Adoption Fees
Our adoption fee helps us continue the work for more rescued animals that come through our doors.
At the Scottish SPCA, we do everything we can to ensure your rescue pet has received the best standard of care while they stayed with us. Our adoption fee helps us continue that work for more rescued animals that come through our doors.
Every rescued animal that comes into our care has its own backstory. Whilst some may have come to us through our Forever Care scheme, others may have been rescued from difficult circumstances. Whatever their situation, the Scottish SPCA are there to help.
That’s why we ask all of our adopters for a fee – it allows us to carry on helping more and more rescued animals that desperately need our help.
Choosing to adopt a pet from the Scottish SPCA is a great way to grow your family. It’s not just all the care that our rescued animals receive whilst they stay with us, you will also be provided support, advice and 4 week’s insurance to help out as your new companion settles in.
Find out more about our adoption fees below:
Where does the money from the adoption fee go?
We receive no Government funding to support us in our mission to make Scotland the best place in the world for an animal to call home. This means all our work from the first interaction we have with an animal to supporting their new family is completely funded through the generosity of our supporters.
By asking for an adoption fee, we are able to continue our work as Scotland’s leading animal welfare charity.
Do other animal welfare charities charge a fee for adoption?
All other major animal charities charge a fee for adoption, including the RSPCA, Cats Protection, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross.
When you adopt from the Scottish SPCA, we guarantee that the animal you receive has undergone a health check and is given all the necessary vaccinations. By choosing us, we can also continue this standard of care for future generations of rescued animals that come through our doors.
What are the different fees for the different types of pets?
We ask for an adoption fee as this helps us cover the costs of caring for them, including neutering, veterinary fees, food and microchipping. These prices vary from animal to animal which is reflected in the fees below.
Dogs
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Puppies | £400 |
| Under 8 years | £300 |
| Over 8 years | £250 |
Cats
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Kitten | £200 |
| Pair of kittens | £350 |
| Under 8 years | £150 |
| Over 8 years | £100 |
Rabbits, ferrets and small animals
| Type | Singular | Pair |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | £50 | £80 |
| Rat | £20 | £35 |
| Hamster | £15 | N/A |
| Gerbil | £12 | £20 |
| Mice | £12 | £20 |
| Degu | £20 | £35 |
| Chinchilla | £50 | £80 |
| Ferret | £20 | £30 |
| Guinea pig | £30 | £55 |
Equines
| Type | Fee (Manager’s discretion applies) |
|---|---|
| Companion – non ridden | Price on application. |
| Lead rein pony | Price on application. |
| Project horse or pony | Price on application. |
| Hacking horse (over 15hh) | Price on application. |
| Hacking pony (under 15hh) | Price on application. |
| Established ridden horse (over 15hh) | Price on application. |
| Established ridden pony (under 15hh) | Price on application. |
Exotics, fish and birds
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Small snakes | From £20 |
| Medium snakes | From £25 |
| Large snakes | From £50 |
| Lizards (inc. Bearded Dragons) | From £35 |
| Salamander | From £35 |
| Axolotl | From £20 |
| Tortoise | From £50 (CITES donation) |
| Tarantula | £20 |
| Gecko | From £35 |
| Iguana | £30 |
| Chameleon | From £35 |
| Small birds (Budgies, Canaries, Finches, etc.) | £10 |
| Poultry | £10 |
| Parakeets | From £40 |
| Parrots, Macaws etc. | From £100 |
Note: * Any species that require a CITES permit cannot be adopted with an “Adoption fee”.
I can’t afford the adoption fee but would love to adopt a Scottish SPCA animal. Can I still have one?
Something to bear in mind is that our adoption fee is just the beginning of the costs involved with owning a pet. We would recommend that before making the decision to adopt, you investigate the costs of pet food, pet insurance, grooming and fees at your local veterinary centre so that you are fully prepared for the ongoing costs of having a pet.
If you would like to support the work of the Scottish SPCA, we are always grateful for your help – no matter in what form. If you decide that adoption isn’t right for you right now, you can still be part of the rescue through sponsoring one of our spaces to help us continue our work.
Support us from £5 a month
It costs us £63,000 every day to continue the work that animals across Scotland depend on. Our work is only possible because of the generosity of people like you.
