Animal Adoption FAQs

We have four different types of adoption packages:

Gold, Silver and Bronze Adoption Packs– over 46 species to choose from.

Junior Adoption Pack – 8 available species to choose from.

Animal Adoptions range from £45 – £90 regardless of which animal species you choose.

A Junior Adoption Pack costs £90 regardless of which of the ten available species you choose to adopt.

Payment is made as a one-off payment for the whole year but you are given the option to renew the adoption for a further year a month before the adoption expires. At this point you are welcome to swap the type of species you adopt.

When you take out an adoption at Chester Zoo, you adopt the species as a whole rather than an individual animal.

This is because Chester Zoo is involved in a wide range of international breeding programs and individual animals need to be free to move to other zoos if necessary.

A GOLD animal adoption includes:

• Welcome letter
• Certificate
• Picture of your adopted animal
• Thank you card
• Adopters car sticker
• Name displayed on ‘Thank you’ plaque by your chosen animal’s habitat
• Quarterly digital magazine, Our Zoo.
• x2 admission tickets
• Notepad and pen
• Tote bag
• All contents presented in an A4 folder

A SILVER animal adoption includes:

• Welcome letter
• Certificate
• Picture of your adopted animal
• Thank you card
• Adopters car sticker
• Name displayed on ‘Thank you’ plaque by your chosen animal’s habitat
• Quarterly digital magazine, Our Zoo.
• x1 admission ticket
• All contents presented in an A4 folder

A BRONZE animal adoption includes:

• Welcome letter
• Certificate
• Picture of your adopted animal
• Thank you card
• Adopters car sticker
• Name displayed on ‘Thank you’ plaque by your chosen animal’s habitat
• All contents presented in an A4 folder

A JUNIOR animal adoption includes:

• Welcome letter
• Certificate
• Picture of your adopted animal
• Thank you card
• Name displayed on ‘Thank you’ plaque by your chosen animal’s habitat
• Quarterly digital magazine, Our Zoo.
• x2 admission tickets
• Activity sheet
• Chester Zoo multi-coloured crayon
• Cuddly toy (30 cm)
• All contents presented in an A4 folder

Although we try to include a picture with every pack, occasionally this is not possible if we do not have a photograph of a particular species.

If a start date is not specified on the application form, the adoption will automatically start from the date the adoption is processed. The start date also appears on the personalised certificate.

The adopters name will appear on the thank you plaque near the enclosure by the 20th of the following month in which the adoption starts.

Plaques are printed externally and encapsulated (waterproofed) so time is required for the information to be downloaded and for the printer to return the plaques to us.

Once erected the plaques remain in situ for one month after the adoption finishes to ensure they have been displayed for the period of one year.

The quickest way to apply for an adoption is to buy online, as your information can be processed immediately.

Adoptions are posted as second class post via Royal mail. Please allow ten working days for the package to arrive.

If an adoption is particularly urgent, a note can be placed in the comments box online requesting the pack to be sent by first class post.

There are several ways you can apply for an adoption. The easiest and quickest way is to click on buy online.

When you reach the adoption pages, photographs of the top 50 most popular species appear. Click on ‘Adopt Me’ next to the animal you want to adopt and you will then be asked to login, or register if you don’t have an account with us.

If your favourite animal is not in the top 50 please contact the Adoptions office as we may still be able to arrange an adoption for you.

Alternatively, you can purchase an adoption over the telephone with the Adoptions Team on 01244 650204, or email adoptions@chesterzoo.org

You can also purchase an adoption at the Membership and Adoptions Office at the main entrance of the zoo.