Animal Welfare Investigations Project Policy
Rehoming policy
How Animal Welfare Investigations Project decides where a rescued animal goes, what we ask of adopters and fosterers, and what we commit to in return.
1. The animals we rehome
Almost every animal we rehome has come out of one of our investigations, often a seizure carried out with the police. Many arrive having had no veterinary care, and some are evidence in an ongoing case.
Before an animal is offered for rehoming we make sure they have been examined by a vet, vaccinated, microchipped, treated for fleas and worms, and neutered where it is appropriate for their age and health. Where an animal is part of a live case, they are not listed for rehoming until we are legally able to place them.
2. We match animals to homes
We do not operate first come, first served.
- Fostering: you do not choose an animal. You tell us about your home, your household and your experience, and our team matches a suitable animal to you.
- Adoption: you apply for a particular animal, but we still assess whether that animal suits your home, and we may suggest a different one.
We may decline any application. We will always give a reason where we reasonably can, but the welfare of the animal is the deciding factor and our decision is final.
3. How an application works
- You complete an application form.
- Our team screens it and may contact you with questions.
- We carry out a home check, either as a video call with the team or as a guided video walkthrough you record on your phone. A home check is required, not optional.
- If approved, we send you the agreement to read and sign.
- For adoptions, we confirm the fee, or that the adoption is free, before the agreement is sent.
- The placement is completed and, for adoptions, we check in with you afterwards.
4. Adoption fees
Where we charge an adoption fee, it is a contribution towards the cost of the care that animal has already received, not a purchase price. It never covers the full cost. Fees go straight back into caring for the animals still waiting.
We set the fee case by case and we may waive it entirely. Fees are non-refundable. Fostering is never charged for, and fosterers are not out of pocket for agreed veterinary costs.
5. What we ask of you
- Provide appropriate food, water, shelter, exercise and veterinary care.
- Keep the microchip registration up to date.
- Never sell or pass the animal to a pet shop, a laboratory, or anyone breeding from them.
- Never rehome the animal yourself. If you can no longer keep them, they come back to us, whenever that is and whatever the reason.
- Tell us promptly if the animal is lost, seriously ill or has died.
- Allow us to check on the animal's welfare, including a post-placement visit if we ask.
Fostered animals remain the property of Animal Welfare Investigations Project at all times, and we may ask for a fostered animal to be returned.
6. What we commit to
- Tell you honestly what we know about the animal's health, history and behaviour. Many of these animals come from neglect, so some history is simply unknown, and we will say so rather than guess.
- Take the animal back at any point in their life, without judgement.
- Be reachable if something goes wrong.
7. Transfers to other rescues
Occasionally the right outcome is a transfer to another rescue with specialist facilities or a better local network. We only transfer to organisations we have assessed, under a signed agreement in which they accept full responsibility for the animal.
8. Refusing or ending a placement
We may refuse an application, or end a foster placement and recover the animal, where we believe the animal's welfare requires it, where the agreement has been breached, or where information given to us turns out to be untrue.