While the process to adopt a pet is similar at most shelters and rescues, every place has their own regulations. We’re here to walk you through the process of adopting at the Humane Society of Macomb. This post is highlights the steps of how you can adopt a dog with us.
Step 1: Walk-In
When you, the potential adopter, walk into the Humane Society, there is a table set up in the lobby with information about dogs available for adoption at that time. This information includes pictures and bios for each dog.
Step 2: Pre-Adoption Forms
After deciding which dog or dogs you would like to meet with, you have to fill out the pre-adoption form.
On the pre-adoption form, you will have to fill out your contact information such as address, preferences for pets, home and family information, personal references, and if applicable, previous veterinary and pet information. When the pre-adoption form is filled out, you are welcome to meet with as many dogs as you would like.
The pre-adoption form is kept on file for one year, pending any changes in address, pet policy, etc. This means that you will not have to fill out a form if you decide to come back and adopt another day.
Step 3: Meet and Greet
Potential adoptees are then allowed to meet with the dogs. If the meet and greet goes well, there is the possibility to take the dog home that day. However, if you already have a dog, we require a meeting between the dogs at the Humane Society of Macomb prior to the adoption.
There are some circumstances where we do not allow same-day adoptions. These include special cases where we need to conduct home visits, multiple meet and greets, lease-agreements and pet-deposits for apartment complexes, or waiting for veterinary records.
Puppies are another example of dogs not allowed to go home on the same day. This is because they require a lot of attention, extra training, and patience. Our process is to place them on a 24-hour hold and send the potential adopter home with our “puppy-checklist”. This puppy checklist was created by our dog trainers and aims to lower the number of returns and discusses puppy socialization, training classes, dog-proofing your home, and more.
Step 4: Paperwork
If you find a pet you like and are able to take it home the same day, it is then time to fill out the paperwork. We make copies of the dog’s veterinary records and microchip your pet with the contact information you provided us earlier.
Adopters are also required to sign a receipt and a specific adoption policy depending on the dog they’re taking home. These adoption policies mention needs specific to certain breeds.
Step 5: Take Home
Finally, we snap an adoption picture and sent you home with a “goodie bag.” In this goodie bag, there are some toys, a sample-size bag of the food they are fed at the shelter, and a folder containing the animal’s records and flyers with common questions and concerns.
We hope this has helped you understand and become more comfortable with our adoption process for dogs. Be on the lookout for future posts about the adoption process for cats and our follow up procedure.