PAWS Adoption Process

Thank you for coming to PAWS to adopt a companion animal. We hope that you will find the love of your life here! Our goal is to help you find a companion animal that best suits your household and to find a good home for each deserving cat or dog. Please come back and visit us again if you don't find the right companion animal today. We receive adoptable companion animals every day!

Viewing the animals

Once you have checked out the animals on our web site, we welcome your personal visit. Before doing so, you might want to view a map and directions to the PAWS facilities. To keep the animals healthy when they're in the shelter, we ask that you not touch them when you're looking. Germs are spread unintentionally by human hands moving from one cage or kennel to another. Once you find the animal you are interested in adopting, you will have a chance to visit with that animal.

We can help

PAWS staff and volunteers are happy to answer any questions you may have as you make this important decision. We can assist you with information about

• breed-specific traits
• observations we have made about individual animals
• what you can expect from this animal should it join your household

The adoption process

The application. Once you find an animal that interests you, take the paperwork for that animal to the lobby and complete the adoption application available at the front counter. An adoption counselor will meet with you to discuss the adoption.

The interview. To make a good match, our staff and volunteers will guide you through several issues that you will want to consider before adopting. The questions we ask on the adoption application and in the interview process come from our experience in helping literally thousands of people find just the right animal for their homes.

We feel a responsibility to ask these questions on behalf of the animals in our care. Please also ask us any questions you have so that you can make a good decision.

The visit. A staff member who knows dog or cat behavior will assist you in visiting with the animal and will help to evaluate whether the animal is the match you're looking for! The visit should include all members of the family. Those planning to adopt a dog will need to bring their resident dog in to visit before the adoption is final. PAWS reserves the right to approve an adoption.

Adoption fees

• Adult dogs (over 6 months): $100
• Adult cats (over 6 months): $90
• Senior cats and dogs (over 7 years): $75
• Two adult cats (adopted same day): $135
• Puppies (under 6 months): $140
• Kittens (under 6 months): $105
• Two kittens (adopted same day): $200
• Adult cat and kitten (adopted same day): $150

Individual adoption fees will vary for animals that are typically more in demand such as small breed dogs, puppies, fluffy kittens, and certain more popular breeds. PAWS may place a higher adoption fee on these “High Interest” animals, and we may collect multiple applications to ensure the best match for these animals (see Placement Program for High-Interest animals below). Having a higher adoption fee for animals we know will go home quickly enables us to supplement our ability to care for animals who need to be sheltered longer until they find their new home.

PAWS also offers special discounts for senior people who want to adopt senior animals. Learn more.

Dog and cat adoption benefits include:

• Neuter/spay surgery for unaltered animals
• Free health exam certificate honored by most local veterinarians
• A microchip
• Collar and leash for a dog, or a collar and carrier for a cat
• Educational materials and access to our free behavior helpline
• Cats and dogs are de-wormed and receive one round of vaccinations (excluding rabies)

PAWS does not have a full-service veterinary center and cannot be responsible for veterinary bills or treatment of an animal after leaving our shelter. In Washington State, shelters are restricted from providing general veterinary services to privately owned animals.

Required Obedience Classes

As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure successful matches at PAWS, we are proud to offer a variety of dog training classes. Because we spend a great deal of time getting to know the dogs in our care, registering for obedience classes may be a requirement at the time of adoption. Select dogs adopted through our Experienced Dog Adopter Program (EDAP) will require enrollment in a class offered by the professional trainers at PAWS, or a $100 refundable deposit toward obedience classes from a qualified trainer of your choice. If you elect to enroll your new companion in classes other than those offered by PAWS, you simply need to send us a copy of your certificate of completion within four months of adoption and we will refund your training deposit. It is our hope that these training classes will help make the transition into your new home a happy one for you and your new companion animal.

The Adoption Application

The Applications linked below are in Adobe Acrobat format. If you do not have the free Adobe Acrobat viewer, you can download it directly from Adobe at the link below.

These applications are provided here to save you time during your visit to the PAWS shelter. Download and print the application, and then fill it out completely. Bring in your completed application and give it to a PAWS Adoption Staff person. Printed applications are also available at the PAWS shelter.

Download and view the Cat Adoption Application

Note: The applications are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, and you will need the Acrobat program to view them. You can download a free copy from Adobe by clicking on the yellow box.

Placement Program for High-interest Animals

When more than one person shows strong interest in a specific companion animal, a limit of six (6) adoption applications will be accepted for consideration. All applicants must be able to comply with the following placement guidelines. If you are interested in a High-interest Animal, please be sure you can fulfull the guidelines before submitting an application. Otherwise, we encourage you to consider one of the many other wonderful animals awaiting a new home.

1. Applications must be submitted in person and approved by an Adoption Counselor prior to the time the animal becomes available for adoption.
2. After the six applications are reviewed, the selected applicant will be contacted to come back for a visit. The visit must occur on the day the animal becomes available during normal adoption hours.
3. The selected applicant must be able to come to the shelter along with all members of the household, including all canines in residence (when adopting another dog).
4. If the selected applicant is unable to comply with these guidelines, or decides not to adopt the animal, another approved applicant will be selected and invited to come in for a visit.

Interested parties will not be contacted if the animal is returned to its original guardian, if the animal is deemed unadoptable, or if their application is not selected.