How do I go about adopting a pet?
Is there a waiting period?
Why should I adopt when I can just get a free animal?
Do you have a spay/neuter program?
Why don't you spay/neuter the shelter animals?
My pet is missing. What advice can you offer me?
What do I do if I find a stray animal?
What happens if I release my pet to you?
Are sick and injured animals immediately euthanized?
How long does the Humane Society keep stray animals that are turned into the shelter?
How is the Humane Society funded?
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Q.  How do I go about adopting a pet?
It’s simple!  All you need to do is fill out our adoption application.  Once this application is completed, it will take approximately 24 hours to process it.  You can place a hold on the animal you like and holds are good for 24 hours.   We take up to 3 holds on an animal.

Q.  Is there a waiting period?
Yes.  It takes approximately 24 hours to approve your application.  Once you are approved, you can schedule a time and day to adopt the animal.

If you are adopting a dog and currently own a dog, a “meet and greet” will be scheduled to ensure your animals are compatible.

Q. Why should I adopt when I can just get a free animal?
If you take a look below, you will see that an animal you could get for “free” really costs you more than an animal you would adopt from the shelter.

* Estimated vet costs.
When you adopt from the shelter, you get a bargain as well as an animal that deserves a second chance for a loving home!

Q.  Do you have a spay and neuter program?
We offer a program called the S.T.O.P program (Stop The Overpopulation Of Pets).  This program is available to a limited number of low income families.  If you are approved, the Humane Society pays up to $100 towards the spay/neuter of the pet.

Q. Why don’t you spay and neuter the shelter animals?
Unfortunately, we don’t have a veterinarian on staff.  We do sometimes have grants made available so that we can get some of our animals spayed or neutered prior to adoption, and we sometimes get animals turned into us that are already spayed or neutered.

It is required that persons who adopt from the shelter get their unaltered adopted cats and dogs spayed and neutered within one month from the adoption date.   If the adopted animal is under six months of age, it must be spayed/neutered once it reaches 6 months. 

Q.  My pet is missing. What advice can you offer me?
As soon as you notice your pet is missing, give us a call and we’ll complete a lost report. We are the only Humane Society in Elkhart County, and people often bring stray or found animals to our shelter or call us to report a found animal.  Additionally, we serve as animal control for the county and often pick up stray or running at large animals which are then housed at the shelter.

We’ll also ask that you come into the shelter and look for your animal.  Only you know what your pet looks like, and we often get similar looking animals of the same breed.  

Contact your local newspaper and check ads for lost and found.  Some of the area newspapers will print a missing pet ad in their classifieds at no charge to you. 

Post flyers in your neighborhood including a photograph.

Q. What do I do if I find a stray animal?
First and foremost, contact the Humane Society to file a found report.  Bring the animal to the Humane Society or take it to a local vet office to check for a microchip which readily identifies possible owner. 

Follow up by checking in the neighborhood to see if someone is missing the animal.  You may also contact your local newspaper to see if they run free ads in the classifieds for found animals.

Q.  What happens if I release my pet to you?
Once you release your pet to us, you are giving us the right to determine appropriate disposition of the animal.  Not all animals that come to the shelter are considered adoptable, and we received almost 7,000 animals in 2009.   Some animals will be selected for adoption; some may go to other collaborating animal welfare and rescue agencies; some may be sent to foster locations until they can be adopted; and some may have to be euthanized.  

Q. Are sick and injured animals immediately euthanized?
No.  Based on the nature of the illness or injury and sometimes in consultation with outside veterinary support, we treat a limited number of animals in our rehabilitation area.  Depending on the prognosis and adoptability of the animal, we sometimes have individuals who provide financial support to help obtain outside veterinary care for special cases.

Q.  How long does the Humane Society keep stray animals that are turned in at the shelter?
Stray animals found in Elkhart County may be turned in by the general public or impounded by law enforcement or Humane Society animal control officers.  Strays may be held for 3 days.  If there is some identification such as a microchip or tag that indicates an animal is owned, the animal may be held up to 10 days.  Animals meeting adoption criteria may be placed in adoption after this holding period.   Generally, all of the adoptable animals stay in adoption until they find their forever homes.  However, sometimes an animal is moved out of adoption to be treated for an illness; is sent to another animal welfare or rescue group to provide additional options to get the animal into a new home or may be euthanized.

Q.  How is the Humane Society funded?
The Humane Society is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization that greatly relies on donations.  All donations received are fully tax deductible.  Additionally, we collect fees through our adoption program and other services offered.   Elkhart County and some of the cities within the county contract with the Humane Society to provide animal control services for Elkhart County and their cities.  It should be understood that this is a private contract with the Humane Society and therefore, is not automatically supported by tax dollars like other municipal services such as law enforcement and other city and county offices.