Q. Why should I adopt from Help Save Pets (HSP)?
A. Adopting from HSP give you the satisfaction of giving a home to a cat or dog that was destined to die at a kill shelter, but rescued by HSP and transported to us via something we call the Rescue Railroad. Not all of our pets are “second hand”, many are puppies and kittens from areas with no demand for them in that area. Prior to adoption our animals are all spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccinations, tests, and have an identification microchip inserted to identify them should they be lost.

Q. How much does an adoption cost? What is included?
A. See the Adoption Process page for these details.

Q. If I find a pet that seems right for me, what happens? May I simply take the pet home?
A. The Adoption Process page describes the steps and requirements to adopt an animal. If you meet all the requirements and the adoption is approved, you could potentially take your new pet home immediately. However there are times a day or two is required to get required documentation on the vaccinations of your existing pets or lease/bilaw information.

Q. Is it difficult to adopt?
A. Every shelter has its own policies for approving adoptions. Our adoption screening process is designed to ensure that each animal is placed with a responsible person, one prepared to make a lifelong commitment with the resources available to care for and house a pet, so the animal doesn’t end up back in a shelter AGAIN. Our first priority is to help the animal find the best home possible where it can live out ALL of it’s remaining years and be properly cared for.

Q. What can you tell me about the background of a specific animal?
A. Our animals for the most part come from shelters and pounds typically with no history on health, parentage or previous owners. The shelters that they are rescued from are run by the local county or town. They are usually overwhelmed and understaffed, record keeping is minimal. As such there is little or no information forwarded to us about the pet. Occasionally we will know something and are happy to share what we know, but that happens very seldom.

Q. Can you give me specific information on the breed of a dog?
A. The primary means of breed identification for mixed-breed dogs is a visual glance and a guess. Most mixed breed dogs are a genetic mishmash resulting from several generations of mixed breed dogs interbreeding with dominant/submissive physical and personality traits randomly occurring in their offspring. The end result is incredibly complex and difficult to pinpoint.

When it comes to puppies, occasionally we may see or have information on their mom, but we never know anything about their dad. Since dad is 50% of the genetics, that leaves a lot of room for speculation. Everyone wants to know what size the puppy will be as an adult. We can only guess, not guarantee. Paw size is not always an accurate indicator.

If you require specific physical and personality traits, you may be better off looking at breed specific rescues on the internet.

Q. Is this pet good with kids?
A. Our pets come from pounds and shelters where they are about to be put down and come with little or no background information. Their interaction with children is unknown and we do not have test children to try out with them. We attempt to flag any pets that we would not recommend with children, and we'll do our best to help you select the best pet for your household, however the final decision and responsibility about what pet to adopt lies with parents. Training is always helpful, not only for the dog, but for the entire family to know how to manage a new dog. For more information on dogs and kids, go to our New Pet Tips page Children and Dogs.

Q. Is this dog housebroken?
A. We will not claim an adult dog to be housebroken, unless we have had the dog in our own home and verified that it is indeed housebroken. However, even after doing that we can't predict if when any dog goes into YOUR home that they'll immediately recognize it as their living area and as a place NOT to relieve itself. Some do, but some need a transition period to learn that your home is their home also. Their behavior while at a shelter in a cage is not an accurate indicator of how they'll react in your home. For more information on housebreaking, go to our New Pet Tips page Puppy Housebreaking and Adult Dog Housebreaking

Q. Is this dog good with other dogs?
A. We are able to identify dogs that are overly dog aggressive, and will identify them as NO OTHER DOGS in their adoption profile. However, there are various levels of getting along in the dog world that are dependent on breed, age, sex and most importantly the qualities of both dogs together. Our suggestion is that you bring your dog to meet any dog you potentially want to adopt, we can provide a neutral space for that to happen. It's not required, however we do recommend a meet and greet prior to adoption. For more information on intregating a new dog into your household if you have another dog, go to our New Pet Tips page Adopting a dog when you already have one and Introducing Dogs to Each Other.

Q. Is this dog good with cats?
A. Dogs and cats can and do get along, however instant friendships are rare, it takes some time. Our recommendation is that you avoid breeds with high prey drives, especially Hounds and Huskies if you have a cat. Secondly, a cat that is not a fear runner is more likely to get along with a dog. A running animal triggers a chase reflex in most dogs and when the cat doesn't run, the dog is more likely to respect the cat and not see it as a toy or something to chase, allowing a friendship to eventually form. For more information on introducing dogs and cats, go to our New Pet Tips page Managing Dogs and Cats.

Q. Do you visit my home as part of the adoption process?
A. We only do home visits for bully breed (Amstaff Terrier or Bull Terrier) adoptions.

Q. Where do you get your puppies and kittens from?
A. People assume that pounds and shelters are mostly for adult animals and puppies or kittens are in great demand, wouldn't be at a pound, and surely wouldn't be euthanized at the pound. The sad fact is that pounds are full of puppies and kittens that irresponsible people who don't spay and neuter their pets have surrendered or abandoned. Most are euthanized unless somebody locally adopts them, but in rural areas where you can get puppies and kittens from your neighbors, very few people go to the pound to adopt. These babies require extra effort to care for, extra space, and they get ill easily, so they are frequently destroyed as soon as they arrive. We rescue as many as our resources permit and do our best to manage any illness that may occur, but if you've ever sent a child to kindergarten or day care, you understand that illness in youngsters travels quickly. Many rescues do not take in the very young for this reason, however we feel the effort and expense is justified to save these young animals.. We never deal with breeders or puppy mills.

