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 GuaranteeReady 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!
View Adoptable Dogs
View Adoptable Cats
2024 Walk-in Adoption Hours
Walk out with your new best friend AND help us clear our shelter! Starting in June 2024, we are hosting walk-in adoptions when the Pet Retail Store is open. Walk-in and adopt a shelter dog or cat Tuesday – Friday, 2 – 6 pm and every Saturday 9 am to 12 pm (noon). No appointment necessary. 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 application. An adoption application does not commit you to adopting, just helps getting 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 application and one of our expert matchmakers will be in touch with recommendations! Please note that our Emergency Shelter is not open to the public and the majority of our adoptable pets are in individual foster homes. We do not allow walk-ins at our shelter. If you would like to meet an adoptable pet, please start by submitting an adoption application. 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!
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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.
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2. The animal’s foster parent will contact you regarding your adoption application within 24-72 hours and explain the adoption process in detail.
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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!
What does it take to adopt?
Ready to Adopt?
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.
Finding the Perfect Match
Careful placement of pets is one of our primary missions. Matchmaking is our specialty. All of our cats and the majority of our dogs reside in foster homes while they wait to be adopted and our dogs in our shelter often go on Slumber Pawties with volunteers too! We get to know a ton of great information about our pets in a home setting, which helps us match families with a pet that will be the perfect fit.
The following pages are also available to help you decide if adoption is right for you.