ADOPT

Adopting a pet is a big decision, and it’s always best to consider what type of dog or cat would best suit your household. For example, if you have many people coming in and out of your home, an animal that gets easily frightened or doesn’t enjoy meeting new people wouldn’t be a good fit. Is shedding a concern? Do you need a dog or a cat that gets along well with children, other dogs, or other cats? If you rent a property, does your landlord allow pets? If you’re unsure, it’s always best to check with your landlord about their pet policies to avoid any surprises.

• Make sure you let your references know that the Butler County Humane Society will be calling them so we can reach them as soon as possible.

• It’s always helpful to have a copy of your lease, if you rent, with the pet policy attached.

• Bring any roommates or family members along so everyone can meet the dog or cat as soon as possible. Everyone living in the household must eventually meet the animal you’re looking to adopt before they may leave the shelter.

• If you currently have a cat or dog, make sure they are up to date on all shots, including rabies and distemper. You’ll need a copy of your dog’s most recent rabies vaccination certificate to do the dog introduction, and our staff cannot send cats home if your current felines haven’t had all of their shots. Bring copies of their vaccination certificates to the shelter when you fill out your application to save staff time and speed up the process!

Sometimes, the pet you end up adopting seems like the complete opposite of the pet you came into the shelter looking for! Instead of focusing on a particular age or breed, pay attention to the behaviors of all of the dogs and cats in the shelter. Remember the benefits of adopting a senior pet; you often know what you’re getting into with them as far as behaviors go, more so than you do with puppies or kittens! Above all else, ask questions. Our staff know all the animals at the shelter and would be happy to discuss whether they’d be a good fit for your home. Any decisions they make regarding placing animals are based on behaviors we’ve seen at the shelter, with the best intentions for both the animal being adopted and the family trying to adopt them in mind.

Here at Butler County Humane Society, we do not do same-day adoptions. Our adoption process typically takes seven to ten days minimum, and involves four stages:

• Meeting with a pet outside of their kennel;

• Filling out an application for that pet;

• Butler County Humane Society staff calls your references, and our Kennel Director approves or denies the application.; and

• You have a second visit with that pet, typically on which you will do the adoption.

As previously mentioned, we require all household members to meet the pet before they may go home with their new family. All current pets must be up to date on their rabies vaccinations. If you are looking to adopt a dog and already have one, you’ll need to provide the vaccination certificate and complete a dog introduction at the shelter.

• We do not, under any circumstances, adopt out pets that will be living outdoors. All pets adopted from our shelter must be kept indoors only.

• Adopters must be 18 years of age with a valid photo ID.

• We do not permit pet adoptions intended as gifts.

• We do not adopt to college students living in student housing. Due to the often-changing nature of their living environment, our policy is to limit adoptions to those out of school. Final decisions on this are up to the staff.

The process usually takes a minimum of 30-45 minutes to meet the animal and fill out an application. Here’s how it works:

• A staff member will meet with you to determine which animal is the perfect fit for you. For example, some of our animals don’t like cats, dogs, or sometimes even children.

• You will be asked to obtain your landlord’s approval for the adoption. This policy helps us reduce the number of animals that are returned to us.

• After you have spoken with an adoption staff member, you will meet with your potential pet. Eventually, we ask that all members of your family meet the animal as well. If you are adopting a dog and have another dog, we want them to get along well, so we arrange a time for you to bring in your pet to visit and socialize.

• When your new pet is ready to go home with you, you will be asked to sign an adoption contract and pay an adoption fee. The fee helps cover the cost of surgery, vaccines, and daily care for your pet.

Cats:

• Kittens (8 weeks to 6 months) $100

• Cats (7 months to 7 years) $75

• Seniors (7 years and older) $50

• Long-term (in the shelter & available for 90 days or more) 1/2 off pricing

Dogs:

• Puppies (8 weeks to 6 months) $250

• Dogs (7 months to 7 years) $150 – $250

• Seniors (7 years and older) $65

• Long-term (in the shelter & available for 90 days or more) $65

We strive to keep our fees reasonable. The adoption fees vary and depend on size, age, behavior, medical condition, and anticipated demand.

We appreciate your support!

Senior citizens (over 65 with proof of ID), as well as active military and veterans, are eligible to receive a 10% discount on all adoptions.

The Butler County Humane Society is a small, non-profit organization that relies on donations from generous community members to keep our doors open. We do not receive any type of federal funding. We are also a no-kill facility, which means that we do not euthanize to create space. Therefore, when we pledge to care for an animal at our shelter, it may very well be for the animal's entire life. When we take in a healthy pet, the profit from that animal’s adoption is applied to the costs of the many others who are not as fortunate.

When an animal arrives at the shelter, funds must be spent on neutering and spaying, vaccinations, and various other screenings and medical procedures. Veterinary expenses for a healthy animal can run as high as $175–$250, and may be even higher depending on the breed and animal. The truth is, the majority of found/stray/rescues DO require additional veterinary care. Here at the Butler County Humane Society, we do whatever it takes to help the animals in our care, and it can often take several months to return them to good health. It is not unusual for the cost of this care to range from $450.00 to $1,000.00 per pet. All of this does not include general animal care costs, such as feeding them, making sure they have clean beds to sleep on, and plenty of toys to play with! In short, our shelter relies on adoption fees and donations to provide the care we do for the animals at the shelter. Even our highest adoption fee, $250, is a very small amount compared to the cost of caring for an animal for what can often be years.