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Adoption Process & Fees

When you adopt a pet from Animal Welfare Society’s Adoption Center, you make a huge impact! You give an animal a lifetime of love and happiness and a place to call home.

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Welcome to AWS’ Adoption Center

We look forward to helping to match you with your new best friend and supporting you throughout the adoption process. AWS regularly cares for and houses dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and small animals. The Adoption Center is open Tuesday – Sunday from 10am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 4pm, with the last adoption meet at 3:30pm. (Closed Mondays for staff training and extra animal enrichment). For most pets, adopters can drop-in during our open hours, without needing to schedule an appointment or fill out any paperwork in advance. For pets in foster care (as indicated on their profile), please call to schedule an appointment to meet the pet at AWS.

All adoptions are on a first come, first served basis. 

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What to Expect

Frequently Asked Questions

Adoption Fees

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What to expect

Arrival & Questionnaire

When you arrive at the Adoption Center, check in with our team to start the adoption process. If there is a specific pet you’re looking to meet, you can mention it when you arrive. Regardless of if you have an animal in mind or not, to begin with, we will ask you to fill out a short questionnaire. This questionnaire is available onsite and is not something that can be filled out in advance (in other words, we do not have an adoption “application” to fill out before arriving).

Meet & Greet

After that, you’ll chat with an adoption counselor for a one-on-one conversation about pet preferences, lifestyle, family dynamics and more. At this point, you can also discuss any pets you are specifically interested in meeting. Your adoption counselor may also suggest other pets in our care that may be a good match.

Then it’ll be time to meet your potential future pet! Together with your adoption counselor, you’ll spend time with the animals you’re interested in and be able to ask any specific questions you might have. For dogs, spending time together can include taking a walk and playing together, outside, weather permitting. Likewise, for cats, rabbits or small animals, you’ll play, snuggle and visit in one of our meet & greet rooms. Please understand that we cannot provide unlimited time, especially for kittens and other highly-sought after pets, but we do our best to ensure you have all the information you need to decide if the adoption is right for you.

Making a Decision & Adopting

After your meet & greet, if you decide you’re ready to adopt one of the pets you’ve met, it’ll be time to proceed with adoption! Finalizing the adoption process includes:

  • discussing detailed information about your new pet (including your pet’s medical records)
  • asking any additional questions
  • signing an adoption contract
  • paying an adoption fee

After that, you and your new pet start your new life together!

 From start to finish, the adoption process takes anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more. All adoptions are on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, we are unable to put an animal on hold if you are unsure if you want to adopt.

Taking Your New Pet Home

We ask that you take your new pet home with you after you’ve completed your adoption, on the same day. Therefore, you can plan to bring supplies, such as leash or carrier with you when you visit. Or you can purchase them in our Adoption Center lobby when you finalize your adoption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Call ahead! We place as many pets as we can in foster care so they can thrive in a home-like setting while awaiting adoption. On our website these pets are marked as *IN FOSTER*. Give us a call to arrange a time for you to meet the pet at AWS.

That’s ok! We understand that bringing a pet home is a big decision and we want you to feel certain. You can come back multiple times to visit with a pet, if they are still available for adoption (Do keep in mind that this takes extra planning if the pet is in foster care). Because we want pets to start their new journey in a home as soon as possible,  we do not place pets on hold.

We have set up our Adoption Center, and thus our adoption process with the pets’ emotional and physical wellbeing in mind. We do not encourage individuals to “browse” our animal spaces, without the intent to adopt.

We are a Fear-Free shelter, which means we ensure the animals in our care feel safe and secure at all times. We follow guidelines to reduce stress, anxiety or fear in the pet’s living space, such as
– keeping the shelter environment calm and quiet.
– reducing outside stressors.
– maintaining a consistent schedule for each pet.

These practices are most successful when we reduce foot traffic and disruptions, which ultimately keep the animals happier and healthier while in our care.

If you want to engage with the animals, but are not looking to adopt, consider our volunteer and foster opportunities. There are many!

