Cornwall Branch
Registered Charity No: 1024808

To report animal cruelty or welfare concerns, please use the RSPCA National Helplines:

Cruelty and Welfare issues – 0300 1234 999

Or report online here

FAQs

Answering your questions

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions and we hope will answer any queries you may have.

If you still need further information or wish to discuss anything, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Can we look around the animals?

We are sorry, but for many years now, our Kennel block has not been open to the public, and we do not allow visitors to the cattery, unless by specific appointment. Some dogs do not cope well in a kennel environment and can get upset and stressed with too many people around them.  You also never see their true temperament and character when they are in kennels; some are loud and “barky”, whilst others are quiet, shy and may even hide away.  The cats at the Centre also find it difficult with too many people visiting them.  Our staff have specific tasks to complete every day, so having too many strangers in the Centre can be disruptive to the daily routine.

If you are interested in adopting a animal, those available are listed on our website under Find a Pet, which is updated regularly as new animals pass all their checks and become available.  Also dogs, cats and other animals in our care who may become available after their health and behavioural checks are complete, are featured on our Facebook page. If you see an animal you may be interested in, please see our “How to Adopt” page for to see the process and how to complete the Perfect Match form to register your interest in adopting, which is the first step in any adoption.

You are not restricted just to a particular animal, or prevented from applying for any others if the first one you are interested in does not suit you.  Once we have your form, we will review it against the anima’s needs, or any others that may suit the home you are offering, with a view to inviting you to an appointment to meet them.  Please read through our How to Adopt page for more information.

Why do you charge an adoption fee?
Animals rehomed from the Centre are fully health-checked and where necessary are treated for fleas and worms, vaccinated, neutered and micro-chipped, which are costs that any new owner would need to cover when taking on a pet.

Some animals also require more costly treatment like dental work, x-rays and scans or even surgery.

Our fees are set to help us recover some of these costs, together with the expense of caring for the animal whilst it has been at the Centre awaiting its new owners.

Why are so many of your dogs listed as “not suitable to live with young children”?
It is a common misconception that we never rehome dogs where there are young children. Dogs come into the Centre for many different reasons. If we have contact with the previous owners, we compile a history of their temperament, likes, dislikes, home experience etc and if they have been used to living with a young family this is taken into account when seeking their new home.

However, many arrive without any idea of their past lives. When we have no details of their interactions with children, it is very difficult to assess how they would adapt to living in a home with resident or visiting children. Therefore, for the safety and well-being of both dog and child, we are unable to recommend them to a home with a young family.

I applied to adopt an animal, but someone else was chosen as the most suitable home, do I need to apply again?
Once you have completed a Perfect Match form, we keep this on file for 3 months. When new animals become available for rehoming, we review any applications we have to check suitability to adopt.

We can then contact you to discuss the particular animal and whether it would be of interest to you. Of course, if you see an animal on Find a Pet, you can also contact us to see whether it would be suitable for you. We hope to be able to match you with a suitable animal within the 3 month period, but you may need to re-apply if your application expires.

Why do I need an appointment to view or discuss a pet I would like to rehome?

When you express an interest in rehoming one of our animals, we try to arrange for a member of staff who has been directly involved in its care whilst at the Centre to be available to discuss them with you. They will be able to go through all the history we have on the animal, advise on its particular needs and how it might fit in with your family. 

Our staff need to allocate time out of their normal daily tasks for this, so to ensure they are available an appointment is necessary.   Once you have submitted a perfect match application form and the suitability of your home for the animal has been established, an appointment will be offered to come and meet them.  Please note, that in some cases, you will need to meet the animal several times, to help create a bond, before they will be ready to come home with you.

I saw a dog being walked in your car park that I am interested in adopting, but cannot find it on your website?
At any time the Centre has a number of dogs available for rehoming, but behind the scenes there are others being assessed, receiving medical treatment etc, and therefore not ready to leave us just yet. All dogs still need daily exercise, so you may see them out and about the Centre with our staff or being given some playtime in our paddocks.

We are unable to reserve any dogs for potential new owners until they have passed all their assessments and health checks, at which point they are considered ready for adoption and advertised accordingly.

Someone told me you wouldn’t let them home a dog because they already have a cat, is this true?
Yes and No … as mentioned above, we do not always have the history of the dogs who come into the Centre and although we can assess their temperament and behaviour towards other pets to a point, it is sometimes impossible to know whether they would cope being in a home with another animal.

Therefore, if we have no proof that they get on with cats, we would have to decline to home them with a cat. That does not mean we would never have any dogs who would not be able to live with a cat, just that particular dog is not suitable.

Please keep an eye on our “Adopt an Animal” listings for other candidates who might suit your home environment.

Why wasn’t I chosen as the new owner for the animal I applied for?
We receive many applications to rehome almost every animal we have available. It is great to have so many potential new homes offered, but this means that there will inevitably be applicants who are disappointed. We do attempt to respond to all unsuccessful applicants, but due to the amount of interest, this is not always possible.

The decision to rehome any animal is based on the needs of that particular animal. Our staff thoroughly review every application and short-list those most suitable for each animal. They may also call you to request additional information or discuss any concerns. If you are not chosen as a suitable adopter, this does not mean there anything wrong with the home you are offering, it is merely that someone else could better match the needs of that particular animal. We also have some distance restrictions on rehoming certain dogs and cats, as if they need ongoing post-rehoming support due to medical or behavioural needs, they must be rehomed within easy travelling time of the Centre to be able to continue our contact with them.

All applications are retained for 3 months and will be re-visited when another suitable animal becomes available, but you are also welcome to call us if you see another that you would like to adopt.

My pet needs medical care and I cannot afford the vet bill, can you help?

Owners who are on certain benefits can apply to be considered for a contribution towards vet bills under our “Welfare Assistance” scheme. Our Finance Administrator assesses each case individually and we only ever offer a contribution towards the total amount, so cannot fund the whole cost of the vet care. If your application is successful, we may be able to offer a small percentage of the cost of the treatment. We can provide you with a form to apply, but we pay the vets themselves via a voucher, so you cannot claim a refund for treatment your animal has already received or you have paid for. We do not have a vet on site and rely on local veterinary support to care for animals at the Centre, so cannot offer any in-house subsidised vet care here.

Please see the “Help with Vet Costs” page for more information.