
  5. If you have an existing dog in the home, we will ask you to bring them up to the shelter, we like to see the dogs on lead together & time spent off lead together to ensure they’re comfortable in each other’s company.
  6. We will do a home check to your property, after your 2nd meet at the shelter.
  7. During your adoption paperwork appointment, we will be talking through your free 4 weeks Pet plan charity cover, your pet remedy home kit & at the end we will take your adoption fee of £205, (Puppies under 6 months £250)
  8. Your Journey with us doesn’t end here, we will do three care calls to ensure things are going smoothly. We are at hand, to answer any ongoing questions you may have.

What to expect during your rehoming process for a Cat.

  1. Minimum of two meets at the shelter, depending on your chosen Cat you may be able to complete your adoption on your 2nd meet. Some of our Cats require a little more time & patience and may require additional meets we will ensure you’re aware of this on your first phone call so you can be sure to plan ahead.
  2. We will ensure you receive a diet sheet & any relevant literature you may need to get to know your new feline companion.
  3. After your 1st meet, we will ask you to go home & set up a Safe room for you new Cat, this could be a spare room, a dining room for example. This is to ensure you are all set & prepared for your new feline companion. A member of the team on your first meet, will ensure you know how to do this.
  4. During your adoption paperwork appointment, we will be talking through your free 4 weeks Pet plan charity cover, your pet remedy home kit & at the end we will take your adoption fee of £115, (Kittens under 6 months £125)
  5. Your Journey with us doesn’t end here, we will do three care calls to ensure things are going smoothly. We are at hand, to answer any ongoing questions you may have.

Adoption Costs - With effect from December 2022


Dogs: £205
Puppies under 6 months: £250
Cats: £115
Kittens under 6 months: £125

Please click here to see how much it costs us to care for our animals.

All our animals are fully assessed, to match them to their perfect home. They’re examined by the vet, fully vaccinated, neutered or spayed and micro chipped. If an animal does not have all of these you will be supplied with a voucher to take to our vet, where any remaining treatments will be carried out.