Pet adoption agencies
One of the best pet adoption agencies is Best Friends Animal Society, who has been operational for over 30 years. It runs the biggest animal sanctuary in the country and has locations throughout the country. It’s a non-profit organisation that focuses on cats and dogs but also caters for horses, rabbits, birds, and other animals.
All of their locations require a dog or cat adoption survey to be filled out before the adoption process starts. It asks questions regarding your lifestyle, what you’re searching for in a pet, and more. It then gets sent to an adoption coordinator, who will work with you to find your new pet. Once you have found the pet that you think will work for your family, you will then have a meet and greet.
Best pet adoption in NY state: North Shore Animal League America
The North Shore Animal League America pet adoption agency was founded in 1944 and is one of the biggest in the country. Located in Port Washington it places over 18,000 pets in safe homes each year. It also has another location in the Adirondacks. Its adoption process is straightforward and again involves working with an adoption coordinator. You can visit the cats and dogs at the shelter or arrange for meet-and-greets.
Adoption fees start from $50 and in some instances you’ll be able to adopt a pet the day you apply.
Best pet adoption in Chicago: Paws Chicago
If you live in Chicago area and are looking to adopt a pet be sure to consider Paws Chicago. This rescue centre is one of the biggest in Chicago, and placed over 5,000 cats and dogs in 2019. To start, you’ll need to fill out their compatibility quiz to zero in on the kind of pet that’s best suited to your needs. You can then browse the animals available and put in an application if you see one that’s for you. If the pet you apply for has already been allocated a home they will keep your application on file for six months whilst you carry on looking.
They have multiple locations throughout Chicago and the fees range from $200 to $350.
Best pet adoption in Texas: Operation Kindness
Located in Carrollton, Texas, Operation Kindness has been rescuing cats and dogs since 1976. It has over 41 shelters across Texas and most of the animals are housed in their physical location. A meeting with an adoption counsellor takes about one hour and you can expect to bring your new pet home within 72 hours.
Adoption fees are $185 for dogs and $135 for cats. These fees include a spay or neuter, vaccinations, a microchip, and a coupon for Pet Supplies Plus. The profiles often include videos giving you a really good idea what the animal is like.
Best pet adoption in LA: Wags and Walks
Wags and Walks is a 4,000-square-foot facility solely for homeless dogs. The adoption process is failry simple and requires an application to be filled out. This enables the agency to screen potential adopters and ensure they find a good home for every homeless pup. Adopters must be 21 or older and adoption fees start from $450. This includes a spay or neuter, vaccinations, and a microchip.
Wags and Walks is different as it often caters to breeds that will normally be overlooked. It has an open mind with regard to adopters and doesn’t have set rules about the space of the owner or how long it will spend with the dog at home. They know every adoption is personal and that circumstances are different.
Best Pet Adoption Website: Petfinder
Although it’s not an actual agency Petfinder is a great tool for anyone searching for a pet. Launched over 20 years ago, it works great as a search engine for pets. It allows you to seek out adoptable dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and more near you via a range of rescues and organizations. You can filter by breed, age, color, behavior, child friendliness, etc.
Through Petfinder, you can get in touch with the agency directly from your profile. It has partnerships with many local agencies and will offer tips and advice even after you’ve adopted your new friend.
