Adoption FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

We’re so glad you’re interested in taking one of our animals home! Please see our current list of available animals and fill out an adoption application to begin. Once reviewed and approved, our staff will contact you to arrange a time to meet. We strongly encourage all family members and roommates to participate in getting to know the pet of interest before a decision is made, ensuring a good fit for all. If you have other pets, please ask us if a meet-and-greet would be appropriate. If you plan to adopt a cat, you should bring a carrier with you. If you are adopting a dog, you should bring a collar and leash with you.

Once you’re ready to adopt, head over to our Adoption Application to fill out and submit the form. Once our Adoption Team has reviewed and approved your application, we will give you a call to schedule an appointment with the pet! When you arrive at ACSKC, you will be greeted by our Adoption Coordinator and taken to meet the pet, either in our Meet and Greet Room or one of the play yards. If you already have pets in the home, you may be asked to bring them with you for a meet and greet to ensure they will get along in the home (this typically only applies to dogs). If you and our Adoption Coordinator feel like it is a good match, we will then finalize the paperwork and send you home with a bag of goodies, including our “Welcoming Your New Pet Home Guide,” toys, treats and a sample bag of their pet food. 

If it is not a good match, you are welcome to meet the other available pets in the shelter. Your approved application will be kept on file for 90 days, so you’re encouraged to take your time before making a decision! 

Please be aware: Scheduling an appointment does not guarantee your hold on the pet. We cannot hold animals, so please try to schedule your appointment for as soon as possible.

We ask all potential adopters to complete and have an approved application on file at the shelter before meeting our animals. This is for a number of reasons, including: 

  1. Ensuring that the animal you’d like to adopt is a good match. Every pet has a unique personality, energy level, quirks and even medical needs. We also take into account the behaviors you prefer, such as whether they’re cuddly or housetrained. We want to make sure that both you and your new pet will be happy together! 
  2. Confirming landlord approval. If you rent, we have to make sure your landlord is okay with a pet in the home. This helps prevent return adoptions, which put significant stress on our animals. If you do not rent, we confirm that you own your own home. 
  3. Checking with your vet that all current pets in the home are up to date on their vaccinations and spayed/neutered. We put A LOT of time, energy, money, and love into our animals, so we want to be sure the other pets in the home won’t get them sick. It also demonstrates to us that you’re a diligent pet parent who prioritizes the health of your animals.
    If your pet is not up to date on their rabies vaccines, call your vet to schedule an appointment. You can also take them to a clinic. Check your local Tractor Supply or Petco to see when appointments are available! 


Our goal is to make the application process as easy as possible while also doing our due diligence to make sure our animals will be happy in their new homes! We do not perform house checks or ask for references.

It can take as little as 15 minutes for us to approve your application. Factors that can make the approval process take longer include:

  • An incomplete application. If parts of your application are incomplete or incorrect, it can slow down the approval process. Thoroughly review your application before submitting to make sure all the information is correct. 
  • Landlord approval. If you are renting, we check with your landlord that you are allowed to own a pet. If we are unable to reach your landlord, your application will be pending until we are able to obtain confirmation. If you are able to, give your landlord a heads up to expect a call from us. 
  • Vet approval. If there are pets currently living in your home, we check with your veterinarian to make sure they are up to date on their vaccines. If we are unable to reach your vet or your vet says your pet is not up to date, your application will be pending until we are able to obtain confirmation or your pet’s vaccinations are updated. 
  • We’re busy! Some days are a non-stop flurry of adoptions, phone calls and other shelter happenings, and we just don’t get around to your application. Please bear with us. You are more than welcome to give us a call to check on the status of your application! 

 

Please keep in mind that our Adoption Office is closed Sundays and Mondays.

We keep approved applications on file for 90 days.