We are a non-gov animal welfare organisation, who provide shelter for the stray, abandoned and mistreated dogs and cats in Lusaka, Zambia

We have been growing and going strong thanks to our supporters and donors since 1993. If you have any input, information, time to help or a little spare money to give the cause please contact us for information on how to help us. Like us on Facebook and join our animal lovers’ community to receive our latest news! Lots of licks and cuddles....LAWS

FAQs.

Q. What are your operating hours?
Adoption Hours
10 hrs. – 15:00hrs. Tuesday through Sunday.
Business Hours
The Shelter is open for all other animal-related services (that is, except adoption) during the following hours: 10hrs.-15hrs, 7 days a week.
Emergency Service Hours
The Shelter promptly responds to animal emergencies 8hrs – 16hrs every everyday of the year. Any situation is considered an emergency in which a domestic animal is in danger or is creating a danger to the community.

Q. How much does it cost to adopt a LAWS animal?
A. All of our adoption fees include age-appropriate vet care, including spay/neuter surgery for all dogs/cats over 6 months of age, DHLPP shots, rabies shots, and de-worming. The estimated costs for adopting LAWS Dogs/Cats is provided below:
1. Puppy or Adult Dog – K450
2. Kitten pr Adult Cat - K350 (We have a few ratters for your warehouses.)
We accept only cash payments for adoption fees.

Q. How do I adopt a LAWS dog or cat?
A. When you are ready to adopt a new friend, we'll ask you to complete our friendly screening process, which ensures safe and successful adoptions!
1. Fill out an Adoption Form, which you will find at the shelter office.
2. We'll have a brief conversation with you to determine your needs and preferences, find out about your daily schedule, and talk about your previous experience with pets.
3. If applicable, we'll call your veterinarian to ensure that previous pets have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and well cared for.
4. Lastly, we'll visit your home if applicable to see the environment where the dog will live and answer your questions. This is a great opportunity for you to get valuable input on how to integrate your new pet into your home.
This process typically takes less than a week and then you are ready to take your LAWS Dog home!

Q. Can a LAWS dog be adopted out-of –town?
A. Yes - as long as we are happy that the dog can be transported in a safe and comfortable manner, we can adopt out of our area. However, priority will be given to local adopters - especially with puppies.

Q. Can a LAWS dog live in an apartment?
A. Yes! But, we will need to discuss a plan for exercising your dog, including, perhaps, walks around your neighborhood on a leash. We realize that different dogs have different exercise needs and that they are safer in a fenced yard. We strongly urge you not to let your LAWS Dog off leash in an un-fenced area. This is particularly important in the first 2-3 months, when your LAWS Dog might be prone to wandering off - without knowing the way back home! We do prefer that owners have yards that are fenced.

Q. Do LAWS dogs need fenced yards?
A. Yes! With years of rescuing of strays in Lusaka, we realize that most dogs found are lost and from homes without fences.

Q. How old do I have to be to adopt a LAWS dog?
A. You have to be over 21 years old and have to come to the shelter with a guardian if you are younger.

Q. Can I adopt a LAWS dog that is still in the shelter?
A. Maybe. We are not a first-come, first served rescue. We try our very hardest to find the best match for our dogs and our adopters. Being first doesn't hurt, but it's not a guarantee. We commit to being as open and honest about the selection process as we can.


Q. If I am the first one to apply for my LAWS dog, will I get him?
A. Nope! And, because you might be committing to that dog without actually meeting him or her ahead of time, we strongly urge you meet the dog as we do not like our residents to be brought back because we have hurried the adoption process.

Q. If I want a LAWS dog that has been adopted, will you find another one for me?
A. Absolutely! We will help approved adopters find the right dog for them. There is no need to reapply or to start the process over again.

Q. Can you guarantee a LAWS dog breed?
A. Nope. Unfortunately, the inherent nature of dog rescue means, we cannot guarantee a dog's breed. Many dogs end up in shelters because they are strays. And many more are turned in by owners that don't know or don't share their pet's history.

