The Adoption Process

The first step in adopting an animal is making a trip to one or both of our shelters. Check out the animals on the website, but remember new animals arrive everday. It pays to go down and see all the animals yourself. Please bring ID with your current address. By policy, WHS adopts to the Washington metropolitan area only.

More information on Deciding to Adopt

Steps Towards Adoption:

1. When visiting the animals at the shelter, volunteers or staff can answer questions about animals, take animals out of their cages or runs and explain how the adoption works.
   
2. When you find an animal you want to adopt, you will be asked to fill out an application form, which will be briefly reviewed by a staff member.
   
3. Shelter staff may call you to discuss your application and the animal which you wish to adopt. They will call your landlord if you rent your home, to make sure that you are allowed to have pets.
   
4. If your application is approved, a volunteer will visit your home and talk to you about bringing a new animal home.
   
5. The animal will go to WHS's low-cost spay neuter clinic to be spayed or neutered.
   
6. Adoptions take about a week to process. When you pick up your animal, you will sign an adoption agreement and pay fees in exact cash. Fees for cats are $35.00 or $80.00 (depending on whether the animal was neutered upon intake) and dog fees are $35.00 or $135.00.

Adopted animals receive the following veterinary
services before they reach their new home: