Adopt a pet

The main purpose of our sanctuary is to provide loving new homes for unwanted pets. We believe we have a duty of care to give them the best second chance possible, and not just the first home offered.

We’re aware that some organisations have rigid rules about not homing to elderly owners or families with young children. We prefer to take each home on merit and place the needs of the pet first. Some dogs adore young children and enjoy their boisterous play, while other, often mature pets, look for a low exercise, quiet life with matching owners. The one thing we always insist on is that no breeding takes place. Young pets are always logged in for neutering as soon as they are of suitable age.

Pre-home checks are carried out before adoption can go ahead. This includes ensuring that the new family is appropriate for the animal requested and that the home provides a safe environment. e.g. an escape-proof garden for dogs. Post-adoption checks are also mandatory, with a second if felt necessary.

We have, and always will refuse to release a pet into a home we believe is unsuitable.

For example, despite fierce opposition, we blocked an adoption for a dog we knew was petrified of children. She had been badly tormented in her first home and the man would not accept that his three small and boisterous children would be a nightmare for her. She eventually went off happily with a retired couple with no children.

We are living in an era when family life is easily fractured. Divorce, redundancy, eviction and, increasingly, emigration, frequently means that pets sometimes return to us.

We have to accept that this will happen to even the best of the homes we find and one of our adoption guarantees is that we will always take our own back.

No matter how many years have passed!

Some returns are much happier events. We frequently receive visits from adopted dogs and their proud owners. These are especially welcome and much appreciated by our staff.

We are currently registering interest for limited dogs. Please view all the dogs currently for adoption here, or scroll down and click the red ‘Adopt Dog‘ button to see the dogs available for adoption.

We will continue to monitor the COVID in our local area as well as advise from the Government and ADCH every two weeks.

All dogs that are adopted from Woodside have to have a pre-home visit before going out. The Trust do not home to a property with no or communal garden. A garden will need to be fully enclosed with fencing suitable for the dog, on average 6ft, before a dog is rehoused.

Please view all the cats currently for adoption here, or scroll down and click the red ‘Adopt Cat‘ button to see the cats available for adoption.

Viewing of our cats is strictly by appointment only.  Please telelphone the sanctuary on (01752) 347503 to make an appointment and to hear our current homing procedure.

All cats adoption fees include neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, flea and worm treatment.

We do offer a discount when adopting a pair.

General adoption Q&A

Q. Where are woodsides homing areas?

A. We home to Plymouth and areas within an approximate 25-mile radius. Please call if you would like to check a particular area.

Q. Do we adopt to households with children?

A. Yes we do if the cat or kitten chosen is assessed to be appropriate for the age of child and household set up.

Q. Do you home indoor cats?

A. Yes we do home cats indoors if they are assessed by staff to be likely to tolerate this. We are lucky that with our pens, most will indicate how likely they are to want to go outside. It is often the older cats who are best suited.

Please remember that there is a kitten season with kittens only being born in the summer months, generally May – September.

We are the best value for kitten adoption. Every kitten comes:

• Neutered
• Vaccinated
• Microchipped
• Wormed
• Flea sprayed

When we do have kittens they are generally in high demand so you may need to make several calls, especially to find one that fits particular requests.

Kittens for homing will appear on our homing page under cats.

Please be aware not all kittens are ready to leave us at the sanctuary. We do not allow any reserves to be put on kittens until they are ready to be rehomed.

We are currently registering interest in limited rabbits. Please view all the rabbits currently for adoption here, or scroll down and click the red ‘Adopt Rabbit‘ button to see the rabbits available for adoption.

We will continue to monitor the Covid in our local area as well as advise from the government every two weeks. 

All rabbits are neutered, vaccinated against both myxomatosis and VHD and wormed. All have vet checks while in our care.

Due to rabbits being social animals we do prefer them to be homed in a pair or with an existing rabbit, this is beneficial to their welfare.

We do ask for rabbits to have living accommodation that allows them to be able to show their natural behaviour. We do not home to indoor cages which prevent this. Feel free to call us to discuss your accommodation set up and sizes. 

Hutches and runs should be attached, with constant access to both. The minimum living area should be a 6ft hutch with a 6ft by 8ft attached run (dependent on rabbit size) it might sound large, but in reality, this is only going to allow your rabbits 4 hops on average.

Please view all the ferrets and chinchillas currently for adoption here, or scroll down and click the red ‘Adopt Rodent‘ button to see the ferrets and chinchillas available for adoption.

Please view all the rodents and birds currently for adoption here, or scroll down and click the red ‘Adopt Rodent‘ or ‘Adopt Bird‘ button to see the rodents and birds available for adoption.

The sanctuary takes in a wide range of rodents including hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils, jirds and degus.

We take in all pet birds, but the majority are aviary birds looking to be homed back into aviaries.