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The HSSV Adoption Experience

Adoption Experience | Adoption Benefits and Fees | Adoption Counseling | Online Adoption Surveys

Choosing to adopt a four-legged family member is an exciting and rewarding experience!  HSSV is here to partner with you to find your new companion, answer all your questions, and provide lifetime support for you and your pet’s relationship.

Steps to Success

  1. Looking for Love – We offer adoptions every day of the week, visit one of our locations to meet our animals, or search our website for up to date animal profiles.
  2. Meet the Animals – Whether in their apartment or out in our dog park, we have many areas set up just for you to get acquainted with your new companion.
  3. Adoption Survey – Help us make your match a forever home by filling out one of our adoption surveys and telling us a little more about you!  Surveys are available online  or can be completed in person at time of adoption.
  4. Meet with an Adoption Specialist - Review your adoption survey, talk about your interests and expectations, and go over all our information about the animal(s) you've chosen.

Finalize the Adoption! – Congratulations!  We will review all the important behavior and health topics about your new family member, like training and when to get those booster vaccines.  To make you new addition an easy one, take advantage of our follow-up support and start out on the right paw.

Adoption Essentials

  • Entire families are encouraged to visit.
  • Photo Identification (driver's license)
  • A secure transport carrier for a cat, rabbit, or pocket pet.
    • Cat carriers, dog collars, leashes, and harnesses are available for purchase in our Whole Pets Store.
  • Adopter must be at least 18 years of age.
  • We accept cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, or HSSV gift cards.

New Additions
Many people have discovered the joy of opening their homes to more than one animal.  For successful dog adoptions, it is important for your current dog to meet your potential dog before going home.  These on site dog-to-dog introduction are conducted by our Adoption Specialists (experts in canine matchmaking) and take place in a neutral space at HSSV.  Please visit our Behavior & Training section for tips on introducing new friends to resident pets.  Keep in mind, the best matches are made between animals that have both been spay or neutered.

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Adoption Fees
Humane Society Silicon Valley is an independent, nonprofit organization. The fees for adopting animals allow us provide medical care, food, and shelter the animals in our care.

  • $175 for cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies
  • $70 for rabbits
  • $30 for a guinea pig
  • $20 for hamsters or rats
  • $10 for mice

Twice the love (adopted at the same time)

  • $275 pair of cats, kittens, dogs, or puppies
  • $110 pair of rabbits
  • $40 pair of guinea pigs

Homeward Bound Adoptions
Our Homeward Bound program sponsors dogs, cats, and rabbit who have been waiting a long time to find their forever home.  These adoptions are no cost to you, leaving more money to spoil them in our pet store!

Dog Training Deposits
At HSSV, we want to set our dogs up for success in their new homes, which may include continued education with a professional dog trainer after adoption.  Dogs in need of positive reinforcement training have a required training deposit in addition to the adoption fee.  Upon completion of the class(es), your deposit will be refunded to you by HSSV.  While we recommend all new dogs attend a training class to bond with their new family, not all of our dogs require training deposits.  Please let us know if would rather not adopt a dog in need of additional training, and our Adoption Specialists can find you a better pairing.  For a list of our approved trainers, click here.

Included in our Adoption Fee

  • Spay/Neuter surgery
  • Vaccinations and Intestinal De-worming
  • Feline Leukemia testing for all felines
  • Identification tag
  • Home Again Microchip with life-time registration
  • Two weeks of sponsored veterinary care
  • Reference material on pet care and training
  • Post Adoption Support
  • All of our animals have been examined by a veterinarian and assessed for temperament.

Click here to see the cost comparison of adopted animal vs a “free pet”.

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Didn’t find who you were looking for?
Stay connected with us!  We would still like to get to know you and assist in your search.  Even if you don’t see “the one” today, please come in for a free adoption counseling session let us know what you are looking for in an ideal new companion.  We see new animals every day and can match you with a future pet when they come in our doors.

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Online Adoption Surveys
Are you ready to get started? Choose the type of animal you would like to adopt.