Rehoming – Adopt a Pet

Finding forever homes

Bay of Islands Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization which believes all animals deserve a fair start in life with kindness, love and care.

We rescue and rehabilitate all kinds of animals and teach them how to trust again so that they can have a second chance in loving forever homes.
Bay of Islands Animal Rescue – Dog rescue, rehoming and adoption.

How we work

Our team takes unwanted and abandoned animals into our homes and hearts. Once there we temperament test them to see what areas may need working on and start training from there. Once all this is done we can look at fostering out where they can further their rehabilitation and training and when they are ready they are put up for adoption.

The more fosterers we have the more animals we can save and we are lucky to have a great team of people working with us in the local area. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an animal foster carer please click here.

When we consider the animals are ready for adoption we then begin the process of finding homes that suit their needs and personalities. We do our very best to make sure they are fully prepared to go to their new homes healthy, confident and happy.

• We have a strict rehoming process we go through with any new owners including property checks and follow up visits.
• All animals are vet checked and before being re-homed they are de-sexed, vaccinated, registered and worm and flea treated.
• Your new pet will come with their very own bag of goodies including items like a blanket, a towel, toys, food, a food bowl, treats and their own collar and lead.
• If needed we will help you where we can with equipment until you can arrange your own.
• We will help to make the transition as easy as possible. The first two weeks are a trial for both the new owners and the animals benefit.

We’re with you every step of the way

We are the first ones to ring if anything should go wrong. We have a wonderful group of experts that we rely on to help us, if you have any concerns we will do our very best to help you or point you in the right direction.

We are always available if you have any questions or concerns remember we are with you every step of the way. So please find it in your heart to rescue one of these wonderful animals and you’ll be rewarded by their love and affection every day.

THE TEAM • BOI ANIMAL RESCUE

The benefits of rehoming

Peace of mind

Ongoing advice and support

Adopt a pet

What happens after a rescue?

Our team takes unwanted and abandoned animals into our homes and hearts. They are accessed by a vet and given treatment as required. We also temperament test each animal to see what areas may need working on and start training where needed.

Once they’re ready they’ll move onto foster homes where they can further their rehabilitation, gaining weight and condition and be able to continue training until they are ready to be made available for adoption.

Some animals can be rehomed quite quickly while others take longer to be rehabilitated but we always do our best to find suitable long-term homes for all the animals we work with.

When we consider the animals are ready for adoption we then begin the process of finding homes that suit their needs and personalities. We do our very best to make sure they are fully prepared to go to their new homes healthy, confident and happy.

Are you ready to offer a forever home?

• Firstly have a look at our pets currently available for adoption
• When you see one that you think is right for you, click on the listing and have a through their description.
• Next fill in the Re-homing Enquiry Form and press the submit button at the bottom of the form. This will send us an email. We look at all the completed submissions sent to us on a first come, first served basis until we find a potentially suitable match for the animal. We find this is the fairest way to find pets a new home.
• If the animal is still available and we think you could be a good match, we will contact you to have a chat and tell you more about them, and then we’ll invite you to meet them.
• Depending on the pet, you may need to visit them a few times so you can get to know each other. In most cases we arrange a trail period for both you and the animal to settle in.

What does it cost?

We ensure that all the animals we rehome are de-sexed, vaccinated, treated for parasites and are in good health. We do charge a rehoming fee to help us recoup part of the cost, though by no means does it cover the full cost so we are always delighted to receive donations no matter how small.

We ask you to pay a fee towards the cost of your pet’s care during their stay with us. The fees vary depending on the type of pet but here’s a guide to help:

Dog, (adult or puppy): $350
Cat or Kitten: $120

Do I have to sign a contract?

Yes you will need to sign an agreement with Bay of Islands Animal Rescue. Please click here to read / download our Adoption Contract

Do animals have to be desexed?

YES! All the animals we rehome regardless of species will be de-sexed before being rehomed. In the case of dogs they will also be micro chipped and registered.

What if I live in a rental?

This is up to you and your landlord, we will not refuse to rehome an animal with you because you don’t own your own home, however we will need to see evidence of permission to keep a pet in your home prior to taking your new pet home.

What if I don’t have a fenced section?

In an ideal world we would all have fully fenced sections but we understand that isn’t always possible. Most animals can be trained to ‘stay put’ with time and we are happy to work with you to achieve that goal. For example we have helped new owners build puppy areas within their properties to help give them a secure location for their new family member while they learn the boundaries.

Adoption Fee – $350

If your property inspection passes and the adoption approved, we ask that you make a donation of a $350 as the adoption fee. This adoption fee goes towards the dog’s costs of:

• Worm and Flea treatments
• De-sexing
• Full vaccinations – based on age of dog or pup
• Microchip
• Vet Book

Trial and Refunds

Your dog or puppy will be on trial for 14 days. If for any reason the adoption does not work out by the final day, we will refund your adoption fee back to you.

Our Bank Account Details

Bank: Westpac
Name: Bay of Islands Animal Rescue Trust
Account: 03-0351-0026931-00
Particulars: Name of dog/puppy you are adopting

Important Information:

We understand life changes so if for some reason at any point in the future you can no longer keep your dog, we require that you contact us and we will take the dog back into our care for rehoming.

Pre-adoption Enquiry Form

We have strict policies when re-homing our dogs/cats to ensure the fit is right for you and our dogs/cats. 

The adoption process starts after completing this enquiry form.

We will then contact you to arrange a meeting with the foster family who is looking after the dog/puppy/cat/kitten for a meet and greet with the dog/puppy/cat/kitten that you are interested in.