Our Adoption Process

General Information
You may be surprised to find that adopting a pet is a more involved process than you'd imagined. Our adoption process is the same for everyone and it is not our intent to frustrate you. Rather, everything we do is in the best interests of the animals in our care. Our goal is to give them the best possible chance of finding a permanent and loving home.

The Humane Society receives animals from individuals who are no longer able to care for their pet and animals that are lost or abandoned. Animals remain available for adoption as long as they have good health and behavior and for as long as we have enough space in our shelter. All animals that are available for adoption have passed an evaluation based on their known history, health, and behavior. Lost or abandoned dogs must be held at the shelter for six days to provide the opportunity for their owner to find them. During this period they can be evaluated and put on the adoption floor with a notice of unavailability. West Virginia state law does not have a stray period or hold period for cats and thus they are put up for adoption as soon as they pass our evaluation.

Completing the Adoption Application
As much as we want to find homes for the animals in our shelter, in order to ensure that each animal is getting the best home possible, we have an adoption process that requires you complete an application in advance of adopting a pet from us. You will be asked to fill out an application, which also can be downloaded and then faxed or emailed to us, or you can fill one out at the shelter.

We're not just being nosy! Some of our dogs and cats would be good with kids, or other pets, or appropriate for first-time pet owners. Others may have behavioral problems, special needs, or may be more appropriate for an experienced pet owner.

As the processing of the application can take a few days, it is not likely that you will be leaving the shelter today with a pet.

You can complete an application without selecting an animal. We will process your application and if you are approved for general adoption, we will hold your application for up to 3 months for future adoption. Be aware that if at the time you select an animal, we do not feel that this particular animal is a good fit for your home, lifestyle, family, activity level, etc, you may be disapproved for that particular animal, but still approved for those more fitting.

If you complete an application specifying a particular animal, we will put your name on that animal so that if someone else puts an application on the same animal, we can track the order of the applications. Generally we will process the applications in the order received, but keep in mind we are looking for the best home for each animal and if we believe that the animal will be better suited for another home, we reserve the right to change the processing order

Stickers on the cage cards represent applications already on the animal. They do not represent approved applications, so if you are interested in an animal please put an application on the animal even if they already appear to have an application on them. Not all applications are approved.

Viewing and visiting with our animals
You are welcome to walk through our shelter and see available animals without completing an application. Some things to be aware of are:

• Washing your hands is a big deal in the Shelter. We ask everyone to wash their hands if they are going to hold or even touch any of our cats or puppies. The spread of disease is an on-going challenge and one of the main ways this happens is through people. So we ask that you wash your hands before and after you touch each animal during your visit. We know it seems like a pain --- but it can really make a difference in the health of our animals! Really!
• Animals currently available for adoption will have a kennel card describing the animal on the front of their cage or kennel.
• Animals not yet available will have a notice on the cage door that states “No Volunteers” or will not have a kennel card displayed.
• Other animals may not be available because we are evaluating their health or temperament before being put up for adoption.

Regardless of status, you may submit an application for animals that are not yet available, in preparation for them becoming available. Of course, some animals may never be available as they may be reclaimed by their owners or we may decide they are not appropriate for adoption.

Please ask for assistance from the Staff or a volunteer if you wish to handle, hold or take an animal out of its kennel. We do have visitation yards outside for purposes of visiting with dogs eligible to go outside. Please note that:

• Only available dogs over the age of 6 months may be taken out of their cages or kennels. These dogs can be taken outside into our play areas for visitation.
• Puppies under 6 months have not had all of their vaccinations and therefore are very susceptible to disease and therefore, we cannot allow them outside or on the kennel room floor. Again, we will ask you to wash your hands even if you are just playing with them in their kennels or holding them.
• Cats and kittens are NEVER allowed outside or placed on the floor or near another cat. Please ask the Kennel Attendant or volunteer for assistance in handling a cat or in evaluating them with other animals.

Completing your adoption
Once you have selected an animal and have been approved for adoption of that animal you will be required to sign an adoption contract with us and pay an adoption fee. We will provide you with a record of their medical/vaccination history while here at the Shelter and a sample of the food they have been eating.

If the animal is already altered (spayed or neutered) you may take the animal home directly from the shelter. If not, see below.

Please ensure that you are prepared for your new pet before picking them up from the Shelter or from the vet. See our Dog Adoption Checklist and Cat Adoption Checklist for valuable information. You also might check out our guide on preparing your home for your new pet.

Spaying and Neutering of all pets
If the animal is unaltered, the animal MUST be spayed or neutered (if old enough and healthy enough) before going home with you. This is in accordance with State Law. Usually all animals over the age of 4 months can be spayed and neutered.

We will schedule the spay/neuter appointment with a local veterinarian; deliver the animal to the vet for the procedure; and you will pick the animal up from the vet following the surgery. We will inform you in advance of the appointment date and location. The spaying and neutering cost is included in the adoption fee.

You will need to complete your adoption contract and pay the adoption fee here at the Shelter in advance of picking up the animal from the vet.

Out of Town Adopters
We have a special procedures if you are not from the local area (more than 1 hour away from Parkersburg) and wish to adopt an animal that needs to be spayed or neutered but we cannot have this done by a vet locally before you take the pet home. It is as follows:

The adoption fee for out of area adopters is:
    $40 for dogs and puppies
    $30 for cats and kittens.

However, you must also pay a $50 spay/neuter deposit which is refundable upon proof that the procedure has been done. A date by which your pet must be spayed or neutered will be included in your adoption contract. The spaying and neutering cost will be your responsibility.

Animals already spayed and neutered at the time of adoption are adoptable at the Standard Fee. See above.

Thank you for your patience
Again, we do not intend to frustrate you! Please understand that it is very stressful and upsetting -- for the animal, for you and for our staff-- when adoptions don't work out and a pet has to come back to us. Also, a bad adoption experience can sour some people on dogs or cats or even on shelter animals for life. So try to bear with us, and thank you for your patience.