GENERAL GUIDELINES You must be 21 years of age and have sufficient means to support a pet. Cats must be INDOOR pets. Families seeking to adopt a dog should have a suitable fenced-in yard. Renters must have a letter from their landlord stating that a pet is welcome. Adopted animals must be taken to the veterinarian for shots and an exam within three working days to complete the adoption process. We require other pets in the household to be neutered or spayed because part of our mission is to control pet overpopulation, and thus, unwanted pets, by educating the public about spaying and neutering their pets.

ADOPTION FEE   [Adoption Agreement Form]

[Adoption Request Form for Dogs]            [Adoption Request Form for Cats]

• Our fee is $75 for canines and felines. Dogs are up to date on shots, heartworm tested, dewormed, spayed/neutered if over the age of four months and microchipped. Cats are felk/fiv tested, dewormed, up to date on shots, spayed/neutered and microchipped. If you adopt a puppy under four months of age you will recieve a blue card for $35 off the surgery when the pet is old enough to be spayed/neutered. The adoption fee for puppies under four months of age is $75 to include the blue card.
  
• Senior Citizens Program (60 and older) - altered animals are $60.
• Refunds - within three days and for medical reasons determined by a veterinarian.

As part of the adoption contract, anyone who is unable to keep their adopted animal for any reason must return the animal to the Humane Society shelter. Unfortunately this does happen, and more often than we would like to see. Almost always, the return has nothing to do with the dog's behavior, but rather something on the part of the adopting family. This is why it is most important that everyone in the family be involved in the adoption from the beginning. So, if there is something that is not just right, then it can possibly be discovered before the animal is adopted. One of the top reasons for returning an animal is that the adopted family is moving and they simply cannot take the animal with them. Sometimes this is understandable; most times it is not. You see, another condition of the adoption contract is a life-long commitment to the adopted animal. This is one of the issues as to why failed adoptions are so frustrating for us and confusing for the animals. Remember that animals are not a thing, to be accepted or rejected on a whim. Whether you agree, realize, or understand it or not, once taken into a home, the animal already begins to establish itself into the family structure and to become a member of the family.

Dogs, more so than cats, are highly social animals. They thrive on social interaction, not just food and water. In many respects, dogs are like us. Even people who profess adamantly to enjoy being alone, do not fare well without social interaction over extended periods of time. They become agitated and bored, withdrawn and depressed, like that which happens to dogs in similar conditions.

If you have adopted, or are considering adoption, and do not already have this perspective, please think of the adoption as one that comes with all the responsibilities as does with adopting a human child. The biggest difference being that you don't have to worry about when the animal turns 16 and gets a driver's license or having to pay for four years of college tuition!