Interested in adopting?

Here you will find all the information you’ll need about adopting a dog or cat from Circle of Friends Animal Society. Please refer to the FAQs page if you still have questions after reading this information or email us at info@COFAS.org!

First, consider whether or not you are prepared to care for an animal for its entire life. Dogs and cats can live into their teenage years- can you commit to ownership of an animal for this length of time?

• Does everyone within the household give their consent and agree to help take care of your new family member?
• If you move, will you be willing to only look for pet-friendly residences?
• If the animal begins to exhibit behavioral issues, are you willing to work with training the animal to properly correct their actions?
• If your family grows through marriage or child-rearing, will you still be able to care for the animal?
• As animals age, their health starts to fail- are you financially prepared to care for a senior dog or cat?

There are many considerations beyond these that must be covered before you accept the responsibility of pet ownership. We want our cats and dogs to find themselves in loving permanent homes, so they don’t ever have to be in this situation again.

Second, it is important to consider which type of pet you wish to have.

• Do you want an athletic dog to serve as a jogging partner?
• Do you prefer a lower-energy dog?
• Does anyone in your household have pet allergies?
• Puppies are a joy, but house-training and socialization take a lot of work, time and patience…

Once you have thought about the type of pet you would like, it is time to find a dog or cat that interests you. In order for any adoption to be completed, all of the people in the household must meet the dog or cat of interest beforehand. If you have found an animal from this website that you’d like to meet, please contact us. We always have weekly adoption events but this way we will be sure to bring the one you want to see!

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What is included with my adoption?

The standard adoption fee for dog adoptions is $195 and for cat adoptions is $100, however, in some cases we hold 2-for-1 specials or other great discounts throughout the year.

It is important to remember that rarely does the adoption fee actually cover the costs associated with rescuing and taking care of the animal. Some animals are with us for months and have to go through extensive medical treatments while others may only be with us for a few weeks. Overall, we feel that our adoption fees are a fair balance to help cover the medical and daily care costs for everyone!

Every animal adopted includes:

• Already being spayed or neutered
• Up to date on rabies and distemper-combo vaccines
• A microchip that can be registered in your name upon adoption
• Have been heartworm tested and treated if necessary (at no additional fee)
• Current on heartworm and flea/tick preventative

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Prospective adopters must fill out an adoption application. You will find the applications here:

Canine Application Form

Feline Application Form

Rabbit Application Form

*Please note, filling out an application does not guarantee or bind you to a particular animal. Applications are not awarded on a first come, first serve basis but rather whichever home is the best fit for the animal.*

After we receive your application we will review it and discuss it with you. We talk with you about the animal’s energy level, temperament, individual training requirements. We also talk about your living situation, expectations, and what you are looking for in a pet. We reserve the right to require a home visit before going ahead with any adoption.

Once the paperwork has been completed and the animal is considered “ready to go,” you may take him or her home with you! We love to hear about former COFAS dogs and cats who have found their forever homes- so please keep in touch via email or Facebook!

Please note: Our animals are spayed or neutered once they are considered of age for the procedure. In very, very rare cases we will give the adopter a certificate for the procedure to be done at a later date by our approved veterinarian.

From time to time we will have dogs or cats at adoption events or listed online that are not considered ready for adoption. They may be too young, need medical procedures or additional behavioral training before they are free to go. We feel that in these cases it is beneficial for the animals- they are able to get exposure to potential adopters as well as the socialization experiences that come with meeting lots of people and animals. If you meet a dog at our adoption events but he is not ready to leave our care quite yet, you are welcome to put in a pre-adoption application. However, our applications are not considered first come, first serve. We want the animal to go to the most appropriately matched home as possible. This is not only for the dog or cat’s sake, but to make sure his or her new human family is happy, too!

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