When you adopt a rescue pet and give them the loving, forever home they deserve - you not only change their life but yours

  • All kinds of animals ready for adoption from furry to feathered
  • Our thorough process ensures you are prepared for your new pet
  • A small adoption fee helps us with necessary medical costs
HUHA rehomes animals throughout New Zealand with transport sometimes available - depending on the animal and circumstance

Adopt an animal in need and enrich their lives and yours

At HUHA we believe that every animal matters and deserves the chance to live a good life full of care and compassion. Each HUHA animal goes through a thorough health or vet check and has a history taken (when possible) of prior injuries, illnesses and any special needs. Vaccination, desexing and anti-parasite treatment are completed for all cats, dogs, rural animals, and other animals as practicable. HUHA charges an adoption fee to help offset some of the costs of readying animals for rehoming.

Many animals arrive to HUHA needing a little extra care and time to heal before they’re ready to join their forever home. Once an animal is ready, we carefully match and rehome them, taking time to make sure new owners understand the responsibilities of taking on their new pet and are set up to succeed. We regularly have dogs, cats, ponies, horses, bunnies, rats and various rural animals such as cows, pigs, goats and sheep available for adoption.

With the help of our incredibly generous and compassionate HUHA community who choose to adopt versus shop – together we save lives!

Volunteer Positions at Animal Shelter Wellington
While we hope that every match leads to a happy forever home, HUHA offers a lifetime guarantee so that if circumstances change and a pet parent can no longer care for the animal they adopted from us - we will take the animal back into our care.

Please read our adoption process to make sure you meet the adoption requirements before getting in touch with us.
Animal Shelter Wellington

Animals available to adopt

HUHA has hundreds of animals of all kinds ready for adoption. Please follow us on Facebook or Instagram to see posts about animals and see who might join your family.
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Please read our adoption process to make sure you meet the adoption requirements before getting in touch with us.


Dogs and puppies
Can you offer a loving forever home to one of HUHA’s lovely dogs or puppies?
Cats and kittens
Looking for a cat to join your family? Please get in touch.
Horses, ponies or donkeys
HUHA has a variety of horses, ponies and occasionally donkeys - ready for adoption to experienced homes. 
Rural animals
Have a rural property with good fencing and room to roam? We have cows, pigs, sheep, goats and other rural animals looking for forever pet homes.
Small animals
Bunnies, guinea pigs, rats and other small animals make great pets.
Forever homes
See a selection of our rescue animals that now have loving and happy homes.

Our adoption process

To ensure every HUHA animal goes to a secure and happy forever home and everyone is set up for success, we have a thorough adoption process.

1. Pre adoption interviewWe'll chat with you to make sure you understand the responsibility and needs of the animal joining your family. It's important that all members of the household are present and 100% committed to your new addition. If you’re renting your home, we’ll need written permission from your landlord confirming that they are happy to have pets in the property.

2. Meet and greet
In many cases, any existing animals that will be living with your HUHA animal should meet up prior to adoption to make sure everyone will play nicely.

3. Property inspection
We do property inspections for dogs, horses, chickens or rural animals. For cats, this will be a drive-by inspection.

4. Council check (if relevant)

5. Vet check of existing animals (if relevant)
To make sure all your pets are in good health and not likely to pass on any diseases.

Once all of these steps are complete and your adoption has been approved you’ll sign a HUHA Adoption Contract. We'll also complete a Transfer of Ownership Form for you, which is required by Council for dogs and some other animals.

Adoption requirements

We have a few guidelines to ensure that your adopted pet will be safe and happy in their new home. Before you apply to adopt, please check to make sure you qualify for the type of animal you’re interested in.

For all animals

Own your home or have written permission from the landlord to keep the type of pet(s) you’re adopting - ideally renters would have lived at the property for more than one year.

Secure fencing - for dogs, horses, goats, cows, sheep, pigs and chickens so no tethering is required.

Good shelter - for dogs and cats we require a sleeping area indoors with the family; for other animals, they need to be able to get out of the weather and shelter from the wind, heat and cold.

Access to water for drinking - or a waterway or pond for ducks and geese so they can display their natural behaviours.

+ For dogs

Fencing - you'll need to ensure that your fencing is robust and secure enough for the type of dog you’re adopting. A fenced backyard is ideal as it means your dog is not the first one to greet visitors when they arrive and is safer because the dog cannot escape if children or visitors accidentally leave the front gate open. It can also be more peaceful for dogs that get easily excited and like to bark at passers-by.

Enrichment and care plan for your dog if you’re at work during the day.

+ For cats

Location - your home will need to be away from hazards such as main roads or railway lines.

+ For horses and rural herd animals such as cows, sheep, pigs and goats

Paddock - Herd animals need company to thrive. Do you have existing animals or access to grazing with others of their kind to keep them company (or can you make room to adopt more than one)?

Secure fencing – do you have safe paddocks with good fencing that animals cannot become tangled in or escape from? Particularly important for goats who are renowned escape artists (we don’t allow tethering).

+ For chickens

Free range – do you have room for the chickens to be free range or plenty of room to roam with a good chook house or shelter where they can snuggle down?

After the eggs – will you be able to provide a home for the hens after their laying life comes to an end?

Please note: HUHA does not allow tethering of animals and will rehome to pet homes only. No working dog farm or hunting homes and no breeding, eating or onselling allowed.


Animal Abuse Shelter Wellington

An adoption fee helps towards our costs

We ask for an adoption fee which goes towards the cost of animal's care and any applicable desexing, microchipping, flea and worm treatments (varies by animal). Note: all male and female dogs, cats, rabbits and rats are desexed whereas generally only male farm animals are desexed.
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Standard adoption fees

  • Cat or kitten $200
  • Chicken, duck or goose $5
  • Birds: common avery and hand-raised birds - please enquire
  • Dogs over 10 years old $280
  • Dog under 10 or puppy $350
  • Horses, ponies and donkeys vary – please enquire
  • Rabbits $60
  • Rats $30
  • Rural animals such as pigs, cows or sheep $80
  • Turtles $30 (other reptiles vary, please enquire)

Send Us a Message


Please select the type of enquiry so we can connect you to the right team member to help with adoptions, advice or other information.


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