Adoption
Adoption is the process in which a preexisting Neopet (as opposed to one made through Create a Neopet) is added to a user's account. There are two types of adoption. As a built-in site feature, Neopets who have been abandoned at the Neopian Pound can be adopted for a fee. Alternatively, users can choose to adopt Neopets from other users, foster parents, who advertise their Neopets as up for adoption. The latter method is an unofficial form of adoption which has been tentatively allowed by The Neopets Team.
Adoption through the Pound[edit]
The Neopian Pound can be found in the menu bar under Pet Central or on the Neopian Plaza map. The pink, leftmost door labeled "Adopt" leads to the adoption page. Three pets will appear at a time. Users must select the pet they wish to adopt, and a fee will be deducted from their on-hand neopoints. The exact price is determined by its characteristics (color, statistics, etc.).
Pets that are above level 2, are limited-edition species, or that have been painted with certain rare or expensive paintbrushes, cannot be adopted by any account younger than four months.
Adoption through adoption agencies[edit]
Adoption agencies can be run be one person or a group of people. These agencies house pets adopted from the pound or former permanent pets that are zapped in the lab and then adopted out to other users. The "foster parent" usually goes through an application period next where people send in applications for said pet. Some adoption agencies have guilds to help find support and advertise pets together. Some directories offer lists of agencies to help people find the right pet for them.
Types of Applications[edit]
Most foster parents request an application to help them know more about the applicant and how qualified he or she is. Some foster parents ask applicants to take a special pledge. Most require them to answer questions regarding, for example, their plans for the pet, character ideas, or whether or not they have been frozen before.
Neomail[edit]
Neomail applications are usually anywhere from 1-3 mail lengths long and are, by their nature. text-only. If the foster parent requires that questionnaire be filled out, it would be answered here. Some foster parents prefer them because they are short, to the point, and involve less time and effort.
Neomail applications have several disadvantages, particularly when written for popular Neopets. It may be difficult for users to distinguish themselves through a few Neomails, and they may be overlooked in favor of a rival who created a Petpage application. Because they are shorter and have character limits, these types of applications usually convey less information unless many Neomails are sent, which may be a burden to both the foster parent and applicant.
Petpage[edit]
Petpage applications are often considered superior to Neomails, because there are far fewer restrictions on length and content. As there is no character limit, users can explain more fully what their plans are for the Neopet. Because of the "blank slate" quality of Petpages, they are ideal for artistic expression. Users can showcase their flair for coding, artwork, or writing, and hopefully make a greater impact on the reader.
A Petpage application can be set up like a normal Petpage, as if the applicant actually owned it, so that the owner can later make a few changes and keep it as the pet's page. It also gives the owner the opportunity to show how they would treat the pet if chosen; that they would come up with a character and petpage for the pet.
The extent to which Petpage applications abide by the Terms and Conditions has sometimes been unclear. As a result, some foster parents have begun asking applicants to put a disclaimer specifying that the application was created of their own volition.
Quick Adoption Applications[edit]
Quick Adoptions are adoptions that are not as in-depth in the process of choosing an owner. In most situations, users who initiate this kind of adoption want to move their pets to a new home quickly. They may ask for short, one- or two-paragraph application, and the owner is chosen shortly with little follow-up. Alternatively, they may skip even this formality, usually advertising on the Neoboards to elicit interest and choosing from the pool of candidates.
Criticism[edit]
There has been some debate over how acceptable Adoption Agencies are, although The Neopets Team has repeatedly affirmed and endorsed their existence.
Adoption agencies themselves are fine. Helping abandoned Neopets find caring homes is quite a good thing. :) However, often times people accept tips or payment for this service, which is not allowed. Other times, people are unaware of the fact that a pet transfer is not guaranteed and are quite upset when they put work into an application and do not get the pet. So, as long you don't ask for payment of any sort, and make it quite clear that the winning applicant is not guaranteed to get the pet once it's released into the pound, you can continue your charitable work without fear!