Animal Adoption Process
There are six basic steps in the animal adoption
process
- Find an animal that warms your heart
Look through our adoptable animals online or come meet
them at one of our animal adoption events. If you don't find one
that you are drawn to let us know what you are looking for. We pull
new animals off the euthanasia list every week and have others that
are in the process of getting ready to be adopted, so we might
already have the perfect match. If you aren't very particular
or need some guidance give us a call or send us an e-mail. We have
a lot of experience matching the right animal with the right
family. Please know that we are not interested in adopting out
animals just to create space. You can trust us to be honest and
upfront. If we don't have a good match for you we will let you
know.
- Submit an adoption application
Fill out our application online on in
person. The application is not a commitment or a final decision to
adopt. It contains questions that help us get to know you and your
home life. You only have to fill out the application once. You do
not need to complete it again if you decide you are interested in a
different animal or want to adopt more than one. Our decision is
not determined who submitted their application first, however if
you are at all interested we suggest completing the application
right away. Remember it is not a commitment and it gets you in line
in case others want the same animal.
- We'll review your adoption application
One of our adoption counselors will review your
application and go over it with you. This will occur in person or
over the phone, depending on the situation. This is also your
opportunity to ask us questions about the animal or adopting in
general. Home visit or animal introduction If you already have pets
we will want to make sure they get along with the animal you are
considering.
Depending on the circumstances we will want to introduce them at
your home or at another location. You will be contacted by one of
our adoption counselors to determine the best time and place. We
will not bring a white glove to determine the last time you dusted.
Our goal is to make the introduction positive and safe.
- Adoption decision is made
It is common for us to get multiple applications for the
same animal. When this happens we choose the family that is the
best fit for that animal. There are many factors involved and we
take them all into consideration. Sometimes it's the animal that
decides. We had a dog visit a home of a very wealthy family and a
family that was living just within their means. The dog was clearly
happier in the latter so that's how the decision was made.
If you are not chosen that does not mean we think you are unfit to
adopt. It just means there was another family that was a better fit
for that particular animal. If that happens we will let you know if
we have another animal that would be a good match. You application
will be kept on file so you won't have to start over if you are
interested in one of our other animals.
- Finalize the adoption
You are almost done. We will work with you to determine
the best time to complete the adoption. There are a couple forms
for you to complete and we will have some other paperwork for you
(medical/shot history, microchip number, insurance gift, etc.). If
you are adopting a dog
please bring a collar and leash. If you are adopting a cat please
bring a carrier to transport it in. We will also give you some
suggestions to get your new pet acclimated to his/her new
home.
- Post adoption check-in
Bringing your new animal home is just the beginning and
we are here to help. We are here to help you make the transition go
as smoothly as possible. If you have any questions or problems
please let us know. It's important to introduce your new pet to
your vet. This will help your vet to have a record of weight and
enable them to notify you when they need the next round of shots.
If you don't already have a relationship with a vet let us know. We
can refer you to a great one in your area.
If you have adopted a dog it's important to get him or her into
training right away. This will strengthen the bond between you and
your dog give you some guidance on how to achieve the things that
are most important to you.