Before You Visit

1. Learn about the animals available for adoption using our Animal Search. For more details about an available animal, call our adoption center at (608) 838-0413 x145.
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3. Discuss the adoption with everyone who lives in your home to make sure everyone's on the same page about a new pet.
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5. If you rent, discuss the adoption with your landlord and make sure you understand the pet policy.
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7. If you are considering adopting a pit bull terrier or pit mix, make plans for our housing check requirement.
   • If you rent, DCHS will verify the landlord's pet policy by reviewing your lease agreement or by contacting your landlord directly before you meet the dog.
   • If you own, we can verify ownership online for those who live in Dane County. Otherwise, please provide a mortgage or tax statement, deed, or homeowner's insurance document.

Meeting the Animals

1. Visit one of our six adoption centers.
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3. Discuss with an adoption counselor the kind of pet that will best fit into your home.
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5. Meet with animals that appear to meet your needs and expectations.
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7. Review each animal's medical and behavior profile.
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9. When you've found an animal that appears to be a good fit for you, fill out an application to adopt that animal. We encourage all members of a household meet a new pet before adoption.
   
   Special considerations for dogs
   • We ask that all members of your household meet the dog before adoption.
   • We ask that your current dogs visit the shelter to meet the dog to assure a good fit.
   • We will introduce the dog to a shelter cat to assure that the dog can live peacefully with your resident cats.

   Special considerations for rabbits

   • We ask that all memebers of your household meet the rabbit before adoption.
   • We ask that your resident rabbit visit the shelter to meet the rabbit to assure a good fit in a "bunny date."

We cannot always accomodate the start of an adoption counseling within 30 minutes of closing.

Adopting Your New Pet

Applications can often be approved quickly, so it's often possible to bring your new pet home immediately.

• If you are not ready to bring an animal home immediately, you may place a hold on the animal until the end of the following day for a $20 non-refundable deposit towards its adoption fee.
• If an animal requires medical care before going home, we can reserve the animal for you until all medical procedures are complete, at no charge to you.

To finalize the adoption, we will explain our adoption contract and policies and provide you with the animal's medical records.

Adoption fees vary by species.

Taking Your New Pet Home

Dogs must go home with their own leash, collar, and ID tag. (Slip leashes, choke chains, prong collars, and harnesses do not qualify.)

Cats and critters must go home in secure carriers.

Adoption Application

The Adoption application is available in pdf format for you to download. You are welcome to fill out the application in advance to speed up the adoption process. Please bring it with you when you visit an adoption center.  DO NOT email or fax the application.

• Universal Adoption Application

To view the application, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this program, it is available for free download at the Adobe web site.