We are thrilled that you are considering adopting your new 4-legged best friend from SPCA Westchester! To ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible, we’ve outlined our procedures below. Please note, you must be 21 years of age or older to adopt. We allow walk-ins (no appointment required) and are open for adoptions every day between 12 pm and 4 pm Monday through Sunday, with extended hours on Thursdays and Fridays until 6 pm.
Meet and greets are first come first serve based on adoption counselor availability. Please note, we are unable to hold animals and all adoptions are completed at the discretion of the adoption counselor.
We are excited to share that some of our adoptable dogs are eligible for Critter Credit, which is noted on their petfinder bios. This provides the adopter with free training sessions for their newly adopted pup! Thank you to our very special supporters for made this possible.
What to Expect:
-When you arrive, be prepared to fill out an adoption questionnaire and provide a personal and veterinary reference if you currently have another pet.
-An adoption counselor will meet with you and your family to match you with appropriate animals. Our goal is to determine a good fit based on an initial conversation. The more we know, the better we can be at finding a wonderful addition to your family!
-We recommend all family members come to meet the animals.
Existing animals in the home:
-We strongly recommend that you bring your dog to have a meet and greet prior to adoption. If you do not, we may ask you to bring your dog based on the counseling session, your dog’s history, or the preferences of the dog you are interested in meeting.
-Cat Testing: We do not cat test our dogs. It is highly stressful for our rescue cats and very unreliable. Our counselors will provide you with our cat/dog introduction protocol to follow at home.
-We do not adopt out to homes with unaltered animals. Please note that exceptions can be made due to the age and health of an animal. Veterinary documentation may be needed.
Same day adoptions:
-Be prepared to go home with your new family member that day. Please note that, some animals may require more than one visit and all adoptions are completed at the discretion of the adoption counselor.
Adoption fees:
All fees are due at the time of adoption. See pricing below.
-Adult Dogs and Puppies: $425
-Adult Cats: $135
-Kittens: $225
-Two Kittens: $400
-Lonely Hearts: $50-$100 (animals who have been in our care for 6 months or longer)
What your adoption fee covers:
-Intake veterinary exam
-Age-appropriate vaccinations
-Testing for diseases such as: heartworm (dogs over 6-months) and FIV/FeLV (cats)
-Initial treatment with heartworm and flea and tick preventative
-Deworming
-Spay/Neuter
-Microchip
How long will it take?
A counseling session can take about up to an hour and the adoption paperwork another 20 minutes to process.
Your new pet will be provided with:
-Microchip tag
-Rabies tag and certificate (age-appropriate)
-Housetraining book
-Contact information for our Behavior team
-Dog or Cat welcome packet via email with lots of helpful hints and information.
*Items for your pet such as collars, leashes, cat, and puppy starter kits can be purchased at the SPCA’s Store.
SPCA Training Policy:
The SPCA is a fear free, positive reinforcement only facility. We do not use or endorse the use of aversive techniques such as choke collars, prong collars or shock collars. Our behavior team can recommend trainers for you that align with our training philosophies, or you can access on the following website: https://m.iaabc.org/consultant/
Please email info@spcawestchester.org if you have any further questions or concerns. We look forward to helping you find your perfect match!