Adoption Requirements

***IMPORTANT MESSAGE***

Before planning your visit to the shelter:

  • We recommend that all members of the household meet the pet at the shelter if considering adopting.
  • Great Plains SPCA runs background checks on adopters and all adults in the home over 18
  • Great Plains SPCA requires all visitors to wear masks that cover the nose and mouth at all times while inside our buildings. Disposable masks are available upon request.
  • If you have questions, we encourage you to contact the shelter by phone (913-831-7722) or email (adoptions@greatplainsspca.org)

Pet adoption fees range from $50 to $350. Our adoption fees help to offset the cost of evaluation, housing, feeding and medical care for the thousands of animals needing our help. We do our best to keep our adoption prices reasonable while generating income to support our goal of caring for animals available for adoption until we can place them in a loving home. The adoption fee for each animal varies and is dependent on many factors including: age, size, behavior, medical condition, and public demand.

In order to create a more meaningful and thorough adoption experience and to utilize our guests’ time most effectively, we recommend guests meet one to two pets per visit. We operate on a first-come, first-served basis and our goal is to provide excellent customer service for all of our guests.

We work very hard to assure that the pet you take home is a good fit. Our Adoption Counselors know our pets well and are trained to work closely with adopters to determine what they want and need in a new pet. When a great match has been made, our Adoption Counselors review the pet’s veterinary history, provide care instructions and health/behavior resources and answer any questions you may have.

To assure the safety of our pets, we perform background checks on all adopters and adults who live in the home where the pet will live. This is a confidential check and we only do it with consent. To prepare for the background check process, bring your driver’s license. We also recommend everyone who lives in the home come meet the pet. It is not required in all cases, but is a great way for everyone to feel good about their new companion and give consent to the background check. Once the check is complete, you then pay the adoption fee and sign the adoption agreement.

Great Plains SPCA pets are already spayed/neutered and have received all necessary vet care, so they are ready to go home immediately. For safety reasons, cats must leave in a proper carrier and dogs must leave on a leash and collar, so please bring them from home or plan to purchase them inside our MetroPAWlitan on campus retail store at the shelter.

Within the first two weeks of adoption, we recommend taking your newly adopted pet to visit a veterinarian for a post-adoption exam.

We want you and your new pet to be as happy as possible. If for any reason you feel that the pet you have adopted is not right for your household, please contact us straight away. We will always take our pets back (although an appointment may be required to bring them back). If you return a pet within 30 days of adoption, we may issue an exchange certificate for another adoption. We do not issue refunds.



Some Additional Considerations

Vaccinations – For the safety of your new and existing pets, we recommend that all other household pets are current on vaccines two weeks before welcoming a new animal to your home.

A fenced yard – While big, secure yards may be recommended for some dogs, there are many other dogs that would be perfectly happy in an apartment or home where exercise is obtained from walking or jogging on leash. In fact, leash-walked dogs that get 3 to 4 trips outside per day are often happier than dogs left unattended in a back yard.

Children – Some rescues do not adopt to families with small children, but at Great Plains SPCA, we welcome families! We have many pets that will be great family companions for kids of any age who are supervised and taught to treat pets gently. Please keep in mind that we may decide that certain pets aren’t best for small kids due to temperament. These decisions are always made with child and pet safety in mind.

Indoor vs. outdoor situation – At Great Plains SPCA, we believe strongly that pets are happiest, healthiest and safest when they are welcomed indoors as household companions. Pets allowed outdoors unsupervised are exposed to risks such as disease, theft, escape, auto accidents, wildlife and more. If you still want to keep a pet outdoors, please contact us for suggestions or options.

Declawing – We do not declaw cats at Great Plains SPCA and do not advocate the procedure due to the physical and psychological impact it has on cats. There are several humane and simple alternatives to declawing including trimming the nails, providing a scratching post, or using products such as soft nail caps that will help eliminate the destructive capabilities of claws and keep your cat happy. If you must have a declawed cat, we encourage you to consider an adult cat that has already had the procedure prior to arriving at Great Plains SPCA.


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