ADOPTION PROCESS
MNPPR strives to find the perfect home for each of our foster pets, which means ensuring that they will have an equipped and safe new environment. Just follow the instructions below to get started and we hope to add you to our family soon! Don't hesitate to email us with any questions you might have.
Please note that our adoption process can feel lengthy due to the multiple steps involved. To best streamline the process, please be sure to read over our care guides for the species you wish to adopt, reach out to your three references, your veterinarian, and your landlord (if applicable) to let them know they will be contacted by a member of our adoption team, and expect to provide detailed photos of supplies, habitat, and environment your new pet will be using. We are happy to review your shopping list before you purchase anything for your potential new pet. If you have questions or need help at any point during the adoption process, please contact the Adoption Manager at cassidy@mnpocketpetrescue.org. We reserve the right to deny an adoption application for any reason.
1. Review Our Care Guide on the Species You Are Applying to Adopt
Our adoption application includes a section where you must answer questions on care of the species you are applying to adopt based on our care guides. Incorrect answers will NOT disqualify you from adopting! These questions are about knowledge and learning so that animals in our rescue are given the best care possible! A member of our Adoption Team will review your answers and reach out to you with any feedback and to answer any questions you may have.
2. Complete and Submit Adoption Application
Fill out an adoption application here. Be sure to do lots of research on the species you'd like to adopt before filling out your application! Please refer to our care guides here.
3. References Contacted
We will review your application and contact your references, veterinarian, and landlord (if applicable). To speed up the process, be sure to let your references know that we will be contacting them. Why do we contact your veterinarian? If you are looking for a pocket pet veterinarian, check out our Veterinarians page.
4. Virtual Meet & Greet
Our team will email you to let you know if you have been tentatively approved and to set up a Virtual Meet & Greet between you, the foster family, and your potential new pets. The Virtual Meet & Greet will be conducted via a service such as Google Meet, Facebook Video, Zoom, etc.
5. Habitat Review
After the Virtual Meet & Greet, we will email you to discuss how it went and if we are to move forward with the adoption process. If so, we will have you email us a photo or video of the habitat or cage you will be housing your new pet in, including furnishings. Housing guidelines and links to recommended cages are listed on each species care guide page. Be sure to review this prior to purchasing a habitat for your new pets and let us know if you have any questions or need help.
6. Habitat Suggestions/Approval
We will review your habitat or cage photos and email you to let you know if they are approved. If not approved, we will provide suggestions in order to better the habitat.
7. Adoption Contract and Fee
Our Adoption Manager or Adoption Correspondent will contact you to let you know whether you have the approval to move on to adoption. If so, you will then complete our adoption contract, pay the adoption fee online, and arrange a time and date to meet. If you prefer to meet wearing facial coverings and/or social distancing, please let us know. If all goes well at this meeting, you will be taking home your new pet! Preview our Adoption Contract here.
8. Pick Up Your New Pet
When you pick up your new pet, be sure to bring a secure carrier to take them home in. You will need to have the habitat set up and all the supplies ready. We do not send home any supplies with adopted animals.
Before you apply, please note the following:
All applicants under 18 must include their legal guardian's email address in the application so that they can be a part of the process.
We are not accepting applications for classroom or store pets.
We will only consider applicants from the following states: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
All paperwork for Emotional Support Animals must be completed and approved prior to filling out an adoption application.
Rabbit Critter Courtships will be limited to households with fully vaccinated rabbits only. Now that the vaccine is available, all of our rabbits will be vaccinated for RHDV2 until further notice.
ADOPTION FEES
Please note that our adoption fees have changed due to increased veterinary and supply costs.
As a rescue organization, we rely on the help and compassion of others. Every donation and adoption fee goes to support the pocket pets in our care. Your adoption fee will help us provide necessities such as housing, food, and medical care to each animal we take in. Adoption fees are subject to change. If you are adopting more than two pets, email us regarding the adoption fee. We accept credit, debit, and checks. Prices listed to not include tax.
All animals in our care are given thorough exams upon intake, as well as continued care and yearly exams as needed. We do everything we can medically and otherwise for the animals we take into MNPPR to keep them happy, healthy, and comfortable. Any shy, fearful, or aggressive animals are placed in our Trust Training Program.
All ferrets have been spayed and neutered and are up to date on their rabies and distemper vaccines.
All male sugar gliders have been neutered.
All rabbits have been spayed or neutered and vaccinated against RHDV.
All chinchillas aged 5 years and older have had dental radiographs upon intake to check for malocclusion.
ADOPTION ICONS
Click on an icon below to view a brief description of what it means when you see it displayed on an adoptable animal's profile.
CRITTER COURTSHIP
If you are adopting an animal to be a companion for your current pocket pet, we offer the option for you to return the new pet if they are not a good fit within a few weeks with the option to try a different animal or have your adoption fee returned.
Due to the nature of our Meet & Greets and Adoption day processes, we do not recommend bringing your current pocket pet to meet your new pocket pet during these times.
When you bring your new pocket pet home, place them in their new habitat, away from your other pets. This allows your new pet to settle in and relax a bit before beginning the stress of meeting a new potential friend. Learn more here. This also allows you to monitor your new pet for any signs of illness. While MNPPR provides all of our animals with routine veterinary care, we cannot guarantee the health of an animal, especially since pocket pets tend to hide their illnesses instinctively. Most experts recommend quarantining any new pets from your other pets for 2 - 4 weeks.
Once your new pet has settled in and you are sure it is healthy and relaxed, you can begin introducing your new pet to your existing pets. We are currently working on guides on how to do this for each species. In the meantime, visit our page on bonding for links to pages with helpful information.
Please note, the distance from the foster to adopter location is taken into consideration when approving Critter Courtships.
We are now offering Virtual Bonding Chaperone sessions where you will set up your webcam during a bonding session so one of our volunteers can observe and offer instruction and tips. To participate, please complete a request here. *Please note, this program is currently on hold due to lack of volunteer capacity at this time. We will update this section when it become available again. If you are interested in becoming a Species Expert to help us get this program running again, please apply here.*
If you are having trouble with the bonding process, don't give up too quickly, please email us and we may be able to help!
WHY DO WE REQUIRE YEARLY EXAMS FOR POCKET PETS?
1. Pocket pets are known to hide when they are ill or injured.
2. Most pocket pets have short lifespans.
3. Having an established relationship with a pocket pet specific veterinarian can ensure more prompt care in emergencies and more individualized diagnostics and recommendations.
FREE CHECKUP
Maplebrook Pet Care Center has generously partnered with MNPPR by providing routine veterinary care for the animals in the rescue. They also offer a free wellness exam for any newly adopted pet from MN Pocket Pet Rescue within 3 months of adoption!