Your newest family member is waiting to meet you!
Adoption Policy
We believe that open, progressive adoption policies save lives. We believe that people are good and want to do what is best, and choosing adoption is just one way to save lives. Our goal is to match pets to homes for that perfect fit.
Adoption Guarantee
Our adoption guarantee means that if the pet you took home is not a good fit, you can return the pet to GPG within 7 days and we will refund your adoption fee or we can recommend other pets that might be a better fit for your household.
Ready to Adopt?
Good choice! When you adopt a pet, you save lives. Two lives actually, the pet you take home and the space now available to help the next pet in need of help.
We have more than 100 adoptable dogs and cats at any given time. Most pets reside in foster homes while they wait to be adopted, which allows us to get to know some great information about our pets in a home setting!
2024 Walk-in Adoption Hours
Walk out with your new best friend AND help us clear our shelter! New this year we are hosting walk-in adoptions every Thursday 5 – 7 PM and Saturday 10 AM – 2 PM. See the pets currently in the Gateway shelter here.
How to Apply
If you find a dog or cat that you are interested in meeting, please submit an adoption request form. An adoption request form does not commit you to adopting, just helps get the process and conversation rolling so that you can schedule meeting your new best friend! If you aren’t sure which pet is the best fit for you- just list what you are looking for in a cat or dog on the request form and one of our expert matchmakers will be in touch with recommendations!
Please note that we do not accept walk-in adoptions outside of special adoption events and the majority of our adoptable pets are in individual foster homes. If you would like to meet an adoptable pet, please start by submitting an adoption request form.
Adoption fees rarely cover the costs that Gateway Pet Guardians has invested in your new pet. All of our pets are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, dewormed, microchipped and given monthly flea and heartworm preventative while in our care in addition to treating any other illnesses, injuries and other issues that we have noticed.
Adopting is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Adoption Process:
1. Complete the adoption application. You can list one or more pets that you are interested in adopting and/or you can ask for recommendations from our adoption matchmakers.
2. The animal’s foster parent will contact you regarding your adoption application within 24-72 hours and explain the adoption process in detail.
3. If the meet and greet goes well and you are ready to move forward with adoption, you will submit the adoption contract and adoption fee and then you can take your new pet home!
Housing Requirements
Rental Housing
It is important that you review your lease and/or speak with your landlord prior to adopting a pet. Many landlords have restrictions on whether you can own pets, how many pets you can own and the type of pets allowed (including size and breed). Many landlords discriminate against Pit Bull type dogs and many of our dogs fall into that very generic category. We expect that you are taking ownership for verifying the pet policy for your rental situation prior to adoption.
BSL Restrictions
Unfortunately, some local municipalities have breed-specific legislation (BSL) rules that say that residents in those communities are not allowed to own “pit bull type” dogs (many of our dogs fall into that very generic category) or other breeds. Here are a couple of resources to see which municipalities still have these outdated laws:
Animal Farm Foundation | BSL Map
Arch City Homes | St. Louis BSL