The first step is to consider what kind of animal is best for your family. Do you lead an active lifestyle, or a quiet one? Do you have children? Do you live in an apartment, a townhouse, or a home with a big yard? We want you and your companion animal to look forward to a long, happy lifetime together. Choosing an animal that fits your lifestyle helps make that happen.

Next, meet our wonderful dogs and cats who are looking for good homes. This web site lists most of the animals that are currently up for adoption. The pictures and biographies will give you a quick introduction to them. Or come to one of our adoption shows, where you can meet some of the animals and also chat with their "foster parents". All the animals do not attend all the shows, however; it is a good idea to submit a no-obligation application. Once we receive your application a PAW volunteer will contact you. In this way we can make sure you will get to meet the dog or cat you are interested in. Application forms are available online.

Adopting a companion animal is a family responsibility. All the members of the household should be involved in the adoption, and the application must be signed by a family member who is 18 years or older.

Your application will be reviewed by a small group of experienced volunteers. The form helps give us background on your household and prior experience with animals. If you do not hear from PAW in 10 working days of your submission, you may assume your application was declined.

If your application is pursued, we first conduct a vet check. This confirms that you keep your current pets up to date with vaccinations and other care. We verify that pets are allowed if you rent your apartment or home. We do a house check; this verifies that the dog or cat is suited to your household and that you are in fact ready to bring a new animal into the family. This process generally takes a few days to 2 weeks.

The Partnership for Animal Welfare is interested in finding the best permanent homes for our animals. If we receive more than one application for the same dog or cat, we will try to choose the best home for the animal. In addition, we reserve the right to turn down an application if for any reason we find that it is not suitable for the animal. It may seem that we are being overcautious, but these policies are based on hard experience.

Once approved, you will sign a legal adoption contract. There is a $175 adoption fee for a dog, or $105 adoption fee for a cat. For kittens who are not spayed or neutered prior to adoption, this includes a deposit of $35 which is refunded when the cat has been spayed/neutered. Dogs are spayed and neutered prior to adoption. All adopted animals must be spayed or neutered - with the thousands of animals a month being destroyed at local shelters, we cannot permit our rescues to contribute to the tragedy of pet overpopulation.

The adoption fees are used almost exclusively to pay for the vet care that all our animals receive. Before adoption, each dog and cat has received veterinary care and is up to date on vaccinations. For dogs, this typically includes rabies shots, DHLPP vaccines, worming, heartworm tests, and spay or neuter. Cats normally are tested for Feline Leukemia and FIV, have received rabies and distemper shots, deworming, and are spayed or neutered.