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We recognize that in New Mexico there
is an over-abundance of animals in need of permanent homes. Shelter
staff and animal control officers strive to find homes for these
animals and struggle with the burden of euthanizing unwanted animals.
Please use this page to post your agencies’ available animals
-- and let us know if they’ve been adopted! Submissions will
be posted for 7 days and removed. You may submit the same animal
at the end of the 7 days by re-submitting this form. Potential adopters
must contact the posting agency directly for more information or
to adopt the animal. Individual agency adoption criteria must be
fulfilled and NMSA 77-1-20 (NM Pet Sterilization Act) must be adhered
to. To avoid releasing shelter animals to animal hoarders, we request
agencies to create and implement adoption forms with stringent criteria,
including the right to preliminary and follow-up home visits as
necessary.
How to Submit an Animal Available for Adoption Post:
Available animal listings on our website are published free of charge
for humane organizations and animal care and control agencies. Ads
are posted for 7 days before being removed and must be re-submitted
at that time if you would like to continue advertising the position.
We reserve the right to edit ads that are too lengthy.
click for submission form
Other Resources:
Adoption Application: Sample
Adoption Application
versions: HTML |
WORD | PDF
Useful Links: http://www.suesternberg.com/
HSUS Guidelines for Responsible Adoption Programs
The purpose of your animal shelter's adoption program, whether you
are a private animal protection agency or a municipal animal care
and control agency, should be to find responsible, lifelong homes
for animals who are suitable family companions. Making such matches
requires you to know the needs of both the animals to be placed
and their prospective adopters. It is not a kindness to place an
animal in a home where he or she will fail to receive adequate companionship,
food, water, shelter, and veterinary care. Nor is it a benefit to
the community to place animals with owners who will allow them to
roam the neighborhood, violate animal control laws, or reproduce,
adding to the community's burden of unwanted animals.
Animal shelters should be aware of their legal and ethical responsibilities
regarding the adoption of any animal. Good adoption policies will
help your agency make the best decisions for the animals being adopted
and will assure the community that all potential adopters are treated
fairly and equally. Exceptions to enacted policies should not be
made without consultation with a supervisor and/or a home visit.
To assist your shelter in making as many happy matches as possible
through your adoption program, The HSUS offers the following guidelines
for placing suitable pets with responsible persons. They cover essential
subjects such as which animals to place, adopter suitability, sterilization,
and the adoption contract.
Adoptability
Only healthy animals who are not known to have exhibited potentially
dangerous or vicious tendencies or other serious behavioral disorders
should be made available for adoption. Ask any person relinquishing
an animal to complete a "pet personality profile" form
on which he or she can provide information on characteristics such
as the animal's likes, dislikes, habits, and fears. Because this
information may not accurately or sufficiently describe the animal,
trained staff should carefully evaluate animals to determine if
they are eligible for adoption. Stray animals in particular should
be screened for aggressive or dangerous tendencies.
For a complete discussion of potentially dangerous dogs in shelters,
see HSUS Guidelines Pertaining to Potentially Dangerous Dogs.
Large Animals
Place large animals such as horses, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep,
and pigs exactly as you place small animals. Adopt large animals
as companion animals only to persons who have the proper facilities
for housing them and who have demonstrated their competence in meeting
the special needs of such animals. The HSUS recommends that the
adopter's facilities for housing large animals be inspected prior
to adoption and that community zoning requirements be checked to
determine whether large animals are permitted.
Wild Animals
Never place wild animals as pets. Instead, give them to licensed
wildlife rehabilitators
or public or private wildlife sanctuaries that have demonstrated
their competence in recognizing and dealing with the particular
problems inherent in rehabilitating and releasing wild animals.
Federal, state, and local laws must be adhered to in the disposition
of any wild animals. The HSUS recognizes that few shelters have
the funds, facilities, or adequately trained staff to properly care
for or rehabilitate wildlife for reintroduction to the wild. The
HSUS recommends that shelters place orphaned or injured wild animals
with a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist as soon as possible
or, when necessary, euthanize such animals.
