Adopt an animal

In the pet world, adopt a dog or adopt a cat normally means adopting an animal to literally take home with you.  However, you can also adopt an animal as a gift.

You can do this as a way to support your chosen animal charity.  You don’t take the animal you’ve adopted home by you.  Normally, adoptions are for up to a year, depending on the scheme, and you normally get things such as newsletters, a certificate, information about your adopted animal and perhaps a cuddly toy when you take up the adoption.

Adoptions can be a great way to support a charity and spread the word.   Here are a few ideas - this list isn't inclusive and I'll keep adding to it.

Wildlife Aid

Adopt animals such as a Deer, a Badger, a Fox, a Bird of Prey, a Hedgehog and an Owl from Wildlife Aid and help them care for these animals.  The charity rescues injured and orphaned animals and helps rehabilitate them, until such a time as they can survive on their own.  Adopt here

WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust)

WWT have a different range of animals such as a Goose, Duck, Flamingo, Otter and Spoon-Billed Sandpiper.  Adoptions are from £3 a month.  Adopt here and support its essential work with wildlife and wetlands conservation.  

Born Free Foundation

Born Free have 20 animals you can adopt as a gift, from the leopard to moon bear, lion to turtle, orca and Ethiopian Wolf.  You choose which you think the recipient would like and take out an adoption.  You can pay by month or in a one off payment.  Adoptions may help care for animals in Born Free’s care or help protect animals living in the wild.   Adopt here

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

The DSWF is a highly effective wildlife conservation charity funding key projects across Africa and Asia.  You can adopt animals such as a Black Rhino, an Amur Tiger, an African Painted Dog, An African Elephant, a Bengal tiger, a Snow Leopard – and a Wildlife Ranger!   Adopt here

Wildlife Trusts

There are 46 Wildlife Trusts around the UK and the money raised from the adoption schemes goes to helping important local wildlife conservation work, such as managing nature reserves or creating new habitats.  Animals you can adopt include seahorses, pine martens, water voles, peregrines, seals, trees or habitats, red squirrels, otters, insects, grazing animals, hedgehogs, hares, dormice, dolphins, birds, bats, owls and badgers.  The grazing animals include goats, Shetland sheep, Dartmoor ponies, Highland Cows and Konik ponies, 

Help IAR look after those animals who are permanently in their care because they can’t fend for themselves, and also to rescue and rehabilitate other animals. Adopt a Sloth Bear, a Slow Loris or an Orangutan.

Adopt a monkey
Adopt a monkey and help Wild Futures protect primates worldwide.   Adopt now.

In the US, you can support the Galapagos Conservancy by adopting a Sea Lion, a Tortoise, a Blue Booted Booby or a Marine Iguana only.   

You can also support conservation charities working to protect and help specific species e.g. 

Polar Bears International (US)

Adopt a Snow Leopard (US)

Pandas International (US)

Giraffe Conservation Foundation (US)

Crocodiles of the World (UK)

Save the Koala (Australia)