Whether you've already made the decision to adopt, contemplating the idea, or just looking for more information on the topic—you've come to the right place. Here you'll find an overview of our process, fees, tips and other helpful information about adopting a pet.
View
hours & directions »
View
online profiles of our pets » Adoption Fees For Cats (plus a
$5 processing fee):
- cats over 6 months = $75
- cats under 6 months = $100
Adoption Fees For Dogs (plus a
$5 processing fee):
- dogs over 6 months = $75
- dogs under 6 months = $125
Additonal Fees & Costs:
- The purchase of Heartworm prevention will be added to the adoption fee for dogs over six months. If you’d prefer, you may purchase up to a one-year supply for the dog you adopt. Prices vary from $21 to $30 per six-month supply, depending on size of dog.)
- Effective January 1, 2011 the city of Jacksonville now requires all adopters living within Duval County to purchase a rabies tag at the time of adoption for any pet that has received its rabies vaccination. The cost for the tag is $20.
What the Adoption Fees Cover
The adoption fees that we collect help us provide food, shelter, important medical care and inoculations for the animals. Each adoption fee includes the following for your new pet (retail value is approximately $400):
- Cost of spaying and neutering
- Initial inoculations
- Microchip implant (all animals)
- FeLV/FIV Combo Test (Feline Only)
- Occult Heartworm Test
- Flea and Tick Prevention
- Monthly Parasite Prevention
- 30-day Shelter Care Health Insurance
Step 1: Preparing for your new pet.
Just like any of life's big events, the first step involved with adopting a pet is to properly prepare for your new furry friend. One way to begin this step is to make a list of everything and everyone that your new pet will come in contact with, be affected by and/or have an effect on. We suggest you:
- Contact your landlord or homeowners association regarding any pet policy or restrictions.
- Prepare your home by setting up its bed, food & water bowls, etc ahead of time. (These items can be purchased in our boutique.)
- Bring in all family members and/or roommates that will come in contact with your new pet.
- If adopting a dog, bring in any current resident dogs for an intial meet and greet. (Visiting pets must be up-to-date with their vaccinations.)
- Be prepared to spend at least one hour with a counselor to process the adoption.
- Bring an approved leash and collar (for dogs and puppies) or a break-away collar and approved carrier (for cats and kittens). These items can be purchased in our boutique during the adoption checkout process.
Step 2: How to find your new best friend.
Once you’ve made your way down to our location and inside our adoption center (
view hours & directions ») the next step is to begin looking for your perfect match.
Pet-Matching
Thanks to our friends at ASPCA, finding your new best friend is now easier than ever when you use
Meet Your Match™, our new pet-matching program. To utilize this free pet-matching service, all you have to do is complete a brief compatibility survey. An adoption counselor will analyze the results and assign you a color code. Every pet that comes to us is assessed and assigned a color code as well, so by looking for those animals that share your color you’ll know which would be most compatible with your lifestyle. It’s really easy, it really works, and it’s free—really!
If you are interested in using the Meet Your Match™ adoptability program, stop here and visit
Personal Pet Matching page for complete details. (You’ll also be able to download the compatibility survey.)
On Your Own
Adopters are not required to take the Meet Your Match™ survey—this is a free, completely optional service. If you prefer to skip the survey and just look for pets on your own, you are welcome to go straight into the kennel area when you arrive.
Step 3: Get to know each other.
Once you find a pet that you are considering to adopt, return to the boutique area where a counselor can be assigned to help you. The counselor will meet with you to discuss your survey, the pet’s history and background, tell you a little about its personality and then give you a chance to spend time with animal.
Step 4: Making it official.
Once you are confident that you’ve found the right pet, the counselor will assist you by processing the adoption paperwork and updating the pet's microchip registration records. (We'll notify 24 Petwatch™, an international pet recovery service, that you are the pet's new owner.) You'll get an “important paper packet” containing a welcome sheet, training tips, records of the pet's history and vaccinations, and other helpful paperwork. In most cases, you can take your new pet home with you the same day you come in.
Once you get home, remember to: - Confirm via email your Shelter Care pet insurance (provided to you free for 30 days)
- Set an appointment with a veterinarian for your pet’s next round of vaccinations.
More information on pet vaccinations, as well as animal welfare laws, can be found on our
Pet Laws page. Additional resources can be found on our
Pet Tips page.
If you have any questions, issues or concerns about your pet once you get home, please don’t hesitate to call us. Our
Adoption Support Team is here to help – just call
904 725 8766 x214.
Special Adoption Program for Seniors
We are proud to be part of Nestle Purina’s Pets for People Senior Adoption Program, which provides senior citizens ages 60 and older an opportunity to adopt a pet for little or no cost. Pets for People helps reimburse shelters like JHS for the cost of spaying & neutering, vaccinations, microchip identification and additional adoption fees. This translates to a significant cost savings for senior citizens adopting pets.
Purina will provide the
total cost towards the standard adoption fee for any Senior who adopts a pet from JHS. (Adoption fees listed above.) Additional fees and costs may apply as detailed above. These expenses are not covered by Purina.
For more information about the
Pets for People Senior Adoption Program, please call our adoption team at 725-8766 ext. 214.