Pet Adoption Process at Cascades Humane Society
Are you ready to adopt and welcome a new pet companion into your home? Follow the steps below and you are on the road to adoption!
Step 1: Fill out an Adoption Application
Simply download a pdf, fill it out, and either e-mail it to adopt@chspets.org, or bring it with you to Cascades Humane Society. Paper copies are also available in our lobby at CHS. Adopters must be 18+ years old.
This application saves you time when you arrive, it does not hold an animal for you. Please feel free to not wait for us to call you regarding your application, as we have limited staff and we get extremely busy. We strongly encourage you to come directly to CHS (or one of the local pet stores that houses cats for us) to meet the animal you are interested in.
Step 2: Make Sure You are Prepared
The ASPCA says it best: “Caring for a companion animal goes far beyond providing food, water and shelter. It takes research and careful planning to bring the right pet into your home, and to make sure your lifestyle is the right one for your pet.” Click here to read more on how to choose the right pet and how to prepare yourself and home.
Adopting a Dog – What to Bring with You to CHS:
- An adoption application filled out within the last two months
- A valid ID for identification
- If your place of residence is rented: verification that the landlord allows you to have pets at the rented property and how many
- If living with parents/guardians: verification you are allowed to adopt a pet
- Rabies vaccine certificate for each dog living in your home (if applicable)
- Dog leash*
*Adoptable dogs at CHS will go home with the Martingale collar they are already wearing
Meet & Greet with Your Dog(s)
If you are adopting a dog and have any dogs currently in the home, we require a meet and greet to ensure it is a good long-term fit. We also ask to see that your current dog is up-to-date on their rabies vaccination (rabies certificate or vaccine records from the vet are both valid forms, a rabies tag alone is not unfortunately).
Adopting a Cat – What to Bring with You to CHS:
- An adoption application filled out within the last two months
- A valid ID for identification
- If your place of residence is rented: verification that the landlord allows you to have pets at the rented property and how many
- If living with parents/guardians: verification you are allowed to adopt a pet
- Cat carrier*
*All cats must leave our shelter in a secure cat carrier. Please bring one with you to take your new cat home in. If you do not have a cat carrier at the time of adoption, you can purchase a cardboard cat carrier for $5. We highly recommend investing in a hard-sided carrier for your cat.
Step 3: View Adoptable Animals at CHS
When you arrive at CHS, you may look at all the pets available for adoption! (You can also view adoptable animals online, but visiting in person ensures the most up-to-date information.) Once you have viewed the available animals and have some in mind that you would like to meet with, we will ask you to fill out an Adoption Application and Visitation Form (as mentioned above). If you have already filled one out within the last two months or submitted one online, let staff know. Our application helps us get an idea of which pet would be a good match for you and your living situation. The adoption counselors may even have suggestions on who they think would be a great fit for you!
Looking for breeds listed on our adoptable dogs? View why we are “Removing the Label” here!
Step 4: Visit with Adoptable Animals at CHS
Next, you can visit with any pet you like in a visitation room. Though not required, we highly recommend bringing other members of the household with you to visit the animals you may potentially adopt to ensure a good fit for everyone. If you find a pet you like and want to adopt, you can do so the same day as long as everything on your application is approved. We do our last adoptions of the day at 5:30 p.m. in order to have enough time to process paperwork prior to closing at 6 p.m.
The adoption process will take approximately 20-30 minutes. In addition to a new best friend, you will receive:
- A sample bag of pet food to get you started (cats and dogs)
- A pet that has already been spayed/neutered and is up to date on age-appropriate vaccines
- Dogs 6+ months of age will have been heartworm tested. Cats will have been tested for Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
- Cats and dogs will be microchipped
- A pet who has been de-wormed and treated for fleas and ticks
- A free wellness check-up at participating veterinarians, to be used within 30 days of the adoption
- A free ID tag that will help reunite you with your new pet, if it ever becomes lost.
Placing a Hold on an Animal
If, after you have met a pet, you are unsure if you would like to adopt them or not, you may place a hold on that pet.
In order to hold an animal, CHS will collect a $25.00 deposit that will hold the animal until 5:30 p.m. the next business day. If it is a Saturday, the hold will be until the following Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. When a deposit is used to hold an animal, the hold fee will be deducted from the adoption fee. The deposit is non-refundable nor is it transferable to other animals.
Adoption Fees
*Please note that adoption fees are subject to change*
Our adoption fees are consistently reviewed and compared to the current cost of care for our animals. Adoption prices are current as of April 1st, 2024.
Cat Adoption Fees
| Age | Adoption Fee |
|---|---|
| Under 6 Months of Age | $85 |
| Over 6 Months of Age | $65 |
| Senior (10+ Years Old) | $45 |
Dog Adoption Fees
| Extra Small (Up to 20 lbs) | Small (20-35 lbs) | Medium (35-60 lbs) | Large (60-90 lbs) | Extra Large (90+ lbs) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy (2-4 months) | $510 | $480 | $410 | $360 | $340 |
| Puppy (4-8 months) | $480 | $460 | $360 | $310 | $260 |
| Teenager (8-18 months) | $410 | $360 | $310 | $260 | $240 |
| Young Adult (1.5 years-3 years) | $360 | $310 | $260 | $240 | $220 |
| Adult | $280 | $260 | $240 | $220 | $210 |
| Senior | $260 | $240 | $220 | $210 | $160 |
Price adjustments beyond this can be made at management discretion. Reasons for price adjustments may include but are not limited to: medical needs/follow-up, behavior/training needs, and length of stay
Prices are predetermined and final after adoption. No refund will be given in the event our best determination of size/age were found to be inaccurate.
All dogs without pedigree are considered an “unknown breed” and will be labeled as “mixed breed”. Breed is not a determining factor of adoption fee. Learn more about why we removed breed labels here.
View our Petfinder Page: Cascades Humane Society’s Petfinder
Please note that our Available Pets page on this website will always be the most current reflection of our animals available for adoption.