Adoption Guidelines

Important Information You Should Know Before You Adopt A Shelter Animal

Adopting a shelter animal into your family is a wonderful thing to do.  However, you should give the decision to adopt serious consideration and careful thought. To help you understand our policies, state laws, and the medical attention your new pet will need, please read the following information and indicate your understanding of the material.  Helping Hands Humane Society reserves the right to refuse adoption of any animal to any person.

1. Your adopted pet needs to have identification. All adopted animals will be provided an HHHS ID tag or a Rabies tag. Microchips are included in dog adoptions (unless they were previously microchipped before admission to the shelter). We offer to microchip adopted cats for an additional $10 fee. If the pet was microchipped prior to coming to the shelter, it is your responsibility to update that microchip with your information.
2. Animals admitted to the shelter are vaccinated prior to adoption. Dogs are vaccinated with

Distemper/Parvo and Bordatella.  Cats are vaccinated with Purevax Feline-4.  Both dogs and cats receive a basic wormer.  You will be responsible for providing your new pet with regular veterinary care, preventative medications, and vaccinations.  All adult cats are feline leukemia virus tested prior to adoption.  Dogs over 6 months of age are heartworm tested.  

3. We DO NOT guarantee the health of any animal because we have no control over an animals’ previous environments. Any additional medical costs or issues (examples include but are not limited to heartworm disease, parvovirus enteritis, feline infectious peritonitis, etc.) are not the responsibility of HHHS.  
4. Adopted pets that exhibit shelter-related illness up to 7 days after adoption, may be seen by the shelter medical team. The HHHS medical team will determine if the issue is shelter-related.
   1. Shelter related illness include only the following conditions:
      • Issues with surgical incision site
      • Upper respiratory infections in cats (sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge)
      • Excessive coughing/hacking in dogs
      • Dermatophytosis (ringworm, fungal infection in skin)
   2. Appointments must be made; walk-ins are not available.  The medical staff is not available on weekends.  If you determine the issue is an emergency, you will need to go to your veterinarian.  HHHS will not pay costs accrued through personal veterinary care.   
5. You must take your newly adopted pet to your veterinarian as soon as possible for a check-up.
6. Please read all the information provided in your adoption packet. If your pet begins to exhibit behavioral issues (aggression, not using the litterbox, separation anxiety, etc.), please contact us at (785) 233-7325. HHHS cannot guarantee the behaviors of any adopted pet.
7. REFUND POLICY: HHHS makes no guarantees regarding the health or behavior of any animal adopted from our shelter. It is our policy not to make refunds on any animal adopted unless the return is for life altering or debilitating health-related issues of the animal that is no more than 3 days after adoption with a certificate of examination by a veterinarian. We will not refund for behavior-related issues (including house-breaking). It may take your new pet up to 6 weeks or more to adjust to your household especially if additional pets are involved.