How to Adopt

Adoption Guide

Looking to adopt a great dog or cat companion? You’ve come to the right place! The Maryland SPCA has wonderful pets to choose from. All pets have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and have received flea and other parasite treatments. While the animals stay with us at the MD SPCA, our staff and volunteers work hard on enriching their lives through daily walks outside for the dogs to feline aromatherapy for the cats to playtime for the puppies. This is all done to ensure each animal makes a smooth transition into its new home.

Before you Arrive

Make sure your apartment is pet-friendly. Check with your landlord about pet policies. If you need to find a pet-friendly apartment, check here.

To make the adoption process go a little quicker, here's a list of what to bring:

Vet records, if you currently own pets
Lease, if you currently rent
Any family members or roommates to meet the animals

Selecting a Pet

To meet available pets, visit our Adoption Center during our open hours:

Monday & Tuesday— 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday through Friday—noon to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday—11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Please note that pet visiting hours end 15 minutes prior to closing.

Talk to our staff members. They are very familiar with each animal and can give you good insight into which pet is right for you.

You can also go online to our Available Pets pages and see the pets that are currently available for adoption.

Dancing Dog Quiz

We’ve designed a short quiz to help you find the best dog match. Take our Dancing Dog Quiz to help in your selection process. In our adoption center, you will see tags on the dogs’ kennels that say what kind of dancing dog they are.

Applying for a Pet

Once you have selected a pet you would like to adopt, you will need to fill out an adoption application. You will then sit and talk with an Adoption Counselor. Depending on how busy the MD SPCA is, the interview process could take up to an hour. A downloadable* pet application is available for you to fill out ahead of time and bring with you.

*To download PDF files, you just need Adobe Reader on your computer. If it isn't already on your installed, you can get your free copy here.

Heading Home with Your New Pet

After the interview process, you are able to take your new pet home in most cases (depending on if the animal has had his/her spay/neuter surgery). To make sure you are prepared for that first night at home, here is a helpful list of what to have at home:

Food
Leash and collar (for dogs)
Bowls
Litterbox and litter (for cat)
Bed
Crate (for dog)
Transport carrier (for cat)

Pet Licensing Information

Every pet should be licensed. If your pet is ever lost, the license could help reunite you. Contact one of the groups listed below to license your pet.

Baltimore City Locations

BARCS 410-396-4688
The Maryland SPCA 410-235-8826, ext. 100

Fees:

Altered w/proof of rabies vaccination: $10*
Unaltered: $30*
Altered w/proof & owner over 65: $5*
Unaltered w/proof & owner over 65: $15*

*Plus a $2 license processing fee.

Baltimore County Locations

County Office Bldg. 410-887-3630
Baltimore County Animal Shelter, Baldwin 410-887-5961
Any Baltimore County Full Service Library

Evidence of current rabies vaccination is required.

Fees:

Owner under 60/animal altered: $5
Owner under 60/animal unaltered: $10
Owner 60 & over/animal altered: $3
Owner 60 & over/animal unaltered: $6

Adoption Fees (effective March 1, 2012)

Fees include spay/neuter surgery and first vaccinations. Note: The Maryland SPCA does not accept personal checks for adoption fees.

Medium and large dogs: $125
Puppies (under 6 months) and small dogs: $195
Cats: $55
Kittens (under 6 months): $100

Adopt two cats or kittens at the same time, and the adoption fee for the second pet is half price!

LUCKY 7 : Do you have lots of time and lots of love to offer an older dog or cat? Consider welcoming an older pet into your home. Special donoros have made it possible for us to waive the adoption fee on select cats and dogs who are seven years of age or older. There is still a fee for licensing and microchipping.

SPECIAL NEEDS: We also adopt out special needs dogs for reduced fees.

With each adoption, the MD SPCA sells microchips as an add-on for $15.00. The retail value of this service is $35–$60. Ask your adoption counselor for more details.

WHAT THE ADOPTION FEES INCLUDE COMPARED TO GETTING A "FREE" CAT OR DOG FROM A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR:

Pet Owner Expenses	Given To You	Adopted from the Maryland SPCA
Initial Adoption Fee	Free	$55-$195
Spay/Neuter Surgery	$50-$100	Included
General Health/Behavior Exam	$25-$35	Included
Tattoo for Identification	$40-$45	Included
Initial Vaccinations (FVRCP/Cats; DHLPP/Dogs)	$35	Included
Canine Bordatella (For Most Dogs)	$20	Included
Rabies Vaccination	$17-$20	Included
De-Worming	$10	Included
Tests (FELV/Cats; Heartworm/Dogs)	$20-$60	Included
Treatments (Antibiotics, Mitaclear, etc.)	$5-$10	Included
Revolution treatment for fleas, heartworm, and other parasites	$45-$60	Included
Temporary Carrier, Leash, Collar, ID Tag	$5-$10	Included
Nutritious Food/Treats during Stay	$25-$30	Included
Supplies during Stay (litter, toys, towels, etc.)	$15-$20	Included
Resources: Behavior Advice Pre and Post-Adoption	$25-$50	Included
Love and Attention	Priceless	Included
Total Costs	$337-$505	$55-195

Happy People, Happy Pets

We here at the Maryland SPCA are dedicated to making great matches. Our philosophy is Happy People, Happy Pets! If you find your adopted pet is not the right match for you, we encourage you to return the pet for a full refund of the adoption fee within 30 days of adoption. Please contact us at 410-235-8826 to make an appointment to return the pet.

Like people, dogs and cats have their own personalities and it may take some time for their true personality to emerge. We want to ensure our adopters have adequate time to get to know their new pet in a home environment before making a lifetime commitment. If the match doesn’t work out, that’s ok! Our philosophy benefits everyone. The adopter is providing us with valuable information about the pet’s behavior in a home, which will help us make a better match for that pet. The pet has a mini-vacation from the stress of shelter life. We will continue to assist the adopter in finding their perfect match.

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