Q. Can you guarantee a size a LAWS dog will become?
A. Unfortunately not. Even when we know the puppy's mom, we only know half of the mix. The best we can do is make an educated guess based on the dog's appearance and temperament.

Q. Do LAWS animals have to be neutered?
A. Absolutely! In fact, LAWS Dogs over the age of 6 months will be spayed or neutered before they are adopted out. Puppies adopted under the age of 6 months must be spayed/neutered by their adopter by a date agreed upon in the adoption contract (usually within 6 months). LAWS takes spaying/neutering very seriously, and follows up to make that all of our puppies get spayed/neutered. Puppy adopters should be aware that spay/neuter surgery can cost more than K600.

Q. What do I do if my LAWS dog has an issue?
A. Let us know - the sooner the better! Small problems that start early-on become big problems as time passes. We have trainers on call and lots of resources to share with you. Moreover, because we have a large pool of volunteers who have been doing this for a long time, we probably have experience dealing with whatever issue you may be facing. Let us help!


Q. What do I do if I cannot keep my LAWS dog?
A. LAWS Animals are lucky for life! So, if for any reason, you cannot keep your LAWS Dog/cat, let us know as soon as possible. We will begin the process of helping you find homes for them. But, remember, we are here for you before that decision is made. If you have problems - no matter how small - let us know before they become big! We can then provide you the advice and support you need to fix the problems before they get out of hand.

Q. Do you adopt out cats?
A. Yes! We rescue cats and kitties in need as well. We house them in our cattery. Most of these kitties come from the streets where they have little chance of finding loving homes. The cats in our system are combo tested for FIV and FeLV and are up to date on their shots. All kitties 3 months and older will be spayed or neutered.

Q. I’ve lost my pet; what do I do?
A. The first thing to do, after searching your neighborhood, is to visit Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter and look for your lost pet, file a lost report and ask if anyone has called in a found report. You need to visit the shelter as often as possible to look for your pet. Only you can positively identify your lost pet. We cannot guarantee that the front desk staff or volunteers who are answering the telephone are aware of every animal in the shelter. In addition, the breed may be identified differently than the one you have identified for that animal. Should you find your animal at the shelter, you will be required to provide proof of ownership.

Q. What can I do to prevent my pet from getting lost?
A. The most important thing to do to prevent your pet from becoming lost is to keep your cat indoors at all times and keep your dogs on a leash or inside a secure fence when not inside the home. Your pets should always wear a collar and ID tags, including a rabies and license tag for proper identification.

Q. When will an animal control officer respond to my call?
A. Calls are handled on a priority basis. How quickly an officer responds to a specific call depends not only upon the priority of the call, but how many calls of a higher priority are occurring at that time. For example, calls involving immediate injury or harm to a person from an animal or an injured animal are the highest priority. Conversely, calls regarding a dog running loose in the neighborhood without posing a threat generally take much longer to respond to.

Q. I have to surrender my pet. How long will you keep him?
A. We make every effort to give all adoptable animals every opportunity to be placed into new homes. We do not have a specific time limit in which we hold owner released animals. In many cases, pets are held for adoption for weeks or even months if space allows. Owners surrendering their pets can assist in the successful adoption of that pet by providing as much information as possible about the animal to shelter staff. This information will assist in placing that pet in the most suitable home for its physical and behavioral needs. Some of the information to provide includes the animal’s medical history, housebroken status, and tolerance of other animals and children.

Q. I found a lost pet and turned him into the shelter. How long will you keep him?
A. Lost or stray animals with owner identification (microchip, tag with owner information, license) are held for 7 days, not including the day of impound and then neutered in order for us to put them up for adoption. Lost or stray animals without owner identification are held for 3 business days, not including the day of impound and may be made available for adoption after 10 days from recovery from their neutering surgery. Stray animals irremediably suffering from a serious illness or injury are not held for owner redemption or adoption and are euthanized immediately upon intake.

Q. Do you board animals?
A. No. We do not have the space to board privately owned pets. Check your telephone book under boarding kennels or ask your veterinarian, friends and family for recommendations.

Q. Do you give shots to all of the animals at the shelter?
A. Yes. Every dog and cat is vaccinated