It was the first morning of a three day adoption drive, and the shelter was a hive of activity.

Cars were already lined up when manager Judith Wright arrived, with around 20 people keen to get inside, take a ticket, and find their paw-fect match. There were dogs, cats, rabbits, ducklings, mice - even a pony.

Some - like Bellambi's Renee Chapman and Allen Abrahams - found a new friend pretty quick.

"We fell in love with River immediately - she was so friendly, and excited and happy," Ms Chapman said. "She's our baby now, we can't wait to get her home."

Seven-year-old Chloe Richardson from Warilla was as excitable as her new little puppy - a 10-week-old fox terrier, staffie cross.

"She's wanted a puppy for a while - we didn't want to buy one from a pet shop, we wanted to come to the RSPCA and give one in need a home," Chloe's mum Annie Gallacher said.

"We chose this one straight away, she's just so beautiful and playful."

The RSPCA's drive is taking place across the country until Sunday; with the adoption fee for all animals reduced to $29 to help clear the shelters.

At Unanderra, nearly 30 adoptions of all creatures great and small had taken place before midday Friday.

Manager, Ms Wright, said despite the reduced fee, all the appropriate checks needed to be undertaken to get the right pet for the right person.

That included supervising 'meet and greets' with people's current pets, to make sure they got on with potential new arrivals.

For some on Friday, this didn't go so well - with one little cocker spaniel not keen on the new dog his owner was keen to purchase, so there was no match.

"We do request meet and greets if people have another dog because we need to make sure they get along," Ms Wright said.

To check the animals still available for adoption at centres across the country, visit the RSPCA website.