Adoption fees support the care each animal receives at AWS and the greater services we provide our community. In fact, without adoption fees, AWS would not be able to achieve our mission to serve as the safety net for lost and homeless pets and to provide access to affordable services and resources necessary for long term well-being. Without adoptions fees, we’d be unable to keep pets and their families together and thriving.

We recommend bringing dogs to meet potential new dog additions to your family. This is not a requirement, and our adoption counselors can help give guidance about dog introductions. If you are unsure about whether you should bring your resident dog, give us a call in advance to chat.

Reference checks are not part of our adoption process. However, adopters should know in advance if their lease, homeowners association and/or community regulations permit companion animals in their home.

man pets a happy white dog during the adoption process at AWS' Adoption Center

Adoption Fees

Dogs & Puppies

Adoption fees are $250 for dogs and $400 for puppies. Dog adoption fees include:

  • Spay or Neuter Surgery and Wellness Exam conducted before adoption
  • Rabies Vaccine (12 weeks and older)
  • Distemper and Kennel Cough Vaccines
  • Internal and External Parasite Control (including a dose of flea and tick preventative)
  • Heartworm Testing (6 months and older) and Preventative (all ages)
  • Microchip (registered to you at the time of adoption)
View Adoptable Dogs

Cats & Kittens

Adoption fees are $125 for cats; kitten adoption fees typically range from $120 – $300+, depending on age, sociability, and breed. Cat adoption fees include:

  • Spay or Neuter Surgery and Wellness Exam conducted before adoption
  • Rabies Vaccine (for felines over 12 weeks)
  • Distemper Vaccine
  • Feline Leukemia Testing (as necessary)
  • Internal and External Parasite Control (including a dose of flea and tick preventative)
  • Microchip (registered to you at the time of adoption)
View Adoptable Cats

Rabbits

Rabbit adoption fees are $85. When rabbits are listed as a bonded pair, adoption fees are discounted so that the duo can stay together. Rabbit adoption fees include:

  • Spay or Neuter Surgery and Wellness Exam conducted before adoption
  • Grooming and Nail Trim, as needed
  • External Parasite Control (including a dose of flea preventative)
  • Coupon for a Complimentary Wellness Exam and Nail Trim at the Southern Maine Hospital for Small Mammals in Kennebunk (must be scheduled within eight weeks of adoption date)

View Adoptable Rabbits

Small Animals

Small animal adoption fees vary by species. Additionally, small mammals often come to us as existing bonded pairs or groups. When that is the case, adoption fees are are discounted so that the pair/group can stay together. Individual small animal adoption fees are typically as follows:

  • Rats $16
  • Mice $10
  • Hamsters $16
  • Gerbils $16
  • Guinea Pigs $35
  • Chinchillas $150
  • Ferrets $150

All small animal adoptions include a coupon for a Complimentary Wellness Exam and Nail Trim at the Southern Maine Hospital for Small Mammals in Kennebunk (must be scheduled within eight weeks of adoption date)

View Adoptable Small Animals

Birds

Bird adoption fees vary and are determined by age, size, temperament, species, as well as quantity, as most birds thrive in social groups and fees will be adjusted when adopting a pair or group. Common bird adoption fees are typically as follows:

  • Finches $20
  • Canary $150
  • Parakeets/Budgie $25
  • Cockatiel $150
  • Conure $150

Fees for other large birds vary by breed.

View Adoptable Birds

Reptiles

Reptile adoption fees vary and are determined by age, temperament and species, and if an enclosure/habitat is included. Fees for common reptiles are typically as follows:

  • Bearded Dragon $60
  • Leopard Gecko $30
  • Snakes $60 – $120

Fees for other types of pets vary by breed.

View Adoptable Reptiles

Questions?

For more information about our adoption process, please contact our Adoption Center via email or telephone at (207) 985-3244.

Main Contact Information

Hours

  • Adoption Center
    Open Tuesday - Sunday
    10 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm - 4 pm
    Animal admissions (intakes) are by appointment only.
  • Veterinary Clinic
    Open Monday - Friday
    9 am - 5 pm: by appointment only.
  • Administrative Offices
    Open Monday - Friday
    8:30 am - 4:30 pm

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