What to expect when adopting
The Animal Adoption Process
Adopting a companion animal is a very exciting prospect! But, it's also an important decision that must be based on your readiness to love and care for a pet for the rest of its life. Once you and your family decide to adopt an animal from our facility, we invite you to view the animals we have. Of course, it's easy to get swept up by all the adorable furry faces so please take into consideration your lifestyle and each animal's temperament when deciding which will be the best fit for you.
We have 52 dog kennels and a room with numerous cat kennels that may have your next best furry friend. If you can't find the pet you're looking for here, you can visit our adoption kiosk at PetSmart, 1336 Hilltop Dr., Redding. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the kiosk also has dogs and cats available for you to adopt. A friendly and knowledgeable Haven Humane staff member is there to happily assist you.
Getting to Know You
To help you find the perfect match, we have a visiting room where you, your family and your potential pet can get acquainted. This is the time to observe how you react to each other. Since you're really choosing a family member, it's important to make sure the "feels right" feeling is mutual. If you have other pets who will be sharing their home with the new addition, you may want to bring them to visit with the animal you are considering adopting. Please ask our staff how to go about doing this.
The Adoption Process
After you choose the animal you'd like to adopt, you will complete the paperwork associated with our screened adoption process. This takes about 30 minutes and is required before any adoptions are finalized. Please read the Adoption Agreement carefully and complete the process only after you thoroughly understand the agreement.
All applicants are screened to ensure their ability to provide a lifelong safe, caring environment for their pets. We do not adopt animals out that will live under any of the following circumstances:
- Owner refusal to surgically sterilize an adopted cat or dog
- Dogs that will live in yards without adequate fencing
- Dogs that will live chained or transported in open vehicles
- Decorative breed dogs that will live outside
- Dogs to be used as guards for businesses
- Dogs used to hunt bear, wild pig, lion, raccoon, or any other wild animal
- Barn cats forced to live outside and expected to survive by their own means
The Society will reclaim any adopted animal discovered living in any of the circumstances described above, or in violation of the terms stated in the Adoption Agreement.
Welcome to the Family
After you complete your adoption paperwork and have been approved, it is possible that your new pet may not be able to go home with you that day. Our adoption specialist will inform you of California mandatory holding requirements, spay/neuter scheduling, and any other adoption requirements that affect your new pet. It is Haven Humane Society policy and a State of California requirement that all adopted animals be sterilized, and sterilization is included in the adoption fee.
If your new pet cannot go home with you the same day, an "adoption hold" will be placed on it to ensure it is not adopted by anyone else. You will be asked to leave a deposit of the total adoption fee amount in order to hold the adoption. Please understand that you must be completely approved to adopt in order for the animal to be held exclusively for you. If you have not been completely approved, the animal will still be available to anyone else who qualifies completely. Once all requirements and clearances have been met, you are free to take the newest member of your family home with you. Facilitating successful adoptions is one of our greatest joys and we wish you and your new pet many happy years together.
