General Questions
What are your office hours?
Our Adoption Center Hours are 12 pm to 7 pm. Open every day, Monday through Sunday, except major holidays.
What is the process for adopting a pet?
All guests interested in meeting a pet must provide SAHS staff with a valid photo ID. Before applying to adopt, we ask all visitors to first socialize with the pet for at least 20 minutes to help ensure compatibility. 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.
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.
For other Adoption info and FAQ - click here.
What are the adoptions fees?
Adoption Fees dogs: $50-$135
Adoption Fees cats: $35-$70
Fees vary for our Guardian Angel and Ambassador pets.
Dogs - Adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, first set of vaccinations, microchip, de-wormer, flea and heartworm prevention, complimentary wellness exam (within 5 days of adoption) and follow-up care (within 14 days of adoption) at any VCA Animal Hospital, and 30 days of 24PetWatch Pet Insurance.
Cats - Adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, first set of vaccinations, microchip, de-wormer, flea prevention, complimentary wellness exam (within 5 days of adoption) and follow-up care (within 14 days of adoption) at any VCA Animal Hospital, and 30 days of 24PetWatch Pet Insurance.
Can I bring my own dog?
All dogs coming into our shelter need to be up to date on their vaccinations (rabies, DAPP, bordetella). Please bring your vaccination record. 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.
Is there any limit on the number of animals I can adopt?
The City of SA limits the number of pets that a person can own to 5 dogs or 8 cats or a combination of the two that equals 8.
If I adopt a pet and it doesn't work out, can I bring it back?
Due to the fact that we do not euthanize for space we ask that you email and make an appointment to bring the animal in. See our
receiving info on how to proceed.
Are you a no kill shelter?
Yes. A no kill shelter saves both healthy and treatable dogs and cats with euthanasia reserved only for unhealthy and untreatable animals. We have a
99.3% save rate (2020).
I found a stray, or I can no longer care for my pet, can I take him/her to the SAHS?
As our intake space only becomes available through the previous day’s adoptions, we can never predict how much space will be available for the next receiving day. The San Antonio Humane Society never euthanizes animals for time or intake space. Receiving is done on a first come, first-served. See our
Receiving info for days and times we do intake here at the SAHS.
Do you transfer animals from other shelters?
Yes please read about our
transfer program.
Can I rent the SAHS Educational room?
Yes you can,
click here for info on who to contact.
Do you receive Federal or State funds?
As a local nonprofit, we are not affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). We do not receive funding from the federal government, the HSUS, or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Is the SAHS affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)?
Many people believe that the SAHS is affiliated with and receives funds from the HSUS, however this isn’t the case. The HSUS are a national animal protection organization that advocate for many humane societies and thrive to prevent animal cruelty for a wide variety of animals by passing and improving humane laws; whereas the SAHS is a non-profit no-kill organization that protects and improves the lives of dogs and cats of San Antonio and its surrounding areas by providing shelter, care, adoption, rescue, spay and neuter programs, and community education.
What is the deadline for making charitable donations to reduce my tax bill?
You must make your donation by December 31. Putting the check in the mail to the charity constitutes payment. A contribution made on a credit card is deductible in the year it is charged to your credit card, even if payment to the credit card company is made in a later year. Source: Charity Navigator
What do I do if I want to sponsor or plan an event that benefit the SAHS?
Do you wish to plan an event to benefit the San Antonio Humane Society or would like the San Antonio Humane Society to attend your function?
Please fill out this form.
Note: We need to have the info one month before the event is to take place! Thanks.
