Adoption Program FAQ’s

• Visit the Shelter and fall in love with all of the animals.
• Narrow down your list to just one or two animals ( hint: this is the hardest part!).
• Fill out our Pets and People Profile to help us make a good match.
• Show us a photo I.D.( usually a driver's license).
• If you rent your home, bring a copy of your lease or your landlord’s phone number. We need to know that animals are allowed where you live (hint: talk to your landlord before coming to see us—it will make things easier!).
• If you are thinking about adopting a new dog friend, we may ask that you bring in all members of your family (especially children and any other household dogs) to be sure everyone gets along.
• For the safety of your furry new friend, we require that you bring a cat carrier if adopting a cat, or a collar and leash if adopting a dog. We have these available for sale if you don't have them with you at the time of adoption.
• Sign a contract agreeing to take over responsibility for the animal's care.

How much does it cost to adopt an animal?

Because we rely entirely on donations and adoption fees to run our shelter, your adoption fee enables us to help more animals. We accept cash, checks, debit cards, MasterCard and Visa.
(Note: To view the PDF files below, you will need Adobe Reader. If you don't have the Reader, you can download it here).

• Adoption fees for cats & kittens (PDF file - 65 KB)
• Adoption fees for dogs & puppies (PDF file - 60 KB)

How long does the adoption process usually take?

When visiting the shelter, please allow yourself plenty of time to meet the animals, complete the paperwork, and to ask questions. Once you chose an animal it generally takes 30 minutes to complete the necessary adoption paperwork. Most—but not all—animals are available to go home on the same day.

If you are thinking about adopting a new dog friend, we may ask that you bring in all members of your family (especially children and any other household dogs) to be sure everyone gets along.

If I can’t take the animal home right now, can Dakin hold him for me?

It is imperative that our animals get adopted as soon as possible for their own well-being. Prolonging their stay at the shelter is something that we try desperately to avoid. For that reason, we rarely hold animals for specific adopters. We thank you in advance for your understanding in this matter.

I live more than an hour away from the Shelter. Can I still adopt?

If you live more than an hour away from our shelter, we welcome your visit! Any pet you adopt must be spayed or neutered prior to adoption, because veterinarians in your area will not accept our spay/neuter vouchers. You may want to call us to see if there is a spayed/neutered pet you are interested in before traveling to visit - or, search www.petfinder.com for a shelter closer to home.

What are the Shelter’s Adoption Hours? Do I need an appointment to adopt an animal?

We welcome your visit any time during our open hours—no appointment necessary!

Our Leverett Adoption Center hours are as follows:
Monday, Tuesday*, Wednesday, Friday:   12 noon to 5:30 p.m.
Thursday:   12 noon to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday:   11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

*Closed the third Tuesday of every month due to staff training

How can I contact the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society?