Our adoption wards are available for viewing Monday-Friday from 1:00-5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am-3:00pm.
Please see our Updated Adoption Procedures below.
Please call our team at 262-542-8851 with any questions.
Updated Adoption Procedures
We are so encouraged that the interest in adopting animals from HAWS remains high! Now is a great time to bring a new family member into your home. We continue to re-evaluate and modify our adoption procedure, with the safety of our pets and potential adopters always in mind.
Thank you for considering adopting from HAWS! Below are our general adoption procedures.
- HAWS adoption wards are open to the public for walk-throughs during viewing/adoption hours (no application is needed to walk through).
- To view an animal one-on-one, or to enter the cat colony rooms, a current application is required.
- Applicants must be 18 years or older. A valid ID will be required in order to adopt.
- Applications can be completed both online and in person.
- In most cases, HAWS animals will be viewed and adopted on the same day, as long as all requirements have been met!
- When you arrive to view an animal, we require all members of the household to be present.
- DOG viewings: Bring any dogs that are currently in the home; if you have a cat we will do a cat introduction with a HAWS cat prior to viewing.
- When adopting, dogs are required to go home on a leash and wear a collar. A harness is encouraged, but not required. You can bring your own or purchase them at HAWS.
- Dog/cat introductions are viewed and evaluated by an experienced member of HAWS’ staff. If there is any issue with the introduction, we will work with you on safely managing at-home interactions, or, if necessary, will help you choose a different pet to adopt.
- CAT viewings: Please leave your pet(s) in the comfort of your home.
- When adopting, we ask that you bring a pet carrier. If you do not have one, we will provide you with one.
- SMALL ANIMAL viewings: Please leave your pet(s) in the comfort of your home.
- When adopting, we ask that you bring a carrier. If you do not have one, we will provide you with one.
- DOG viewings: Bring any dogs that are currently in the home; if you have a cat we will do a cat introduction with a HAWS cat prior to viewing.
- If you are unable to meet the requirements, you may not be able to view or adopt.
- Lastly, please make sure that you bring an acceptable form of payment (Cash, Credit/Debit)
Thank you for adopting from HAWS
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our Adoption Team at 262-542-8851, x0. We look forward to guiding you through the next steps. You can also download a PDF of the adoption application here and bring it along when you visit.
Yes, now is a great time to #ADOPT4PAWSFROMHAWS!
Adoption Fees
Cats
$200 — Kittens under 6 months
$100 — Cats from 6 months to 3 years old
$60 — Cats 3 years to 6 years
$50 — Cats 6 years and older
$100 — Cats from 6 months to 3 years old
$60 — Cats 3 years to 6 years
$50 — Cats 6 years and older
Kitten Adopters receive a $5 certificate good towards our Kitty College with any adoption.
Dogs
$360 — Puppies under 6 months
$300 — Dogs from 6 months to 3 years old
$195 — Dogs 3 years to 6 years
$100 — Dogs 6 years and older
$300 — Dogs from 6 months to 3 years old
$195 — Dogs 3 years to 6 years
$100 — Dogs 6 years and older
Dog Adopters receive a $25 discount certificate good towards either Life Skills for Puppies or Basic Manners 1 training classes with your puppy/dog adoption!
Small Animals
$85 — Small Parrots, Conures, Quakers (Large Parrots TBD)
$55 — Ferrets
$30 — Rabbits, Chinchillas, other small mammals
$30 — Reptiles, Amphibians
$30 — Cockatiels, Lovebirds
$15 — Guinea Pigs
$10 — Parakeets, Doves
$10 — Rats
$6 — Finches
$6 — Mice, Hamsters, Gerbils
$6 — Turtles
$55 — Ferrets
$30 — Rabbits, Chinchillas, other small mammals
$30 — Reptiles, Amphibians
$30 — Cockatiels, Lovebirds
$15 — Guinea Pigs
$10 — Parakeets, Doves
$10 — Rats
$6 — Finches
$6 — Mice, Hamsters, Gerbils
$6 — Turtles
Adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, an identification microchip (dogs/cats), basic vaccinations, heartworm screening for dogs, and 2 complimentary behavior consultations for the life of your pet!
HAWS accepts cash, credit, or debit cards as payment for adoptions.
Post-Adoption Follow-up and Support
Post-adoption follow-up and support are also part of our adoption procedure. Training classes and one-on-one consulting are available – just call the HAWS office to schedule. Trust HAWS as your #1 pet resource throughout the life of your pet.
The goal of HAWS is to find permanent, responsible, loving homes for our animals. Pets are placed as companions into homes where the animals will be thought of as part of the family and housed indoors.
- All adopters must be 18 years of age or older, should provide verifiable identification, and be of sound mind and disposition at the time of adoption. Falsification or misrepresentation of the adoption application may cause an adoption to not be approved.
- All adult residents in the home should be in agreement to add a pet to their household and understand that a child cannot be solely responsible for the care of a pet. It is recommended that all family members meet the pet prior to adoption when possible. While HAWS will occasionally make telephone verifications for consent to adopt, in most cases all members of the household must meet the pet face to face.
- Certain pets may require a meeting with a trainer prior to adopting.
- Adopters should maintain a relationship with a community veterinarian, and demonstrate a willingness and ability to meet the social, training, health and exercise requirements of their desired pet.
- Though we wish to see all pets go to those interested, adoption may go to the family that fits his/her needs first.
Finding Your New Companion Animal
As you visit the animals in the shelter or view those available for adoption on our website, you may find several appealing prospects. However, not every animal is compatible with every family’s lifestyle. Please allow our experienced animal caregivers and adoption counselors to help with your selection by providing you information about the animal’s temperament, personality, and behavior patterns. The website is updated daily.
A Note on FeLV and FIV Testing
More accurate information about Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) tests and the diseases has led the shelter medicine community to make recommendations for shelters to discontinue routinely testing all cats for FeLV and FIV. As of April 2021, HAWS is following this recommendation and discontinuing testing for all cats. A single test at a single point in time is not representative of a cat’s true status. To read more about FeLV, please click here. To read more about FIV click here.