Home checks are conducted to ensure that animals placed through Furever Friends Foundation are adopted into environments that meet their physical, emotional, behavioural, and welfare needs.
The objectives of a home check are to:
- Assess suitability of the living environment
- Ensure animal safety and welfare
- Match animals appropriately to adopters
- Reduce failed adoptions and returns
- Provide education and guidance to adopters
- Protect the long-term interests of the animal
Home checks are not inspections, but welfare assessments conducted in a respectful, supportive manner.
This policy applies to:
- All dog and cat adoptions
- Foster placements
- Permanent placements
Home checks may be conducted:
- In person
- Virtually (video call, photos, or live walkthrough)
Home checks are conducted in alignment with:
- Animals Protection Act, No. 71 of 1962
- SPCA Act, No. 169 of 1993
- Relevant municipal by-laws
- Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare
- Ethical, force-free animal handling principles
Animal welfare is the primary decision-making factor in all assessments.
Home checks may be conducted by:
- Trained Furever Friends Foundation staff
- Approved volunteers
- Designated animal welfare partners
All assessors must:
- Be familiar with this policy
- Conduct checks objectively and consistently
- Declare conflicts of interest
- Maintain confidentiality
Used where:
- The animal has specific behavioural or containment needs
- There are safety concerns
- The placement is considered high-risk
- Virtual checks are not suitable
Used where:
- Distance or logistics prevent in-person visits
- The home environment is straightforward
- Follow-up checks are required
Virtual checks must include:
- Live video walkthrough OR
- Clear photographs of all relevant areas
The following minimum standards apply to all homes:
- No obvious hazards (open pools, exposed wiring, toxic plants)
- No access to roads and neighbouring properties
- Secure gates and doors
- Protection from heat, cold, rain, and wind when outdoors
- Clean, dry sleeping areas
- Suitable bedding
- Access to fresh water at all times
- Appropriate feeding plan and storage
- Animals not left alone for excessive periods
- Plans for care during work hours, travel, or emergencies
Assess:
- Fence/ wall height and condition
- Gaps under or between fencing
- Secure gates and locks
- Suitability for the dog’s size, strength, and behaviour
Unacceptable practices include:
- Chaining or tethering
- Electric fencing used as sole containment
- Permanent confinement to small spaces
- Breeding
- Dog fighting
- Use of aversives
- Outdoor only
- Adequate space for movement
- Daily exercise plan appropriate to breed/type
- Access to enrichment and stimulation
- Dogs should live with the family, not be isolated
- Garages, cages, or kennels are not acceptable permanent housing
- Commitment to force-free, humane training
- No use of aversive tools (shock collars, prong collars)
- Willingness to attend training if recommended
- Cats must be kept indoors for a minimum of two weeks once adopted
- Safe, quiet space for initial adjustment
- No immediate access to outdoor environments
- Appropriate number of litter boxes (general rule: one per cat plus one extra)
- Clean, accessible placement
- Safe disposal plan
- Scratching posts
- Vertical spaces (cat trees, shelves)
- Secure windows and balconies
- Only after the settling-in period
- Sterilised and vaccinated cats only
- Safe access methods encouraged
Assess:
- Current animals’ temperament and health
- Introduction plans
- Space and resource availability
- Ability to manage conflict
- Other animals are vaccinated and sterilized
Slow, supervised introductions must be planned and understood.
- Age-appropriate supervision plans
- Education around respectful animal handling
- Safe interaction guidelines
Adopters must provide:
- Written landlord or body corporate permission
- Proof of pet allowance where applicable
Adoptions may be declined if:
- Containment is unsafe
- Breeding is intended
- Veterinary care is not financially planned for
- Aversive training methods are insisted upon
- There is a history of neglect or repeated relinquishment
- The adopter is unwilling to make reasonable improvements
Declines must be:
- Documented
- Communicated respectfully
- Centred on animal welfare
- Follow-up checks may occur post-placement
- Support and guidance offered
- Welfare concerns escalated where necessary
Assessors must:
- Be respectful and non-judgmental
- Avoid personal bias
- Provide education, not criticism
- Act in the best interests of the animal
The final decision on any placement rests with Furever Friends Foundation, based on welfare considerations and professional judgement.
