Before You Adopt

We all have an ideal image of what we would like our pets to be – flawless and obedient. The reality is that shelter animals are often given up because they were not provided with the care or training they needed. Our staff works very hard to step in and work with these animals so they become highly adoptable, but the hard work can’t stop once the animal comes to your home. It’s up to you to ensure housetraining, obedience training and other forms of care continue. 

Your new pet may also need time to settle into their new home, and may not be super cuddly or playful right away. Studies show it can take up to 3 months before a pet is fully comfortable in their new home, so be sure to give them the time and space they need to adjust to their new environment, family and schedule.

The costs of feeding, monthly preventatives, and regular veterinary care for just one pet can be upwards of $1,000 per year. Please be prepared for the costs involved in owning an animal.

Our adoption fees only cover a small portion of the cost to care for the animals in our shelter. This includes their spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, blood testing for diseases, monthly preventatives (such as flea and heartworm prevention) and microchipping. Once adopted, all follow-up care is the responsibility of the adopter.

Adopting a pet should not be an impulse decision. Pets can have an average lifespan of 12 to 20 years. Please give this decision plenty of thought to determine if this animal will fit into your lifestyle. 

Animals are companions and deserve to have time and attention from their people. If you work long hours or have other lifestyle activities that keep you busy, a pet may not be ideal at this time.