Hybrids
Wolf hybrids and other hybrids of wild and domestic canines or felines
should not be placed for adoption because of their special physical,
psychological, and veterinary requirements and their frequently
unpredictable and unstable nature. Hybrids should be euthanized
or placed with appropriate sanctuaries.
Exotic Animals
Although sold as pets, native and non-native wild animals, such
as reptiles, primates, large cats, and some small mammals (e.g.,
hedgehogs and sugar gliders) are not appropriate companion animals
because of the care they require and the risk they may pose to public
safety. A few individuals may be able to care for such animals properly,
but you must use extreme caution in determining if an individual
is truly qualified. The HSUS discourages placing them as pets and
recommends they be placed with appropriate wildlife sanctuaries
or euthanized.
Ferrets
The number of ferrets owned as companion animals is growing, as
is the consequent number of ferrets surrendered to shelters. Care
must be taken to educate potential adopters about ferrets' specific
physical, psychological, behavioral, and nutritional needs. Whenever
possible, work with local ferret adoption and rescue groups to place
these animals in responsible, lifelong homes.
Adopter Suitability
Use a written application or pre-adoption questionnaire to learn
as much as possible about the potential adopter's lifestyle and
knowledge of responsible pet ownership. Request the names, addresses,
and telephone numbers of at least two local persons who can be contacted
as references. The application should include questions regarding
previous animal ownership and ask for the name of the adopter's
veterinarian, who can be contacted to verify whether health care
had been provided to previously owned or currently owned animals.
Verify the adopter's identity (and make sure that the adopter is
at least eighteen years old) by means of a driver's license or comparable
identification. A home visit may be conducted with all family members
present when there is any question about the suitability of the
new home.
The Adoption Interview
The interview can be a challenge for shelter staff; while objectively
and carefully screening potential adopters, avoid being intimidating.
Present these interviews as a service your shelter provides to help
an individual or family find a compatible new companion.
Criminal Records
Keep an up-to-date file containing the names of persons who will
not be permitted to adopt animals, because of cruelty convictions,
repeated animal control violations, or previous violations of adoption
contracts. Check this file before any adoption contract is signed
and made final. If you have any reason to be suspicious, check with
the police department, sheriff's department, or criminal court to
find out if the potential adopter has a criminal record.
Young Pets and Children
If there are children younger than six years old in the household,
adopt out only dogs and cats who are at least four months old. Public
health and animal care authorities agree that young children will
not always handle puppies or kittens properly. Mishandling can result
in injury to the animals, the children, or both.
Landlord Permission
Before an animal is adopted by a person living in rental housing,
the adopter should supply the landlord's oral or written permission.
Temporary Residents
Because of the potential for abandonment, do not adopt out an animal
to anyone living only temporarily in the community. Adopters should
be permanent residents who are prepared to give lifelong care to
an animal.
Reason for the Adoption
Adopt animals only to individuals who intend to keep them as household
companions. No dogs should be placed to serve primarily as guard
dogs or hunting dogs, and no cats should be placed to function merely
as barn cats or mousers.
Pets as Gifts
Do not allow an individual to adopt an animal who he or she intends
to give as a gift. The recipient may not want an animal, the animal
may not be suitable for the recipient's lifestyle, or the recipient
may not meet the criteria for a responsible owner. An option is
to issue gift certificates that cover the cost of an adoption. The
certificates should include a statement declaring that your shelter
reserves the right to choose not to place an animal with a recipient
who fails to meet the criteria for a responsible owner.
Selling the Animal
The adoption contract should clearly state that the adopted animal
cannot be sold or given away to another person. If the adopter ceases
to be able to keep the animal or care for him or her humanely, the
adopter must return the animal to the shelter.
Collars
The adoption contract should clearly state that the adopted animal
must be outfitted with a properly fitting collar (with an elastic
inset for cats) bearing the name, address, and telephone number
of the owner as well as a rabies, license, and any other tags required
by local or state law.
Fenced Yard and Exercise
Regardless of local law, no dog should be released for adoption
unless the adopter can provide an adequately fenced yard in which
the dog can exercise, unless it is determined that the adopter will
provide the dog with adequate exercise under humane control. (Simply
chaining the dog in the yard for extended periods would provide
neither adequate exercise nor humane control.)
