Adoption Fees
Your adoption fee helps us continue to care for over 9,000 pets in need each year.
Adoption fees may vary based on an animal’s age, size, breed, medical condition, or length of time at the shelter.
We are proud to offer a 10% discount for the military on adoption fees with military ID. For veterans who apply and are approved for the Pets for Patriots program, we offer a reduced adoption fee of $16.
As a Pets for the Elderly shelter partner, adopters 60 years old or older pay the lower of two options: a $65 adoption fee or 50% off the listed adoption fee.
Adoption Hold Fees: Place a Hold on an Adoptable Pet
If you’ve found an animal you love but 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.
- 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 will have 24 hours to complete the adoption, fill out 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.
To place a hold or adopt an animal, visit the shelter to speak with an Adoption Services Representative.
Adoptions Include:
- Wellness examination from our Veterinary Services team
- Spay or neuter surgery
- Initial vaccines
- Microchip with national registration
- Pet care counseling
- Post-Adoption Dashboard and Support with Petszel
We love saving lives, and there is no question that reduced-fee adoption events save lives. They bring out adopters, cut the length of stay for shelter animals, and create precious space in the shelter for others in need. The vast majority of animals adopted from these events will remain in their homes as loved, valued members of their new families.
- Myth: Offering reduced fee adoptions means the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County doesn’t care who adopts the animals.
- Truth: Our staff cares about ALL our shelter animals, and we work hard to place them in loving homes. Reduced fee adopters go through the exact same adoption process as any other adopter on any other day.
Dog Adoption Fees
| Type | Age | Adoption Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Puppies | Under 6 months | $300 |
| Adolescent | 6 months - 1 years | $200 |
| Adult | 1 years - Senior | $175 |
| Senior | 8 years and older | $80 |
| Buddy adoption | If noted as a “bonded pair” | Fee Waived |
Cat Adoption Fees
| Type | Age | Adoption Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Kitten | 2 months - 5 months | $135 (second Fee Waived) |
| Adult | 6 months - 7 years | $75 (second Fee Waived) |
| Senior | 8 years and older | $30 (second Fee Waived) |
| Working Cat | All Ages | $0 |
Bunny & Critter Adoption Fees
| Type | Age | Adoption Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | Any age | $80 (second Fee Waived) |
| Other | Any age | Fees will vary based by breed or species |
Pet Licensing:
Depending on your location, we may be required to issue a license for your new pet. License fees vary by region, typically ranging from $14 to $30.
Items to Bring:
