Click here to view our current adoptions process
ALL shelter animals with URGENT NEED noted in their descriptions are available for immediate Emergency Foster or Adoption. You can help these shelter pets today by contacting the NHS team member noted in the animal’s description.
Our adoption policies are designed to ensure a happy, successful placement.
Residency: You must provide identification showing your current physical address. You do not need to be a resident of Washoe County or Carson City to adopt.
Age: You must provide identification proving you are 18 or older to adopt a shelter pet.
Mandatory Spaying/Neutering: All of our dogs and cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before they go home. Rabbits are also spayed or neutered.
Animals may not be adopted as gifts: The animal must be chosen and adopted by the person/family who will be responsible for the pet, and who understands that providing proper care for the animal is part of adoption. However, a gift certificate for a pet adoption is a great way to give the love of a pet and allows the person to still bond with someone, therefore choosing their own pet!
If you rent, we may need to check with your landlord: Many of our pets are brought in because of lack of landlord approval, so we try to minimize this happening for everyone involved.
Want a “mouser” or “barn cat”? We have a special program that can help match you up with feral cats in need of homes.