Animal Adoption Process

3 Easy Steps to Adoption


  1. Go online to view adoptable pets and read full personality profiles by clicking on "adopt."
  2. Fill out the online adoption application and wait for approval.
  3. Meet adoptable pets in person and take home your pet!

View a list of our adoptable pets.

  • We do not do meet and greets or show adoptable pets outside of the kennels unless you have an approved adoption application on file.
  • Applications can be approved in as little as 30 minutes to 24 hours, depending on the application and staff availability.
  • Applications are processed in the order they are received. Once an application is approved, pets must be picked up within 24 hours.

We recommend thinking about what you are looking for in a pet. Do you want a running companion or a couch buddy? Next, take a look at the available pets at the link above. Once your application is approved, you are welcome to visit with the pets outside of the their kennels. We have a large dog park and you are welcome to bring your current dog(s) to meet a potential new family member. The adoption application is a simple online form. Our staff can answer any questions you have.

All adopters must be 21 years old or older to apply. Once you complete the application, the front desk staff will verify that (1) if you rent, it is okay with your landlord for you to have the new pet(s) and (2) if you have pets already, that they are up to date on their rabies vaccination through a licensed Vet. Other than those criteria, we are just working to make sure we make an appropriate match for your lifestyle.

Often pets can go home the same day the application is turned in, as long as we can verify the above information and provided the pet is already spayed or neutered. If not, we can usually get the pet on the surgery schedule within one to two days. We cannot hold pets for more than 24 hours once the application has been turned in and approved.

The adoption fee covers the spay/neuter of the pet, rabies vaccination, booster vaccination, microchip and heartworm test for dogs over 6 months of age and a feline leukemia test for cats.

Adoption Fees

Dogs

  • Under 5 years old = $60
  • 5 - 10 years old = $30
  • Over 10 years old = no fee

Cats

  • Under 10 years old = $20
  • Over 10 years old = no fee

Aged Pets

How about giving an aged dog or cat a home? Not only is an aged dog or cat special, we do not charge an adoption fee for any pet that is over 10 years old. If you provide a loving home to an older dog or cat, there is no charge because we thank you by providing spay or neuter services, micro chipping, rabies vaccination, booster shots, de-worming, and flea and tick treatment for free. In addition, we will also test the dogs for heart worms and the cats for feline leukemia for free.

Return Policy

We strive to make the best possible match between our adoptable animals and the adopter. We also understand that situations arise where adopters may not be able to keep their adopted animal. When these situations arise we are open to adopters re-homing their animal themselves though we do urge caution so that the best new home can be found. If you have re-homed your adopted animal you will be required to notify Fayetteville Animal Services and be willing to provide the name, address and phone numbers of the new owner. If an adopter is unable to re-home the animal they may return the adopted animal back to the shelter under the following conditions:

If within 30 days from the date of the adoption: the adopter can return the animal anytime during our normal hours of operation regardless of where they live.

If after 30 days from the date of adoption: the adopter will be asked to make an appointment to surrender the pet. These surrenders will only be accepted from residents living inside Fayetteville City limits. Any adopter living outside of Fayetteville City limits will need to contact the shelter that serves the area in which they live and surrender the pet to that facility.

If you have questions about the adoption process or Fayetteville Animal Services, please email us or call 479-444-3456.