ADOPT

Adoption Fees

General Fees: 

• Dogs: Fees range from $150 to $500. Depending on the age, breed, size, and factors. 
• Cats: In general cats are: 
  • $150 for kittens under 6 months 
  • $100 for cats 6 months to under 7 years old
  • $50 for cats 7 years or older 
• Critters: Fees for critters (i.e. rabbits, reptiles, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, ferrets, etc.) typically range from $10-$75.

What Adoption Fees Cover: 

• Dogs: 
  • Each dog has been spayed/neutered, received age-appropriate vaccinations and parasite prevention, microchipped, and has been tested for heartworm. 
  • Please be aware that you will need to supply a leash for your newly adopted dog. All adoptable dogs at MHS are given collars while in our care. 
• Cats: 
  • Each pet has been spayed/neutered, received age-appropriate vaccinations and parasite prevention, microchipped, and has been tested for feline leukemia. 
  • We provide temporary cardboard carriers for cats, but you are welcome and encouraged to bring one from home. These are not meant to be permanent traveling enclosures.
• Critters: 
  • Rabbits will be spayed or neutered prior to adoption. 
  • Small animals are not adopted with their enclosure. Adopters will need to be prepared with a proper enclosure prior to adoption. 

Adoption Process

Before You Adopt:

• Check your city, county, and landlord's (if applicable) animal restrictions. Consider the breed, size, and number of animals you are allowed to have for your living situation. 
• Communicate with all members of your household that you intend to adopt. Make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of size, breed, gender, and energy level preferences. 
• Plan for a space for your new pet to decompress. This might include a kennel or space within you home that can be sectioned off from other pets. 
• Thanks to our partner Hill Science Diet, we will send dogs and cats home with a small bag of food. Depending on the size of your adopted pet this may only last a few days. Consider the kind of food you plan to purchase for your new pet to properly introduce it to your adopted animal. 
• If you are not already an established client, consider contacting local vets before you adopt to see who is taking new clients. 

Looking for a New Pet:

• Through the adoptable pet links below, you can get a general introduction about available pets. 
• By clicking on the animal's photo and name, you can see general information. Each page has the animal's breed, sex, general age, weight, the date they arrived at MHS, adoption fee, and whether they are in our facility, in a foster home, or with a partner program. 
• Please note that for many of our animals, breed and age are general estimates made by our medical team. 
• Animals that are listed on the website are either typically available or on an adoption hold (meaning they may be adopted within 24 hours). If you are interested in one specific animal, we encourage you to call before you arrive to get more information, and to ensure said animal is still available. 
• MHS operates on a first come, first serve basis for adoptions. Although we try to give you as up-to-date information as possible, adoption statuses can change quickly. 

When You Arrive: 

• Application 
  • When you arrive, we encourage you to view our adoptable animals on the adoption floor. You do not need to have an appointment to look around. We ask that guests keep kennels closed and to be mindful of your finders. If you find an animal you would like to meet outside of their kennel, we would love to host you in one of our meet and greet rooms. 
  • We will first have you complete an adoption application. There are QR codes located at the front desk and around the adoption floor or we can provide a paper copy. Digital applications stay on file in our database, while paper copies are not able to be saved for future use. 
  • An application does not mean you are required to adopt. Applications are used as the starting point for conversation about adoption and help to facilitate a successful adoption for both adopter and pets. 
• Meet and Greet
  • Once an application is completed, a staff member will guide you to one of our three meet and greet rooms. 
  • Some animals may only need one meeting, while other may need several. Our end goal is to ensure successful adoption. IF you have children in your household, having adults in the home visit with the animal first is always a good idea. 
  • Staff highly encourage dog meet and greets prior to adoption when you are introducing a second (or third) dog into the home. Our policy is to have humans meet first, then dogs meet second. Typically, dog meet and greets with resident dog(s) are donr outside and are done at the discretion of staff. 
  • We do not do cat or critter meet and greets as it would not give an accurate representation of the level of management you can expect will often stress out both the resident and shelter animal. 

Adoption:

• You must be at minimum 18 years old to adopt. 
• The adoption process can all be completed in one day with enough time. The adoption process includes signing an adoption contract, reviewing medical information, registering the microchip, and completing payment (cash or card only). Please plan for at least an hour and a half to complete both the meet and greet and adoption process. 
• Animals must be taken home at the time of adoption. 
• We have minimal pet supplies available for purchase. These items include collars, leashes, toys, and some clothing. 
• Midlands Humane Society may require other information or require other steps to be taken prior to adoption to ensure a pet is the right match for your family. MHS reserves the right to deny an adoption for any reason. 
• Per our adoption paperwork, there are no refunds or exchanges given if an adoption does not work out or if the adopter changes their mind. However, the animal can be returned to MHS without a surrender fee within 30 days or adoption. We try hard to match people and pets, and are hopeful that each adoption can be successful. We are happy to talk to new adopters to see if we can provide any tips or advice on making the transition as smooth as possible. 
• It takes time and patience for newly adopted pets to understand their new home, family, and routine. 
• If you need more time to decide whether an adoption is a good fit, MHS does off adoption holds. 
  • Holds last for 24 hours (or 48 hours if done on a Saturday as MHS is closed Sundays). An adoption hold is $25 which is nonrefundable and does not contribute to the adoption fee. 
  • Holds are designed to give potential adopters time to think about and/or prepare for their new animal. 
  • We HIGHLY suggest putting adoption holds on animals you are very interested in adopting as MHS operates on a first come, first serve basis (upon an approved application) and animals may be adopted if a hold is not in place.