Adoptions

Tampa's Animal Adoption Expo
Day-long adoption events in the Tampa Bay area attract thousands of potential adopters - and send hundreds of animals to permanent, loving homes.

All Cats, All the Time
Your colleagues in the field share their creative strategies for getting cats adopted into good homes.

Barn Cat Program
Year-round quarters for country feral cats.

Cats on Tour
Cleveland APL casts its mobile adoption van as a tour vehicle for some rockin' felines and gets invited to gigs all over the city.

Catty Shack Program
Inmates at a local minimum security prison care for one shelter's cats.

Wanted! Adult Cats
Inexpensively promote adult cat adoptions with this creative idea.

Step by Step Profiles

Free Adult Cat Adoptions
Seven shelters share their programs for offering free adult cats to qualified adopters. Their experience? Waive the adoption fee for your wonderful adult cats, and everybody, especially the cats, will win.

Implementing the ASPCA's Meet Your Match Program
The Animal Refuge League in Portland, Maine started out cautiously curious about the ASPCA's Meet Your Match™ Adoption Program, but soon became enthusiastic "early adopters."

Progressive Adoptions Serving Pets and People
Creating "a culture of understanding and respect" for adopters, staff, and volunteers is critical to the success of the open adoption program at the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society in Leverett, Massachusetts.

A Revolutionary Approach to Adoptions
Friendly collaborative conversations with potential adopters help the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (HSBV) in Boulder, Colorado facilitate strong people/pet matches.

User-Friendly Adoptions
An adoption process based on trust rather than suspicion creates a positive experience for all involved at the Oregon Humane Society (OHS).

Improving Adopters' Shelter Experiences
Eliminating barriers to adoption by improving the experience was the simple and substantial goal of the Wisconsin Humane Society, serving Milwaukee County.

Managing Intake by Appointment
The Oregon Humane Society (OHS) discovered that requiring appointments for admissions benefits animals, people, and shelter operations.

Tips

Getting Great Photos of Your Animals
Ten tips for taking photos that show your animals and your organization in the best possible light.

Tips for Free Cat Adoption Promotions
Six tips from agencies who know what it takes to run a successful free cat promotion.

Sample Materials for Adopters

In addition to the samples below, check out the adoption profiles listed above for great samples of adoption applications, policies, and adopter agreements.

Information for Dog Adopters
Great materials for a general audience that can help your dog adopters better understand and live peaceably with their canine companions.

Information for Cat Adopters
Great handouts that help your cat adopters understand the sophisticated thinking of their feline companions.

What's Included in Adoption Fees
The Richmond SPCA in Virginia shares flyers to help you demonstrate that a shelter animal is always a good value.

Adoption Workshop for Staff and Volunteers

Meet the Adopters Workshop
Download these workshop materials to embrace new ways of thinking about adoption and improve adoption outcomes.