Adopting a pet from the Tri-Lakes Humane Society

ADOPTION POLICIES

The first step in adopting a pet from our Humane Society is to fill out and submit a completed adoption application. Not sure who is the best fit for you? No problem. You can complete the application and indicate the type of pet you are looking for without including a name. Once we receive your application we will begin the adoption review process and our Shelter Manager, staff member, or member of our adoption committee will contact you for an interview.

Applicants 18 years of age and older are eligible to apply to adopt a pet. 

If the applicant lives in a rented apartment/house, or in a mobile home park, landlord or park owner’s permission is required. Please be prepared to provide landlord’s name and phone number.  Alternatively, the applicant can provide a copy of the rental agreement/lease.

If the applicant lives in a multi-person household, other household members 18 years of age and older must consent to the adoption in writing.

If the applicant is a college student who goes home at the end of the school semester, we must have parental permission for adoption. Be prepared to provide us with a name and phone number where we can reach them.

No animal will be adopted out to persons having a repeated history of losing, giving away, selling or having animals injured or killed by moving vehicles. Animals that are found and turned in as strays do not fall under this policy. 

We require a veterinary reference for all current and previously owned pets in the last 5 years. We will contact your veterinarian(s) to make sure that your animals have had regular veterinary care-not vaccinations, because this varies from one Veterinarian to another.  (Note: New York State Law requires that all dogs and cats receive a rabies vaccine at 3 months of age) Our Humane Society strongly encourages pet owners to spay/neuter dogs and cats already in the household for the health and safety of the animal and to prevent unwanted breeding of animals. We provide financial assistance vouchers to help pet owners afford the cost of surgery. 

All TLHS animals must be spayed/neutered prior to adoption. If the surgery is unable to be completed until a later date due to the animal’s age or health, the approved adopter will be allowed to foster the animal until the surgery can be done and, after the surgery, will be able to adopt that animal. We are generally able to schedule spay/neuter surgeries promptly with our cooperating veterinarians. Animals are available to go home with their adopters once they recover from their surgery, usually within a few days.

All dogs being adopted MUST be licensed through the adopter's Town Clerk within 30 days after the adoption date. Dog Licensing is not required at the time of adoption, but a notification will be sent to the adopter's town notifying the Clerk of the adoption. It is the responsibility of the adopter to obtain a dog license and properly attach the tag to the dog's collar. Failure to license an adopted dog is a direct violation of our adoption contract, as well as NY State and Local Dog Control Laws.

We reserve the right to have our Adoption Committee review and vote on your application with our Shelter Manager prior to the animal being released from the shelter.

We reserve the right to conduct home visits before and after an adoption to check on the adopted animal to make sure it has adjusted well to its new home, and that it is receiving proper care.

We reserve the right to remove any adopted animal from its adoptive home if the terms of the final adoption contract have not been met. This includes discovering false information was provided on the adoption application or contract.

If we have multiple potential adopters for one animal, we reserve the right to have the applications reviewed by our Shelter Manager and Adoption Committee. This committee will select which home will be the best match for the animal. We do not follow a "first come, first serve" basis regarding adoptions for an animal that has more than one application.