Pet adopt - Mascot Animal Hospital

Adopt a Pet in Surrey

Every adopted pet carries a story. Now they're starting a new chapter with you. This page connects Surrey families with trusted local adoption resources and shows you exactly how Mascot Animal Hospital supports your new dog or cat from day one.

Where to Find Your New Pet

If you’re still searching, these are the two resources we point Surrey families to first.

Surrey Animal Resource Centre Your local option. SARC cares for lost, surrendered, and abandoned animals right here in our community — and works to match them with the right families. As a Surrey-based clinic, we’re proud to support the work they do.

Visit SARC → https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/animals/surrey-animal-resource-centre

BC SPCA BC’s largest adoption network. Browse available dogs and cats across the province, set up alerts for specific breeds or ages, and learn what to expect from the adoption process before you even visit a location.

Browse BC SPCA → https://adopt.spca.bc.ca

What to Know Before You Bring Them Home

If you’re adopting a dog: Even calm, well-behaved shelter dogs often need weeks to fully decompress in a new home. Give them time to settle in before expecting the version of them you imagined. A consistent routine, a space they can call their own, and patience in the first month go a long way.

If you’re adopting a cat: Hiding is normal. Cats are territorial and a new home can feel overwhelming at first. Set up a quiet base room, let them come to you, and give it time. Most cats come around within a week or two some take a little longer.

For both: a vet visit within the first 7–10 days is one of the most valuable things you can do. Shelter records aren’t always complete, vaccines may need boosters, and an early wellness exam gives us and you a real picture of where your pet is starting from.

How Mascot Supports Newly Adopted Pets

We built this clinic around one idea: you should always understand what’s happening with your pet and why. That matters especially for newly adopted dogs and cats, where medical history can be incomplete and you’re making decisions without much context yet.

At your pet’s first visit, we’ll:

Do a full head-to-toe wellness exam
Review whatever records came with them from the shelter
Check vaccine status and flag any gaps
Build a care plan around their age, breed, and background
Walk you through what to expect in the weeks ahead

No pressure. No rushing. Just clear answers and a plan you actually feel good about.

New to Pet Parent Life?

If your adopted pet is a puppy or kitten, we’ve put together dedicated guides for exactly this stage — vaccines, what to expect at early exams, when to think about spaying or neutering, and everything in between.

🐶 Just adopted a puppy ? → Raising a Puppy

🐱 Just adopted a kitten ? → Raising a Kitten

And when the time comes to think about spaying or neutering your dog or cat, we’re here to walk you through timing, what the procedure involves, and what recovery looks like — without pressure.

Questions New Adopters Ask Us

How soon should I bring my newly adopted dog or cat in for a vet visit?

Within the first 7–10 days is ideal. Even if they seem perfectly healthy, newly adopted pets often have incomplete shelter records and early exams let us catch things before they become bigger issues — and give us a baseline to work from going forward.

My new cat is hiding and not eating. Should I be worried?

Hiding is completely normal for newly adopted cats — it’s a survival instinct, not rejection. As long as they’re drinking water and using the litter box, give them space. If your cat hasn’t eaten anything in 48 hours or seems lethargic rather than just cautious, that’s worth a call to us.

My adopted dog had vaccines at the shelter. Do they still need more?

Possibly. Shelter vaccination records vary in completeness, and some vaccines require follow-up boosters to actually be effective. We’ll review what your dog received and tell you exactly where things stand — no guessing, no unnecessary repeats.

My adopted dog or cat seems really anxious. Is that normal?

Very common in the first few weeks. Keep routines predictable, minimize chaos, and give them a dedicated safe zone — a crate or quiet corner for dogs, a high perch or enclosed space for cats. If anxiety is severe (not eating, destructive behaviour, constant hiding beyond three weeks), book an appointment and we’ll figure out next steps together.

When should I think about spaying or neutering my adopted dog or cat?

Timing depends on your pet’s age, breed, size, and whether the shelter already had it done. Some adopted pets arrive already spayed or neutered — we’ll check and let you know. If it still needs to happen, we’ll recommend the right window for your specific pet rather than a one-size-fits-all age. You’re welcome to ask us about this at your first visit.

Do you see both cats and dogs at Mascot?

Yes — full-service veterinary care for both, across all life stages. From newly adopted kittens and puppies to adult and senior pets.

What does a post-adoption wellness exam at Mascot actually include?

A full physical assessment, shelter record review, vaccine check, nutrition and feeding conversation, and a care plan tailored to your pet’s age and background. You’ll leave knowing exactly what’s going on and what comes next — that’s the Mascot standard.

Starting a New Chapter Together

Adoption is about giving a pet a second chance at a full, happy life. We're here to make sure that life starts with the right care clear, compassionate, and never rushed.

Just adopted or thinking about it? We'd love to meet them.