The Adoption Process

man and adopted puppy
1

SUBMIT A QUESTIONNAIRE

Complete an online questionnaire or complete one in-person. To start the process, you must meet with the shelter pet in person.

2

MEET THE SHELTER PET

All members of the household are asked to meet with a SAHS Adoption Counselor and desired animal during normal business hours.

3

SPEAK WITH AN ADOPTION COUNSELOR

The Adoption Counselor can review your questionnaire with you and provide more information about the pet of your choice.

4

APPROVAL AND INTRODUCTIONS

Any current dogs in the home are encouraged to come in for a scheduled dog introduction. Potential adopters must speak with an Adoption Counselor to schedule dog introduction.

5

BE PREPARED

To expedite the process, bring your current pets’ vet records with you. Proof of current residence pet policy.

Adoption Requirements

18+ Years of Age

You must be at least 18 years of age with a valid form of identification, valid photo ID & proof of residency.

Proof of Pet Policy

Be able to provide proof of current residence pet policy.

Pet Vaccinations

Cats and dogs living in the home must be up to date on their rabies vaccination, as required by state law.

Primary Caretaker

The primary caretaker of the pet must be present to complete the adoption process

Adoption Screening

Potential adopters must go through an adoption screening process.

Adopting a Specific Pet

If you are interested in adopting a specific animal, you must come in and meet our furry friend in person before you can select the animal for your application.

cat adoption
  • FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

    Applications for a specific pet are taken on a first come, first serve basis after meeting with the pet of your choice. We do not hold animals and we reserve the right to refuse adoption to anyone for any reason.

  • APPLICATIONS VALID FOR 90 DAYS

    General applications are good for 90 days until you decide which animal you would like to adopt.

Adoption Fees

Thank you for considering adopting a pet from the San Antonio Humane Society. You’ll find our prices listed below for the various types of pets we adopt. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us. All prices are subject to change without notice. Ambassador and Guardian Angel pets vary in price.

DOGS

1 YEAR AND OLDER

$75

PUPPIES

UNDER 1 YEAR

$150

Fees vary for our Guardian Angel and Ambassador pets.

What's Included

  • Spay/neuter surgery

  • First set of vaccinations

  • Microchip with free registration

  • De-wormer, flea and heartworm prevention

  • GoodPup Dog Training: 1 FREE week of training + 10% Off for Life

  • Complimentary wellness exam and follow-up care (within 14 days of adoption) at any VCA Animal Hospital

dog playing with toy

CATS

1 YEAR OR OLDER

$75

KITTENS

UNDER 1 YEAR

$150

Fees vary for our Guardian Angel and Ambassador pets.

What's Included

  • Spay/neuter surgery

  • First set of vaccinations

  • Microchip with free registration

  • De-wormer, flea and heartworm prevention

  • Complimentary wellness exam and follow-up care (within 14 days of adoption) at any VCA Animal Hospital

cat in window

Frequently Asked Questions

– Monday through Sunday, 12-7pm.
– We stop taking applications at 6pm, so that we have time to meet with everyone before we close.
– We are closed on some major holidays (including but not limited to Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day). A few times every year we close early for staff development, those will be posted on the front page.
– You can reach us on 210-226-7461 between 12-7pm.

All guests interested in meeting one of our pets must provide SAHS staff with a valid photo ID, be a minimum of 18 years of age, and provide an Acceptable Proof of Residence, please refer to the list provided by the Adoption Team. Guests under the age of 18 are unable to meet our pets unless accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. Before applying to adopt, we ask all visitors to first socialize with the pet for at least 20 minutes to help ensure compatibility. Under special circumstances you may be required to spend longer than 20 minutes with a pet. When you’re ready to move forward with the adoption process, kennel staff will direct you to the front lobby where you will complete an application and sit with an adoption counselor for review.

We would like you to have the opportunity to get to know our pets before they get to know yours. For the safety of your pet(s) and ours, we suggest that you please leave your pet(s) at home. Please speak with our staff about setting up a dog introduction. All dogs coming into our shelter need to be up to date on their vaccinations (rabies, DAPP, bordetella). Please bring your vaccination record.

Depending on the number of applications pending, the wait to meet with an adoption counselor can range between 30 minutes to 2 hours. Depending on wait time, we are currently utilizing text message alerts for visitors who wish to leave our campus while they wait.

No unfortunately we can’t hold/reserve a pet, it’s first-come first-served.

Dogs
Puppies up to 1 year – $150
Dogs over a year – $75

Cats
Kittens up to 1 year –  $150
Cats over a year – $75

Dogs – Adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, first set of vaccinations, microchip, de-wormer, flea and heartworm prevention, complimentary wellness exam and follow-up care (within 14 days of adoption) at any VCA Animal Hospital, and GoodPup Dog Training: 1 FREE week of training + 10% Off for Life.

Cats – Adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, first set of vaccinations, microchip, de-wormer, flea prevention, complimentary wellness exam and follow-up care (within 14 days of adoption) at any VCA Animal Hospital.

Fees vary for our Guardian Angel and Ambassador pets.

Guardian Angel pets – Guardian Angel pets are sponsored, reducing their adoption fees. Contributions from the community to the Guardian Angel Program make it possible for us to reduce the adoption fees for dogs and cats at our facility, thus increasing their chances of adoption. We appreciate all of your efforts to help our animals find their forever homes.

Ambassador pets – The San Antonio Humane Society is a no kill shelter that does not euthanize for space. As a result, any dog or cat can reside at SAHS until they are adopted. Ambassador pets have a raised adoption fee that helps lend a paw to other pets looking for a forever home. What makes an ambassador pet? An Ambassador pet can include any highly adoptable dog or cat of any age or breed. 

For more information, visit the San Antonio Humane Society at 4804 Fredericksburg Rd. or call 210-226-7461.

All pets are spayed and neutered, you can take him/her home the day you adopt upon adoption approval.

As stated in the Texas Health and Safety Code, Animal Sterilization Act, Section 828, sterilization of an animal is required when adopting from a shelter. All animals adopted from the San Antonio Humane Society will be spayed/neutered before going home with their new owner.
Depending on the number of people adopting, the adoption process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Adoption applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Upon arrival to the SAHS, all pets are examined by our Animal Health Technicians. The pet’s health is routinely monitored while in our care, but there is always a chance a pet is incubating a disease or infection. As they are living creatures, we cannot guarantee their health. We do require you visit with a VCA Animal Hospital or your own veterinarian for a physical exam for you new pet within 5 days of the adoption. If you adopt a pet and he/she becomes ill during this time the VCA coverage will help cover the cost of most common shelter illnesses*. *Some out-of-pocket expenses may be required should the pet become ill after adoption.

sahs closed 16 aug 2023