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We are devoted to the animals entrusted to our care and do all we can to make sure they are placed in good homes. We require all prospective adoptions to be subject to application and interviewing before the animal can be released from the shelter. If the adoption is approved, the animal will be spayed or neutered and have all vaccinations brought up to date. Read on for details on how you can begin the steps to finding a new best friend.
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Included in our fees are two distemper, worming, and rabies shots as well as spay or neuter. If an animal has not had any of the above performed, and the adopting family wants to take them to their own vet, the fee is negotiated on a case by case basis.
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Requirements [ detailed list ]
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You must be at least 18 years of age. If you rent (house or apartment), we must be able to speak with the property owner or rental agent during the adoption process. You will be asked to complete a preliminary questionnaire and be pre-approved before selecting an animal to adopt. Please do not try to adopt in a hurry. We reserve the right to refuse any adoption.
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Making a choice
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You are welcome to visit the shelter and view the pets available for adoption anytime during regular adoption hours. You may also view our online animal database at your convenience. Plan to allow at least one hour to complete the adoption procedure. It may take longer, depending on how many animals you wish to get aquatinted with, your previous experience with pet care, and the number of other visitors to the shelter.
On the door of each animal's enclosure is a card bearing the pet's breed, approximate age, sex, neuter status, and exercise and medication record.
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Getting acquainted
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Once you have found an animal that you are interested in adopting, a PAWS staff member or volunteer adoption counselor will take it to a "Get Aquatinted Room" where you can interact with it. It is important that everyone in the household interact with the animal before the adoption is finalized. If you have other pets at home, they also need to become acquainted with the new pet
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The paperwork
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If you decide to apply to adopt an animal, you will be given an adoption application to fill out. At the same time, a notice sticker will be placed on the pet's cage card to notify others that an adoption is pending. Animals cannot be "held" for anyone and are adopted on a first-come, first-serve basis with payment made when forms are filled out.
After you have completed the adoption application, a staff adoption counselor will review it with you. During this time the counselor will talk with you about the care that individual pet requires. The counselor may ask you additional questions about your home and lifestyle in order to help him or her determine whether or not to approve the adoption.
Once the counselor has discussed the application with you, the adoption will be either approved or refused.
If the animal you have chosen to adopt has not been spayed or neutered, the animal will be “fixed” by our vet after going home with a signed spay/neuter form. We contact the vet for an appointment, who contacts the adopter. Copies of papers are sent to us when the process is completed.
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Going home
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If you are adopting a cat, you should bring a carrier or other container in which to transport it home. Inexpensive cardboard carriers are for sale at the shelter. It is suggested that dog adopters bring a crate or an adult who can restrain the dog in the car on the way home. You should also bring a suitable collar and leash.
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An important note
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While we want to find homes for the animals, we do not want you to feel any pressure to adopt. If you decide that you are not prepared to meet the needs of the animal you intended to adopt, you are doing the best thing you can do by canceling the adoption before you take the animal home.
Sometimes it can take several weeks for animals to get accustomed to their new owners and other pets. Our return policy states you may notify PAWS within 72 hours for a full refund. Adoption fees will not be refunded past that time frame.
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Ready to adopt?
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Detailed Requirements
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First and foremost, we are looking for permanent, responsible homes for these animals. Thousands of animals die each year because irresponsible owners neglect them, let them breed or just decide they no longer want their animals. Please consider the time and money required to own a pet. It's a lifetime commitment and nothing less can be acceptable.
There is a mandatory 24-hour waiting period for surrendered animals before they can go to a new home. For strays there is a mandatory 7 day waiting period for adoptions. After you decide on the pet you wish to adopt, you must complete our adoption application available at the front desk.
You must be 18 years of age or older to adopt an animal.
All animals leaving the shelter must be spayed or neutered in accordance with Iowa State Law. Adopters must sign a legally binding contract stating that spaying or neutering will be done within the timeframe decided by the PAWS Humane Society. Failure to have the pet spayed or neutered can result in confiscation of the pet and possible prosecution.
If you rent or lease your house or apartment, we require written or verbal approval from your landlord before you adopt a pet. We will not adopt an animal to a person or family who is either in the process of moving or is planning to move within a month after adoption.
Animals are placed as pets or companions only. We do not place cats as barn cats or mousers and dogs are not placed as strictly guard or protective animals.
No animal will be adopted that will be kept strictly outside without adequate housing.
We do not adopt animals as gifts or presents.
If you are interest in a large dog (over 40 pounds), we suggest a fenced-in yard where the animal cannot get off your property. It is the law in the State of Iowa that your dog must be confined on a leash at all times.
We do not suggest young puppies or kittens for a family with very young children or in a situation where all family members are gone for long periods each day.
If, at any time, you can no longer care for your pet, you are required to return the pet to the shelter or the closest humane society.
We reserve the right to refuse any adoption.
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