Sterilization
Strive to sterilize all animals before they leave the shelter to
ensure they do not contribute to companion animal overpopulation.
Juvenile animals may be sterilized through an early-age spay/neuter
program. Purebred animals, in particular, must be sterilized before
adoption to ensure that the animal will never be used for breeding.
If sterilization before adoption is not possible, make sure that
your adoption contract requires that all adult animals (regardless
of gender, breed, training, or other qualities) be sterilized within
thirty days of adoption. A specific date by which the sterilization
must be performed should be included in a legally binding contract.
One way to encourage adopters to follow through with sterilization
is to collect the cost of surgery as a deposit at the time of adoption.
Upon proof of sterilization, return the money to the adopter or
forward it to the veterinarian who has performed the surgery.
The sterilization requirement should be waived only upon receipt
of a written statement from a veterinarian that such surgery would
be detrimental to the animal's health.
Veterinary Exam
Adopters should have their new pet examined by a licensed veterinarian
within seventy-two hours of adoption. If, for any reason, the veterinarian
believes an animal's health or personality would make him/her unsuitable
as a family pet, that animal should be returned to the shelter,
and any money paid by the adopter should be refunded.
Following Up
Each adoption should include a careful follow-up to ensure compliance
with the contract and to assist the new owner in solving any problems
that may have arisen. Reminder cards and follow-up letters concerning
veterinary care and sterilization are helpful. A phone call to see
how the new pet is doing is usually welcomed by the owner and will
give you an opportunity to learn how the animal is adjusting and
offer assistance, if necessary. If the adopter is not complying
with the contract, shelter staff should conduct a follow-up visit.
The Contract
The adoption contract should be legally binding. It should specify
that shelter staff have the right to inspect the pet's new home
and repossess the animal if they determine that the animal is receiving
inadequate care, is being improperly housed or handled, has not
been sterilized by the date specified in the contract or if there
is evidence that any of the other provisions of the contract are
being violated.
Consulting an Attorney
It is essential that your shelter consult with an attorney when
drafting or adopting legal documents such as contracts and special
clauses (including the sample clauses). This is the only way to
ensure that such documents are tailored to meet the requirements
of, and the variations in, state and local laws.
Liquidated Damages Clause
To make the contract enforceable, The HSUS strongly recommends incorporating
a "liquidated damages"clause. A liquidated damages clause
sets a fee that the adopter must pay if the shelter brings a successful
suit against him or her for failing to comply with specific provisions
of the contract. To win the case, your shelter need only prove that
the adopter breached the contract. Include in the clause a provision
for the adopter to pay attorney's fees and court costs for enforcement.
(See sample.)
Disclosure and Release Clause
Either include a "disclosure and release"clause in the
adoption contract, or prepare a separate release document to be
signed at the time of adoption. Such a release states that your
shelter makes no representations or guarantees about an animal's
temperament and releases your shelter from any liability for injuries
caused by the animal in the future. (See sample.) Shelter staff
should avoid making oral representations about an animal's temperament
that conflict with the written language of the adoption contract
and disclosure and release clause.
10/98
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Prepared by The HSUS's Animal Sheltering Issues staff.
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) was founded in 1954
to promote the humane treatment of animals and to foster respect,
understanding, and compassion for all creatures. Today its message
of care and protection embraces not only the animal kingdom but
also Earth and its environment. To achieve its goals, The HSUS works
through legal, educational, legislative, and investigative means.
The HSUS's efforts in the United States are facilitated by its nine
regional offices; its worldwide outreach is supported by its global
humane family of organizations.
The HSUS is not an umbrella organization for local humane societies,
animal shelters, or other animal care and control agencies, nor
does it have any legal or contractual relationships with such organizations.
The HSUS publishes guidelines and recommendations for these organizations.
For more information on shelter policies and procedures, please
contact The HSUS's Animal Sheltering Issues staff.
Copyright © 1999 The Humane Society of the United States. All
rights reserved.
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