The following constitutes an adoption agreement between the Current Owner (defined below) and the Adopter (defined below) for the Rat which is detailed below. These terms and conditions are entered into and agreed upon by both Current Owner and Adopter, and they acknowledge the moral and legal worth of this contract. The terms of this agreement shall continue until the death of the Rat, or return of the Rat to the Current Owner.

This contract is intended to ensure that Hera's babies are safe and well cared for, and not put to sleep in shelters or placed in abusive/negligent homes. The $10 adoption fee helps cover the current owner's expense of raising and caring for the animal, and discourages snake owners from purchasing the rat as food. This fee is not refundable except in case of health problems where evidence of said problem is presented to the Current Owner within two weeks.

Current Owner Name:	.
Current Owner Phone Number:	.
Current Owner Mailing Address:	.
Current Owner E-mail Address:	.
Adopter Name:	.
Adopter Phone Number:	.
Adopter Mailing Address:	.
Adopter E-mail Address:	.
Animal Name:	.
Description of Animal:	.
Animal Birthdate:	.

1. The Rat is being adopted or purchased by Adopter solely as a pet for the Adopter and/or the Adopter's immediate family. The Adopter agrees that he/she intends to provide a safe, loving, and permanent home for the Rat. The Rat is adopted first and foremost as a companion animal and family member, and is to be cared for as such by the Adopter.
2. Adopter agrees to provide companionship for the Rat, never leaving the Rat for long periods of time without human attention or a companion of the Rattus norvegicus species. Adopter agrees to house the above Rat with a companion of the Rattus norvegicus species. The companion should be of the same sex as the Rat, unless the Rat or its companion is spayed or neutered to prevent mating, at which time an opposite sex companion is acceptable. The Rat is to live with humans in the Adopter's living quarters or in such living arrangement agreed upon by both the Current Owner and Adopter below:
   

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3. Adopter agrees that the Rat is a rescue with an unknown genetic background and, as such, is not suitable for breeding. Therefore, breeding the Rat intentionally for any reason is strictly forbidden. If, for any reason, the Rat becomes pregnant, or sires a litter, Adopter will notify the Current Owner immediately. In the event the Rat is intentionally bred, Current Owner reserves the right to reclaim the Rat and its offspring (to be delivered to Current Owner by Adopter at Adopter's expense) and/or take legal action against Adopter. In the event Current Owner must take legal action to resolve an issue involving intentional breeding of the Rat, all related court costs, legal fees, filing fees, attorney's fees, etc. incurred by Current Owner will be paid by Adopter's as well as any rewards, financial or otherwise, from the court.
4. If, for any reason during the life of the Rat, the Adopter becomes unable or unwilling to keep the rat, the Adopter will advise and consult with the Current Owner regarding placement of the rat. In such an event, the Adopter agrees that the Current Owner has the option to reclaim the Rat at no charge. At no time shall the Rat be sold, traded, given or otherwise transferred to anyone other than the Adopter without written consent of the Current Owner. In case the Current Owner is unable or unwilling to reclaim the Rat, Adopter agrees to find a suitable home for the Rat as a privately-owned pet. If no suitable home can be found, Adopter will place the Rat at a no-kill shelter which is equipped for handling pet rats. At no time will the Adopter:
   • Surrender, sell, or otherwise transfer ownership of the Rat to an animal shelter which puts animals to sleep due to lack of space or homes, or which is not equipped to handle pet rats.
   • Sell, lease, lend, give, trade, surrender, or otherwise temporarily or permanently transfer ownership of the Rat to any pet shop, breeding farm, research laboratory, or similar facility engaged in the utilization of rats as food for other animals, sale for commercial profit, or research.
   • Abandon the Rat or set it loose to fend for itself.
5. Adopter agrees to care for the Rat in a humane and responsible manner. Adopter is expected to keep the rat in an environment which is comfortable and safe. A comfortable, safe environment includes:
   
   • Providing the Rat with adequate shelter where the Rat is safe from temperature extremes and other animals or people. The Adopter will always supervise other species of animals and small children around the Rat.
   • Keeping the Rat's cage clean and sanitary. To ensure health, Adopter understands that the Rat's cage should be cleaned at least once per week. Even under the most extreme circumstances, Adopter will never allow Rat's cage to go longer than two weeks without being cleaned.
   • Keeping the Rat away from toxic chemicals and cleaning products. All cleaning products used to clean the Rat's cage should be rinsed away thoroughly. At no time should the Rat be left unattended in any location where toxic chemicals or cleaning products are accessible by the Rat.
   • Having clean, fresh water available to the Rat at all times. Adopter agrees to use a water bottle or other sanitary method of providing water to the Rat.
   • Having clean, fresh, nutritious food available to the Rat at all times. The Rat should always be fed a diet designed for rats, and should never be fed any diet containing ethoxyquin, dried uncooked corn, or any other chemical, food, or compound found to be hazardous for rats.
   • Providing the Rat with a safe bedding and/or litter, such as Alpha Dri, aspen, or cloth. At no time under any circumstances will the Adopter allow the Rat to be kept on or near pine, cedar, or other bedding deemed potentially harmful to rats.
   • Providing the Rat with plenty of excercise and rat-safe toys.
   • Providing the Rat with prompt top-notch medical care. The Rat must never be allowed to harbor parasites or diseases. Any sign of disease or parasites must result in the Adopter immediately making an appointment with a veterinarian who is equipped to properly treat rats. Adopter understands that, while veterinary treatment is expensive, it is usually necessary at least once in the life span of a rat and, as such, the Adopter will always keep funds available or set aside for basic veterinary care in case of an emergency.
6. Current Owner agrees that, at the time of transfer, the Rat appeared healthy and did not exhibit any signs of disease, illness, or behavior problems. The Adopter is responsible for quarantine of the rat for two weeks after taking possession of it. If the rat develops any illness or contagious disease within those two weeks, the Adopter may return the rat to the Current Owner for a replacement or refund. Evidence of the Rat's health problem must be presented at the time of return, and must be provided within the two week period. If no evidence is provided within two weeks of adoption, any illness that occurs becomes the responsibility of the Adopter.
7. Due to the unknown genetic background of the Rat, Current Owner is unable to offer any warranty, expressed or implied, about the Rat's temperament or health and is hereby absolved from any liability for future damages or injuries caused by said Rat, or veterinary bills incurred due to genetic defects, injury, illness or other issues.

Both Current Owner and Adopter agree, in the event any claim or suit is brought in connection with this agreement, to submit to the jurisdiction of the state of California, and agree to the courts of San Mateo County, California as the appropriate forum.

In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any of the other provisions of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such provision(s) had never been contained herein, provided that such provision(s) shall be curtailed, limited, or eliminated only to the extent necessary to remove the invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability.

This Agreement constitutes the entire adoption agreement between for Current Owner and Adopter and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the Current Owner and Adopter with respect to the Rat. No warranties, expressed or implied, are made under this contract, except those explicitly stated herein.

By signing below, Current Owner and Adopter certify that all statements made on this adoption agreement are true and correct, and that they both agree to the terms of this contract. In the event of falsification or contract breech on the part of the Adopter, Current Owner has the right to confiscate the Rat (along with any/all offspring of said Rat) at the Adopter's expense. In case of falsification or contract breech on the part of the Current Owner, Adopter has the right to return the Rat to Current Owner for a refund of the $10 adoption fee, at the Current Owner's expense.

Adopter Signature:	.
Date:	.

Current Owner Signature:	.
Date:	.