Adoption

Before adopting a pet, review the following questionnaire to see if you are ready to take on the responsibility of pet ownership. If you answer "No" to any of them, it might not be the time to adopt.

• Do I have time for the daily feeding, loving, playing, training, and exercising of a pet?
• Can I cover the cost of veterinary care, pet food, training, boarding, grooming, and pet supplies in my monthly budget?
• Am I strong enough to properly train and manage a large, active adult dog?
• Do I have any physical or housing limitations that may make it difficult, if not impossible, to walk a dog regularly?
• Am I restricted by my living situation on the size or type of pet?
• Does anyone in my family show signs of allergies to fur or pet dander?
• If I am planning to add a cat to one or more at home, do I have enough space for each cat to prevent territorial fighting?
• When I go on vacation what will I do with my pet?
• If I need to work long hours or be away from home for extended periods of time, how will I properly care for my pet?

The Adoption Process

If you are considering adopting a new pet, print the appropriate form below. Fill out the form, sign the form and bring it with you to the Humane Society. If you live more than an hour away from our facility, it is highly suggestedthat you fill out the survey, fax it to our offices and ensure that you qualify for adoption prior to visiting our facility. If you fax your application, please call 269.963.1796, ext. 10 to ensure that your application was received.

Filling out a cat or dog adopter survey does not guarantee that you will be qualified or eligible to adopt an animal from our facility, nor does it obligate you to adopt with us.

We will call your personal and veterinary references and your landlord prior to approving you for adoption from our facility. All members of your family living within your household must attend adoption counseling. You may be asked to provide proof of income prior to adoption. For certain animals, we may require a home visit prior to adoption. If you currently own a dog and are interested in adopting another, you must first be approved to adopt, be counseled, and then bring your dog in for a compatibility test before finalizing the adoption.

It is possible that you may be approved to adopt from our facility, but due to the needs/requirements of a particular animal, you may not be approved to adopt the animal of your choice. Some animals cannot go with children, require a fenced-in yard, etc.

Our first responsibility is to the animals in our care, ensuring that they receive the best care possible while they are here. It is our responsibility to find appropriate homes for our shelter pets, based on the policies determined by the Board of Directors.

For questions about our adoption policies or procedures, please call 269.963.1796. Completed forms may be emailed to reception@hs-scm.org or faxed to 269.963.3365.

• Cat Adopter Survey
• Dog Adopter Survey

Adoption Fees

HSSCM charges an adoption fee for all animals. All animals are, prior to adoption:

• Fully vaccinated
• Dewormed
• Cats are FIV/Felv tested
• Dogs are heartworm tested and put on preventative
• Spayed or neutered
• Implanted with a ResQ Microchip.