Adopt
The Adoption Process
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
Must be able to provide proof of your current residence's 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 (dogs & cats), also DAPP & Bordetella (dogs), and FVRCP (cats) vaccinations.
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
We understand it's easy to fall in love with a specific pet from our website or social media pages! If you see a pet online who you think would be perfect for your family, we would love for you to come in and meet them. We require all potential adopters to spend at least 20-30 minutes with the pet they're interested in before our Adoption Counselors will review your application to ensure a good fit!
Adoption Fees
Thank you for considering adopting a pet from the San Antonio Humane Society. You’ll find our prices listed below based on the age and species of pet you're looking for. 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.
CATS
1 YEAR OR OLDER
$75
KITTENS
UNDER 1 YEAR
$150
Fees vary for our Guardian Angel and Ambassador pets.
Frequently Asked Questions
– We are open 12-7 pm daily!
– We stop taking adoption applications at 6 pm to ensure we have time to meet with all applicants.
– 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). We occasionally have varied hours for staff development. Any changes to our hours will be posted on our social media pages and the front page of our website.
– You can reach us at 210-226-7461 between 12-7 pm.
All guests interested in meeting one of our pets must provide SAHS staff with a valid photo ID, be 18 years of age or older, and provide an Acceptable Proof of Residence. 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 that all visitors 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.
Depending on the number of applications pending, the wait to meet with an adoption counselor can range between 30 minutes to 2 hours. If wait times are high, we utilize text message alerts for visitors wishing to leave our campus while they wait to be seen.
All of our adoptions are done on a first-come, first-served basis. We do not hold/reserve pets.
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 pets and ours, we ask that you please leave your pets at home.
We do offer dog introductions here at our shelter by appointment! Once you find a great match, you can speak with our adoption counselors about setting up an appointment to bring in your dog(s) so we can help you introduce them to their potential new sibling. Any dogs coming into our shelter need to be up to date on their vaccinations (Rabies, DAPP, Bordetella), so please be ready to show vaccine records before setting up your dog intro appointment.
– Dogs that currently live in their household must be current on the following vaccinations before you can adopt a DOG: *Rabies – mandated by law. (DAPP) *Parvo *Distemper – Protects against other diseases potentially fatal to your dog. Bordetella (if your dog(s) are up to date with Rabies and DAPP vaccines you have 14 days to get your dog(s) up to date with Bordetella).
– If your current dog(s) are not up to date with either Rabies and/or DAPP then before we can proceed with an adoption we request the following vaccines to be up to date: Rabies, DAPP, and Bordetella
Dog intros will require: *Rabies – mandated by law. (DAPP) *Parvo *Distemper, and *Bordetella vaccinations
– Cats that currently live in your household must be current on the following vaccinations before you can adopt a DOG: *Rabies – mandated by law. *(FVRCP) – Protects against other diseases potentially fatal to your cat.
– Cats that currently live in your household must be current on the following vaccinations/tests before you can adopt a CAT: *Rabies – mandated by law. *(FVRCP) – Protects other diseases potentially fatal to your cat.
– Dogs that currently live in your household must be current on the following vaccinations/tests before you can adopt a CAT: *Rabies – mandated by law (DAPP) *Parvo *Distemper – Protects against other diseases potentially fatal to your dog.
* Must provide documents/invoices/receipts that specify your cat or dog’s immunizations/required tests are current. If you don’t have the documents/invoices/receipts, we can call your veterinarian to get this information.
Dogs
Puppies up to 1 year – $150
Dogs over a year – $75
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
Kittens up to 1 year – $150
Cats over a year – $75
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 can be any highly adoptable dog or cat of any age or breed, and they have a raised adoption fee that helps lend a paw to other pets looking for a forever home.
For more information, visit the San Antonio Humane Society at 4804 Fredericksburg Rd. or call 210-226-7461.
Once your adoption application has been reviewed and approved, you will be able to take your new best friend home on the same day!
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 family.
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 to visit a VCA Animal Hospital or your own veterinarian for a physical exam for your new pet within 5 days of adoption. If you adopt a pet and they become ill during this time, the VCA coverage included with their adoption will help cover the cost of most common shelter illnesses. Some out-of-pocket expenses may be required if your pet becomes ill after adoption.
