Make friends - Meet the cats, dogs and other animals available for adoption. You may take dogs for a walk or play with them in our outdoor play areas. You may take cats out of their cages. Feel free to ask questions about many different animals and to read their evaluations. Animal evaluations are done to help you choose a new best friend who will fit in well with your family and your life-style. Did not find the cat, dog or other animal friend of your dreams? Put in a request application. We will call you when a likely match comes in.

Apply - Once you have chosen an animal, fill out an adoption application. It is designed to help make sure you and your new best friend are a good match. Staff will review the application with you and schedule a time when one of our adoption counselors can meet with you. All family members should meet the animal, and if you live in an apartment you will be asked to provide permission from your landlord to have a pet.

Enjoy your adoption consultation - A counselor will meet with you to tell you more about the specific animal you are considering adopting and to answer your questions about animal care, nutrition, introducing a new animal to resident animals, training, behavior and much more. The consultation takes about an hour. Day, evening and weekend appointments are available. When a match is made, you can often pick up your new friend the same day.

Pick up your new best friend! - After a trip to the vet if the animal is to be altered before going home, your new family member will be bathed and ready to go home after 2:00 p.m. the day your counselor assigns. Your adoption fee includes a visit to the veterinarian for a general health examination, which must be completed within 72 hours of picking up your pet.

Adoption fees

The fee for cats and dogs adopted from the League is $50.

Adoption fees for Small Animals are:
Iguanas and Chinchillas: $50 each
Rabbits, Guinea Pigs and Rats: $20 each
Container Pets ( hamsters, gerbils, etc): $5 each

Birds:
Parrots (any size) and other large birds: $50 each
Finches, Parakeets, and Canaries: $ 20 per family
Cockatiels, and Lovebirds: $20 each

If the animal is not altered, spay/neuter surgery must be paid for at the time of adoption. The adoption fee does not include the spay/neuter fee for unaltered animals, which will be an additional $50 to $150, depending on the animal and the veterinarian selected. It is the law in Virginia that all dogs and cats adopted from shelters must be spayed or neutered.

This fee helps offset the costs of:

• Providing shelter, food, medicines and other care to the animal during his stay at the shelter.
• Combination vaccination for dogs and cats
• Kennel cough vaccination for dogs
• Deworming medication for dogs and cats
• Rabies vaccination
• In-home adoption consultation
• Initial veterinary exam at your veterinarian
• Microchip identification
• Identification tag
• Grooming

Please note: This list is representative. The actual vaccinations, medications and other treatment each individual animal receives depends on the needs, condition, age and medical history of the animal and may exceed or not include all of the above.

Alexandria City residents must also purchase a license ($2 - $30) for dogs and cats over the age of four months.