Adoption App

Please Note

In order to be considered for adoption through NEAR, you must first fill out an adoption application.

No adoptions will be considered without a completed adoption application on file.

We reserve the right to refuse any application, for any reason, at our sole discretion, with or without notification to the applicant.

Incomplete or ridiculous applications will be denied out of hand, with or without notification to the applicant.

Most medium birds and all large birds require breed-specific experience. Amazons, Cockatoos and Macaws in particular will typically require two to three years of experience for adoption consideration. Some may require more, some less, all at the discretion of NEAR staff.

We receive 5 to 10 adoption applications per day and all adoption applications are regularly reviewed by an adoption panel. It may take us several weeks to get back to you.

The shelter is open BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. We are not open for walk-ins.

Please ensure you are able to receive email from the address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you think you should have heard from us, but haven't, be sure to Check your spam folder.

Personal Information

First, we need to collect a little bit of information so that a NEAR representative can contact you:

First Name*

Last Name*

Address (Physical ONLY, no PO Boxes)*

City*

State*

zip code*

Telephone*

Email Address*

Are you over the age of 18?* Yes No

Lifestyle

There are certain things in our lives that are conducive to owning birds and certain things that are not. Our one and only goal is to find the best homes for our birds. The information herein will be used for that purpose and that purpose only.

Living Situation

Family

How many people in your household?*

Are there children in the home?* Yes

What age(s)?*

Is everyone in your household aware of and on board with your desire to adopt a bird?* Yes No

Rent or Own Home

Do you rent or own your home?* Own Rent

How long have you lived there?*

Do you have your landlord's permission to keep birds?* Yes No

If requested, are you willing to provide contact information for your landlord?* Yes No

What type of home?* Single Unit Multi Unit Condo Townhome

Employment

What is your current employment status?* Unemployed Full Time Part Time Student Retired

Do you ever work shifts other than the "day shift?"* Yes No

Smoking

Does anyone in your home smoke?* Yes No

Where do you typically smoke? Inside Outside Both

Allergies

Bird feathers and dander are well-known allergens in humans. Some birds, including Cockatiels, Cockatoos and African Grey Parrots are considered "hyper-allergenic" as they produce high levels of dusty dander and can trigger or intensify allergic reactions.

If you have not been exposed to birds for any length of time before, it would be wise to ensure you are not allergic before making the decision to adopt.

Does anyone in your home suffer from asthma, allergies or other respiratory issues?* Yes No

Is anyone in your home allergic to birds?* Yes No

Are you aware that birds can carry or contract diseases that can be spread to humans?* Yes No

Pets

Other than birds, are there any pets in your household?* Yes No

Please list the pets currently in your home.

Do you have a veterinarian?* Yes No

What is the name of your veterinarian's practice?

If necessary, may we contact your vet for references? Yes No

Do you have any concerns about your pets being aggressive toward a bird?* Yes No

How do your children behave around pets either in your house or someone else's?

Emergencies

Do you have a plan to evacuate your pets in the event of a fire?* Yes No

Do you have a back up power source in the event of an extended power outage?* Yes No

Experience

Depending on the type of bird you're interested in, there are varying levels of experience required. Larger or behaviorally challenged birds can be dangerous. Lack of familiarity and experience with certain breeds will virtually guarantee the adoption will fail. Adoption failure happens occasionally, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, but it is no good for you, the shelter and it is especially bad for the well-being of the bird.

While it may not seem that way sometimes, our goal is to find reasons to create adoptions, not reject them. We will do everything in our power to make the right match, but remember ... at the end of the day it's often the bird that picks the person, not the other way around!

Have you ever personally owned a bird(s) before?* Yes No

PLEASE BE DETAILED & SPECIFIC!! Provide details of the birds you have had (what species, how many, how long you had them, what happened to them)?

Do you currently have a bird(s)?* Yes No

PLEASE BE DETAILED AND SPECIFIC!! If the bird(s) you have now are different from the ones you had previously, please list how many, what species, how long you have had them, etc.*

What happened to your bird(s)?*

Why do you want a bird?

Care

Basic

Should you adopt, who will be the primary caretaker of the bird?*

Who will be the caretaker when the primary person(s) is away (business, vacation, etc.)?*

How much time will the primary caregiver be able to spend with the bird per day?*

Do you intend to allow the bird to spend time out of its cage?* Yes No

How long will the birds be able to spend outside of the cage per day?*

How many hours per day do you expect the bird will be alone?*

How do you expect to keep your bird's wings?* Clipped Fully Flighted

Health

Do you have an avian veterinarian?* Yes No

Is the avian vet practice the same as your regular vet (if you have one)?* Yes No

What is the name of the avian veterinary practice?*

If necessary, may we contact your avian veterinarian for a reference?* Yes No

Do your bird(s) bathe?* Yes No

How do you bathe your bird and how often?*

Diet

What do you feed your bird(s)?*

If NEAR representatives recommend a diet change for your bird(s), are you willing to make the change?* Yes No

What kind of bird(s) are you looking for?

All of the birds we currently have available for adoption are listed on our website. Please list in the box below the bird(s) you would be potentially interested in adopting.

Which birds are you interested in?*

Attestations

Please read the following acknowledgments carefully. A response is required for each.

Costs

NEAR does not charge adoption fees, however when you adopt from us, you are NOT getting a free bird!

I understand that a proper sized cage will cost between $100 to over $1,000* Yes No

I understand that proper diet can cost between $15 and $50 or more PER MONTH.* Yes No

I understand that toys can cost between $10 and $100 or more PER MONTH.* Yes No

I understand that a basic (minimum) veterinary visit will cost $75 or more.* Yes No

I understand that upon the approval of my application, I will be required to make at least one visit to the shelter..* Yes No

I am aware the NEAR shelter is located in EAST GREENBUSH, NY (Near Albany, 3 hours from Boston, 3 hours from NYC)* Yes No

I understand a pre-adoption meeting will be conducted on Zoom* Yes No

I understand the pre-adoption Zoom meeting will be recorded and that the recording will only be available to adoption committee members* Yes No

I understand a home visit will be required before the completion of any adoption.* Yes No

I would like to receive occasional updates from NEAR* Yes No

Prove You are Human!

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Please Note

In order to adopt from NEAR, you must first fill out an adoption application.

No adoptions will be considered without an adoption application on file.

Due to the number of applications we receive on a daily basis, there may be long delays in hearing back from us. If you are concerned about your application, please feel free to email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

NOTE: Email responses will come from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Be sure to check your spam folder before contacting us on a delayed application response.

We make every effort to respond as quickly as possible, but we are often dealing with significant backlogs of applications.

Please ensure you can receive mail from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (check your spam folder!)

Thank you for your application!