How To Adopt
How to Adopt
We are excited to announce that our lobby and adoptable animal areas are open to the public! Here’s a guide to help with your adoption journey:
2. Fill out an adoption application! You’re more than welcome to fill out an application in advance. Print and complete this PDF application to bring with you, or simply fill one out when you arrive at the shelter.
3. Visit the shelter
- Our staff at the greeter station in our lobby area will ask you a few questions regarding the reason for your visit to help assist you.
- If you are interested in adopting, you can walk through our adoptable animal areas.
- If you’ve found an animal you love but aren’t ready to bring them home immediately, or the animal is not ready to go home yet (e.g. they need spay/neuter surgery) you can place a 24-hour adoption hold for a small fee.
4. Adoption visitation
- Please notify our staff of the animal(s) you are interested in adopting.
- If needed, your name and phone number will be added to our waitlist. Please note that wait times vary.
- When it’s time for your one-on-one visitation with the animal(s), one of our Adoption Services Representatives will notify you.
- You can meet and get to know your possible new best friend in one of our visitation rooms.
5. Adoption
- If you’re ready to move forward with adoption, our team will be happy to assist!
- To ensure a safe transition, all dogs must go home with a collar and leash, and cats and critters must go home in a secure carrier. Each adopted dog and cat will receive a complimentary engraved ID tag, which, along with a required license tag (if applicable), must be worn when they leave. Licensing fees apply for pets requiring a license. Washington state leash laws also require dogs to be leashed in public. Please bring a leash and collar or harness for dogs, and a secure carrier for cats and critters. If you don’t have these items, they’re available for purchase in our store at the time of adoption.
- For details on adoption fees, check out our adoption fees page. Your fee supports our efforts to care for nearly 10,000 pets in need each year. Keep in mind that licensing fees might apply based on your location.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I need an appointment?
No, all visitations are first-come, first-served. So come visit us today!
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Can I adopt if I rent?
We do not require proof of rental permission. However, should you live in a rental apartment or home, please review your lease to confirm pet restrictions.
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Can I bring my family / roommates to meet the animal?
Yes, we encourage any family members or roommates who will be in the household with the animal to meet them with you.
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Can I bring my other pet(s) to meet the animal?
No, we only allow meet and greets with other pets under special circumstances. This would need to be approved ahead of time with our staff.
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How do I apply to adopt an animal in foster?
Please let our staff know of the animal you are interested in and we will arrange a visitation at the shelter during a time that works for both you and the foster parent. Just note, it may take up to a day or two for a visitation depending on scheduling.
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What is an adoption hold?
Hold Your Happiness: Place a Hold on an Adoptable Pet
If you’ve found an animal you love but aren’t ready to bring them home immediately, or the animal is not ready to go home yet (e.g. they need spay/neuter surgery) you can place a 24-hour adoption hold for a small fee.
To place a hold on an animal, call us at (253) 383-2733 or visit the shelter to speak with an Adoption Services Representative.
A non-refundable $35 fee is required to initiate a hold. This fee cannot be transferred to another pet or applied toward the adoption fee. Placing a hold does not guarantee adoption or bypass the adoption counseling process.
Once a hold is placed and the animal is ready for adoption, you’ll have 24 hours to complete the adoption process, submit the necessary paperwork, and bring your new pet home. This limited timeframe ensures that the pet has the chance to swiftly find a loving home if the adoption isn’t finalized.
Adoption availability depends on the animal’s status. If there are changes due to health, behavior, legal status, or owner redemption, an Adoption Services Representative will notify you promptly.
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Can I adopt a dog if I don't have a fenced yard?
It all depends on the dog! Some require a fenced yard, and some don’t. For dogs that do require a fenced yard, it’s noted in their adoption bio. If you have any questions about if a fenced yard is required for a particular dog, please ask our shelter staff.
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Why is there an adoption fee?
All of our animals for adoption have received a wellness examination, a spay/neuter surgery, a microchip with national registration, their initial vaccines, and possibly even further medical care and/or training. Adopters also get a free follow-up wellness exam at VCA Animal Hospitals and pet care counseling.
Adoption prices are a great value for your money because a spay/neuter surgery alone could cost you between $400 to $500 at a veterinary hospital.
Additional adoption benefits:
When you adopt through our shelter, you will also receive:
- An exclusive 20% off discount at participating Petco stores
- A VCA Healthy Start Certificate, which includes a complimentary veterinary health exam and 14-day follow-up care
- Peace of mind when you enroll your new pet with Fetch Pet Insurance! Fetch offers the most comprehensive plans out there with no restrictions to breed, age, or size. Visit us today to speak with our dedicated in-house licensed Fetch advisor!
More details are provided upon adoption.
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I need assistance with my newly adopted pet, what can I do?
Send us an email. We’re here to help! All of our adoptions come with free pet care counseling. Our team works with adopters to give support and resources for your newly adopted pets.
Please email us at [email protected]” to discuss your pet with a Pet Support Counselor. If you need veterinary assistance for your newly adopted pet, please call (253) 383-2733.
If an adoption truly isn’t working out, you can schedule an appointment to return a pet that has been adopted within the last 30 days.
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Are there others ways I can adopt to help a pet in need?
Home To Home™ is a free rehoming and foster website for pet owners who need to find a new or temporary home for their pets including dogs, cats, and other animals. Pets can go from one home right into another without having to come to the shelter, which means less stress for animals and humans alike!
Visit our Home To Home™ site to view pets in our community that could use a new home.
More Adoption Info
Microchip Your Pet
Every year, the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County reunites hundreds of lost pets with their owners thanks to microchip technology. We offer low-cost pet microchips to the public, no appointment necessary.