• Visit the shelter and complete an adoption personality profile or feline questionnaire. One of our trained Adoption Counselors will give you a list of dogs or cats that may be a good match for your family. Walk through the kennels and cat enclosure and look at the dogs and cats; remember the list of dogs or cats that the Adoption Counselor provided you are normally going to be the best fit for your family.

• DOGS: Once you find a pet that looks like a good match - we'll pull him/her out of the kennel and let you and your family meet with him/her in one of our welcoming runs.  We will also have you complete an adoption application. This application will help our Adoption Counselors determine whether this dog will be a good match for you and your family. 

• NOTE*  If there are young children in the family, we recommend that you leave them at home when you visit the shelter. Wait to bring the children until you have found a dog that you're interested in and have completed the adoption application.  Children often fall in love with the first pet they meet regardless of whether the pet is a good match or not.  We also require all dogs that currently live in the home come and meet the potential adoptee (only applies to dogs). 

• If you have children under 4 and interested in cats,  we recommend that you look at cats 6 months or older. Kittens are not always a good match for young children. An Adoption Counselor can explain to you why we encourage older cats with children.

• DOGS: After you and your family have met with the dog and completed the adoption questionnaire, we will schedule a sit down counseling session.  During the interview our Adoption Counselor will go over the dog’s behavior evaluation and describe behaviors you are likely to see, discuss what you are looking for in a new dog, as well as your past experience with dogs.  This counseling session will help our team of Adoption Counselors match dogs and their new families so that everyone is happy. 

• Before we can finalize the adoption we must have proof that either you own your home, or you're able to own a pet at your current residence.  If you rent and are looking at adopting a dog that is over 15 pounds, you must show proof that the breed is not restricted by your landlord or property management company.  

• Our animals have all been seen by our shelter veterinarian and medically     cleared for adoption.  If the animal that you are interested in adopting has had a medical concern our veterinarian will have a phone consultation with you prior to the adoption taking place so you know are aware of any issues.

Good Luck - and remember, it may take several weeks or even months before you find the perfect dog to fit you and your family. In the long run it's well worth the wait. A dog that you adopt will likely be your companion for the next ten years or longer, so take your time when making decisions. Also keep in mind that older dogs are often already house trained, past the puppy chewing stage and adapt quickly to new home environments often making better pets for first time dog owners.