ADOPTION POLICIES
TERMS & CONDITIONS
- For the safety of children and kittens/puppies alike, we do not adopt kittens or puppies under the age of 6 months into families with children under 6 years of age.
- There may be, at some time, significant veterinary costs involved with any pet. We ask that people adopt only if they are adults, have seriously evaluated the meaning of a twenty-year commitment and are financially able to bear the cost of future emergencies.
- CAHS seeks to adopt to those who are financially secure and in a stable living situation in order to maximize the likelihood of a lifelong bond. Older teens, newly on their own, or still living with parents, may find themselves, in a year or two, making life changes that result in their no longer being able to care for their pet. Because of these reasons and as our desire is to find forever homes for our animals, there is a minimum age to adopt of 22 years old.
- All applicants who live in a rental property must provide contact information for their landlord, and have approval from the landlord to have a pet at the residence listed on the adoption application
- Applicants must allow CAHS the option to conduct a home visit to confirm that your home will be a good environment for a new pet. We do not require a home visit for all adopters. We do home visits in extremely rare cases such as if the dog or cat requires unique medical care or if the dog has unique behavioral issues.
- All animals in the applicant’s household must be spayed/neutered and up to date on all vaccines before consideration
- All adults living in the home must meet the pet and be in agreement about adoption
- No animal will be adopted to a group of three (3) or more unrelated adults living in the same household (e.g. student housing).
- Applicants must be willing to keep their new pet and current family pets as indoor pets
- All adoptive families will provide all medical care and treatment needed for the pet including, but not limited to, yearly medical checkups, vaccines, and preventative heartworm medication
- Dogs will be adopted only as a personal companion and not as a gift, working animal, or guard dog
- A fenced yard is ideal for dogs, but is NOT a requirement for adoption unless specified
- Because young puppies require intensive training and care, we cannot place puppies younger than five months of age in a home where someone is consistently absent from the home for long periods of time
- In the event an adoption does not work out, applicants MUST agree to return the pet to CAHS rather than rehoming the pet themselves
- There may be, at some time, significant veterinary costs involved with any pet. We ask that people adopt only if they are adults, have seriously evaluated the meaning of a twenty-year commitment and are financially able to bear the cost of future emergencies.
CATS/ KITTENS
- CAHS only adopts cats/ kittens to be indoor pets. This means INDOORS ALL OF THE TIME. We admit that CAHS is more stringent in this policy than many other organizations. If NEVER letting your cat outdoors does not suit your household, please let us refer you to other organizations which have a more lenient CONTRACT.