Q: Is there a health guarantee for animals that you offer for adoption?
A. When animals arrive at HSP, they receive minimally two examinations by a doctor and daily observation by their caretakers. We strictly adhere to standard vaccination protocol and testing, however vaccinations stimulate immune system development, they do NOT instantly make an animal invulnerable to disease. We do everything in our power to detect and treat illness prior to an adoption; however these are living creatures that have endured major stress and possibly abuse or neglect before arriving at our facility. Plus the stress of going into a new home can frequently cause a pet that was healthy on the day of adoption to wake up the next morning sick. There is the possibility of illness and, in rare instances, death occurring after adoption, despite our best efforts at prevention, detection and treatment. Puppies and kittens younger than six months are more vulnerable since they do not have the fully functioning immune system of an older animal. While the risk of serious illness is low, if you believe any risk of illness/death is unacceptable, a rescue animal might not be a good choice for you and we would prefer you not adopt from us.

Q: What happens if an animal I adopt gets sick?
A. First of all, you should not be adopting an animal that you cannot care for, and animals are living creatures that do need medical attention from time to time. For new adoptions, the partner veterinary clinics that we operate from offer a New Pet Health Assurance Program at a cost of $50.00. This will cover the cost of treating shelter related illnesses, should one occur, for 60 days after your adoption date up to $500. If you do not purchase this coverage, you would assume total financial responsibility for any needed medical treatment immediately after you adopt.

Q. Are all pets shown online still available? Can you hold a pet for me if I call?
A. We update the pets shown on line daily. Adopted pets are removed, new pets are added. It is highly likely that a pet shown on line is available. However, our goal is to place homeless pets in permanent homes and holding them would potentially deny them a home while we wait for someone who may or may not show up and may or may not actually adopt the pet. If you see a pet online which seems right for you, please call the number shown on each on line pet description and you will be given the up to the minute information on the availability of the pet. If still available, we recommend you come in immediately to meet the pet and fill out an application if you determine you want to adopt.

Q. I live more than 50 miles away from your facility. Can I still adopt a pet from you?
A. We do NOT allow adoptions of puppies younger than six months old to anyone more than 50 miles away from our facility. We don’t make exceptions. For dogs older than 6 months and cats, we will consider an adoption and work with someone more than 50 miles away who may be interested in an older or special needs animal that has limited opportunities to find a home. However, we don’t hold animals and we don’t want to encourage anyone to drive a long distance only to be disappointed that the animal is no longer available. Also, you still need to meet all the requirements for adoption. There are so many animals in need of homes; we encourage you to adopt an animal closer to where you live.

Q. Where are you located?
A. We have four locations, all listed on the contact us page. The individual pet listings will indicate where a specific cat or dog is located with a phone number for the location so that you can get up to the minute information on the availability of the dog or cat.

Q. Do you put any pets down if they are not adopted in a certain time period? How long do you keep pets who are brought to your facility?
A. Animals are normally sheltered until they find homes, no matter how long it takes, unless they are seriously ill or dangerous.

Q. Why do you require the purchase of heartworm preventative for dogs and cats?
A. Dogs and cats are susceptible to heartworm infestations spread by mosquitoes which can get into your house, making indoor cats vulnerable also. In dogs, a heartworm infestation blocks the heart and eventually leads to death. It's treatable if caught early, but is an expensive and very painful treatment, much like chemotherapy, that takes a month to complete. Heartworm affects cats differently. As the worms take root in the heart, they shed eggs and break off into the bloodstream compromising the liver. This is always fatal and no treatment is available once a cat is infected. We are looking for good homes for our pets that will provide them with appropriate preventative care and insist on heartworm preventative as a necessary component of responsible pet ownership.

Q. Why was my puppy or kitten altered at such a young age?
A. All pets available for adoption from HSP are spayed or neutered PRIOR to becoming available for adoption. Kittens and puppies as young as 8 weeks old are spayed or neutered. Many shelters endorse this policy of early spay/neuter in cats and dogs. The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association believe the practice to be a safe, effective tool to help end pet overpopulation and has numerous health benefits, including a drastically reduced cancer rate later in life.

Q. Why do you require that other cats and dogs in my household be altered before you will approve an adoption?
A. Experience has taught us that adopting into a home with an intact dog or cat can cause behavior problems that can escalate and can lead to one or more of the animals ending up back with us or at another pound or shelter.

In addition, for every animal we rescue, we are forced to pass up several more that won’t live another week. Many of them are puppies and kittens. It’s heartbreaking and discouraging to look into their eyes knowing their fate. However, it is also a motivator for us as an organization to promote and insist on sterilization of all companion animals to reduce and work towards eliminating this regrettable and tragic situation.

Q. Is it OK to let a cat go outside?
A. Outdoor cats are exposed to many dangerous things including being hit by a car, eaten by a coyote, disease exposure, fights with other animals and more. The fact is, outdoor cats live an average of 6 years, while indoor cats can live from 15 to 20. Isn't that the dealmaker right there?

Q. Is this an animal shelter or an animal hospital?
A. Help Save Pets RESCUE is a separate entity from the animal hospitals that house our animals. The animal hospitals donate the space to house our animals and provide daily routine care, medical care, and a place to show animals/process adoptions. In turn, Help Save Pets pays for all the medical care, surgeries and vaccinations that our animals receive from the doctors, administers the day to day business of our rescue group (including fundraising) and manages the volunteers who help with animal intake and showing animals for adoption.

Q. What happens after the pet goes home with me? Does HSP offer any resources to help with the transition period?
A. HSP offers two programs to help post adoption:

• A New Pet Health Assurance Program provided by our partner veterinary clinics is available. This will cover the cost of treating shelter related illnesses should one occur, for 60 days after your adoption date up to $500.

• Also, a trainer is on staff to conduct puppy classes (which are required when adopting a puppy), training classes for teen and adult dogs are also available as well as advice anytime on helping you transition a new pet into your home.