It is the goal of Metro Animal Services to place healthy temperamentally sound animals in homes where they will receive good life long care. Towards this goal the following adoption policies apply:
- Animals are primarily adopted as household pets and companion animals and for other utilitarian purposes. No dog is adopted only for the purpose of becoming or being used as guard dogs or attack dogs.
- Only dogs and cats, that are not known to have exhibited aggressive tendencies or other serious behavioral problems, will be placed for adoption.
- Under no circumstances shall any animal be adopted, sold, released or otherwise given away for research, experimental or laboratory testing.
- All adopters must be eighteen years of age or older.
- No animals will be adopted to persons living in rental property, including mobile home parks without the explicit authorization of the manager or landlord.
- The adopter must agree to provide the animal with proper care at all times, including nutritious food, water, shelter, exercise and veterinary care necessary to prevent illness and relieve suffering.
- The prospective adopter must complete and sign all necessary forms and agree to have the animal sterilized.
- A background check must be completed on all prospective adopters. The background check may include but is not limited to: a check of Chameleon, PetWhere or CAD; or other computer based information systems or personnel knowledge.
- The prospective adopter must be in full compliance with all existing city, county or state statutes or ordinances relating to animals at the time of the adoption. This includes licensing of all cats and dogs presently owned.
Adoptions may be declined for the following reasons. If the application is denied, an appeal must be made in writing to the Metro Animal Services Manager, within three days of the denial.
- The number of animals the adopter has is in excess of the city, county or state statutes or ordinances.
- Any known history of animal cruelty or neglect convictions, repeated animal control violations and/or previous violations of adoption agreements.
- Past history of surrendering animals. This will be examined on a case by case basis.
- Best interest of the animal.
- Failure to agree to spay/neuter the animal or failure/refusal to sign the adoption application.
- If the prospective adopter:
- Displays erratic or disorientated behavior, incoherent or slurred speech or otherwise gives the appearance of being under the influence of any intoxicant(s).
- Demonstrates rude, threatening, aggressive or violent behavior towards people or animals or creates reasonable doubt as to the ability or desire to live up to the adoption form or adoption contract.
- Is belligerent, argumentative or voices opposition to Metro Animal Services Policies and thereby creates reasonable doubt as the ability or desire to live up to the adoption form or adoption contract.
- Falsifies adoption application information for the purposes of subverting policy.
- Is evasive about where the animal will live.
- Cannot or will not provide confirmation of current name or address.
- Offers an unsafe and/or unhealthy environment for the animal.
Adoption Procedures
In order to adopt an animal from Metro Animal Services, you must first complete an Adoption Application. If you rent, then you must have your landlord complete the Landlord Approval Form. Both of these forms must be completed and returned to Metro prior to adopting an animal. Once the Adoption Application is completed and turned in, a background check is done. If you pass the background check then you can adopt the animal. The cost to adopt a dog is $50 and the cost to adopt a cat is $35. Included in the adoption fee is a microchip, first set of shots, free health exam, and if needed a cat carrier. Once the animal has received its rabies shot, bring proof of the rabies vaccination to Metro and you will receive a license.
If the animal being adopted is not spayed/neutered then a $100 cash deposit must be given at the time of the adoption. Once the adopter provides proof that the animal has been spayed/neutered that deposit will be refunded.
Spaying/Neutering of your animal
When you adopt an animal from Metro, you sign a contract agreeing to have the animal spayed/neutered. You, as the pet owner, are responsible for getting this done by the due date. If you own an animal, which has not been spayed/neutered, please do so immediately. There are simply too many animals in Natrona County. The only way to lessen the number of animals is to spay or neuter them. Nationwide it is estimated that eight out of every ten cats and six out of every ten dogs who enter Shelters are killed. Here are some of the reasons why you should spay/neuter your animals:
- Spayed/neutered animals are less expensive to license.
- Spayed/neutered dogs and cats are less likely to become lost, because they roam less. Statistics show that 80% of the roaming dogs hit by cars are unneutered males
- Spayed dogs do not go into heat and thus do not stain carpeting and furniture with their discharge.
- Spayed dogs, which have been spayed before their 1st heat, are 200 times less likely to develop mammary tumors and do not develop pyometra, a common uterine infection in unspayed females.
- Spayed cats don’t go into heat and frustrate their owners with yowling and anxious behavior and the attraction of unneutered males.
- Neutered male cats do not spray walls, carpet, furniture, etc.
- Neutered male dogs are less likely to develop prostate gland disorders, or lower genito-urinary problems which lead to kidney disease.
- Spayed/neutered dogs and cats are less likely to fight with other animals.
- According to the Humane Society of the United States, an estimated 5 million cats and dogs are killed in Shelters each year. That’s one about every six and one half seconds.
- Worries about pets getting fat and lazy due to spaying/neutering are unfounded. The truth is that pets get fat and lazy only if their owners feed them too much and don’t give them sufficient exercise.
Yet, with all of these reasons and others that can be found on the Humane Society of the United States Web Page, www.hsus.org, the simple fact is there are too many animals. So for everyone’s sake, spay/neuter your animals.