Adoption Guidelines & Process
Adoption Process
Ready to adopt? Please visit our adoption page to see our available animals. Once you find someone you are interested in meeting, please come to the shelter during our adoption hours! Our animal care team will introduce you and help you make the best adoption decision.
If you are interested in meeting a dog and you have other dogs, please bring your dogs for the meet and greet at the shelter.
If the animal's location is FOSTER HOME, please call the shelter and set up an appointment or email info@weldcountyhumane.org.
If you need extra time to make a decision, you can place a hold on any adult animal for 24 hours. After the 24 hours, the adoptable animal will be available to anyone again.
We do not keep lists to call for specific breeds or younger animals. We are a small but mighty staff, and keeping call lists would detract from life-saving work. Our website is up-to-date on available animals.
Adoption Guidelines
We screen every adopter for our animals. Adoption approval is entirely up to the staff and always in the best interest of the animals.
Here's some of our guidelines for adoption:
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Adopters must provide proper and ample food, water, shelter, and compassion for their animal
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Adopters must have the animal immunized and examined by a licensed veterinarian at the adopter's expense once a year
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Adopters must NOT declaw cats/kittens.
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Adopters must not abandon the animal at any time. If the adopter can no longer care for the animal, they must NOT re-home and will return the animal back to HSWC.
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Adopters must keep up-to-date identification on the animal at all times. If the animal is lost, they must do everything in their power to locate the animal.
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Adopters must understand this animal has value in and of itself and has the right to humane care and treatment. The animal cannot be used for any purposes of veterinary experimentation or other experimentation.
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Adopters must abide by the laws to protect the animal (leash laws etc.)
Adoption Fees
Adoption fees vary from animal to animal. Please look at each individual animal's page to view the fee.
Why don't we keep fees standard? Well, we are dedicated to these animals through and through -- no matter how old, sick, or scared they were when they arrived. Some animals require expensive care. For example, we could receive a senior cat who needs teeth removed, a medical grooming to remove mats, and behavior foster care to reduce stress. The total invested in this senior cat could amount to $3,000+. Their adoption fee though would likely be $35.
The higher adoption fees for puppies, purebreds, or other highly desired animals help cover the cost of the forgotten, homeless, and hurt.