Thanks for your interest in adopting a pet from North Star Rescue. Adopting even a small pet is a big decision, and we've put together a variety of articles and information to help guide you in your adoption process.

Step One - Deciding on a Type of Pet

There's multiple factors to consider when bringing a new pet home. You'll have to take into account an animal's handling style, other family members in the household who will be handling them, the necessary habitat size, the day to day care, health concerns, the average life span of a species and more.

We have a variety of articles on our website including Our Top 10 Tips for New Pet Owners, Small Animals & Children and Health Concerns for Humans around Small Animals. Please also take the time to read Love is Colorblind, which talks about common misconceptions owners have about color and gender in pets.

Step Two - Researching Pet Care

If you have never owned the species of animal you are interested in adopting, it's important to research and study about the care requirements of that animal's species. You should be very familiar with the day to day care and handling of a species, it's habitat needs, dietary needs, and the most common medical concerns for that type of animal.

Check out our Pet Care Information section for more information on pet care for a variety of species.

Step Three - Finding a New Pet

Check out our available pets for adoption under 'Adopt a Pet' and click on the link for the species you are interested in to see which animals are currently waiting for adoption at North Star Rescue. If you don't see your perfect pet listed for adoption, you can e-mail adoptions@northstarrescue.org for more information on animals whose listings may not have gone up online yet, or for referrals to other rescue groups and shelters who may have your perfect pet waiting for adoption.

Step Four - Complete an Adoption Application

Please e-mail the answers to the following questions to adoptions@northstarrescue.org

1. The species or specific pet you are interested in adopting
2. Who the primary caregiver will be (must be an adult over the age of 18)
3. Who else will be handling the pet, and their respective ages if they are under 18
4. What type of habitat you will house the pet in
5. What you are ideally looking for in your next pet.

We respond to most adoption inquiries within 24 hours by e-mail. We may contact you requesting more information, or if you are uncertain about care of habitats for your new pet, we will help guide you through the process of getting ready to bring a new pet home.

Adopters who visit us at adoption fairs or outposts can complete an adoption interview in person with one of our volunteers. Most applications done in-person are approved on site, and it's not necessary to make another appointment to complete the adoption.

Step Five - The Adoption Appointment

For those applications received by e-mail or postal mail, we will contact you to set up an appointment at a time that works for you to come meet your potential new pet(s). If you are visiting one of our Adoption Outposts, you may visit any time during the store hours of the business sponsoring that adoption outpost to meet the adoptable animals at that location.

If you meet your new pet(s) and decide they are the right one for you, adopters are asked to sign an Adoption Agreement and pay a species specific Adoption Fee. We recommend that owners bring a secure, chew-proof carrier to bring their new pet home in.

Step Six - After the Adoption

North Star Rescue provides a 14 day health guarantee for all animals adopted from the rescue. We also provide a 14 day trial period to allow the owners to get to know an animal in their own home and be sure that the pet is the right match for them.

Animals who are adopted to bond with an owner's current pet have an extended trial period of 30 days, and can be returned to the rescue for a refund or exchanged if the bonding doesn't work out.

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