Adoption Application & Process
Dear Prospective Adopter,
Our shelter’s Dog Room and Cat Room are open for walk-through visits from the public during the hours of 11am to 4pm with later viewing on Wednesdays from 12pm to 7pm.
Our shelter is closed to the public on Mondays.
Please view our Adoptable Animals list to ensure the dog or cat you’re interested in viewing is in the Dog Room or Cat Room location. Animal Meet & Greets will be scheduled only after your application has been submitted and processed.
Many cats and other small animals can be met at Paws at the Mall (closed on Mondays)!
In order to adopt an animal from us, you must first fill out a Request for Adoption application. Please read the application thoroughly and answer all of the questions. Incomplete or illegible answers will increase the time it takes to review the application. If you have any questions, please contact us and ask for clarification.
Once you submit your Request for Adoption application, it will be reviewed by our Adoption Committee. We can not give an estimated time frame of the reviewing process, as the process is currently delayed . We review all applications thoroughly to ensure that our animals go to the best homes possible.
Please keep in mind that we may receive multiple applications on each animal offered for adoption. The Adoption Committee considers all homes and determines which home is the best match for the animal. The animal may not necessarily go to the first applicant, but will be adopted to the home that best fits the animal’s needs.
In addition to reviewing an application, we require a house check for some dogs, including all dominant breeds, prior to the adoptions approval. We are only able to perform house checks within the boundaries of Anne Arundel County.
After your application has been reviewed, you will be contacted by a member of the Adoption Committee. If approved, they will provide you with the next steps to bringing the animal home.
Thank you for your interest in adopting an animal from the SPCA of Anne Arundel County and for your patience during our review process.
We reserve the right to decline any Request for Adoption application.
Online Adoption Applications
You can submit an Adoption Application directly online in your browser. Click the link below to be brought to the Application page. After submitting, your info will be sent to our Adoptions Team. If you are approved for adoption, a Staff Member will contact you via phone.
Please do not submit more than ONE Adoption Application through our system. If you would like to switch your application over to another animal, please email or call the Front Office.
Public Viewing Hours
Remember, a representative will reach out to you to schedule an meet & greet appointment once we have an update on your Adoption Application. Public Viewing is allowed in our main shelter’s Dog Room & Cat Room.
| Monday | CLOSED TO PUBLIC |
| Tuesday | 11:00 to 4:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:00 to 7:00 |
| Thursday | 11:00 to 4:00 |
| Friday | 11:00 to 4:00 |
| Saturday | 11:00 to 4:00 |
| Sunday | 11:00 to 4:00 |
Adoption Fees |
|
|---|---|
| Animal Type | Cost |
| Purebred Dogs |
200.00
|
| Puppies (8 months and under) |
250.00 – 550.00
|
| Mixed Breed Dogs |
160.00
|
| Kittens (8 months and under) |
90.00
|
| Two Kittens Adopted Same Day |
160.00
|
| Two Cats Adopted Same Day |
105.00
|
| Purebred Cats |
105.00
|
| Mixed Breed Cats |
65.00
|
| Rabbits |
65.00
|
| Ferret |
90.00
|
| Guinea Pig |
25.00
|
| Hamsters, Gerbils, Mice |
10.00
|
| Parakeet |
25.00
|
| Cockatiel/Conure/Other Birds |
50.00 – 500.00
|
Chinchillas & Sugar Gliders are $100.00 and a pair will be $180.00 for a pair. Hedgehogs have an adoption fee of $75.00 and a pair will be $130.00. Rats have an adoption fee of $15.00.
Contract
When adopting a pet from the SPCA of Anne Arundel County (AACSPCA), you must complete and sign an Adoption Contract. Two of the most important requirements you must agree to are:
- To take your new pet to a veterinarian for a check-up within one week of adoption.
- To return the adopted pet to the AACSPCA if you are unable keep it.
The adoption process takes two to seven days. The AACSPCA reserves the right to decline any adoption request.
What is included in the adoption fee?
Dogs/puppies and cats/kittens receive health and temperament screening, de-worming medication, age-appropriate vaccinations, a microchip, one month of pet health insurance, and have been spayed or neutered.
Dogs have been tested for heartworm disease and several tick-borne diseases.
Cats have been tested for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline AIDS (FIV).
Rabbits have been spayed or neutered.
All adoption fees go towards providing food, shelter, and veterinary care for our animals. Adoption fees only cover a portion of the costs we incur while caring for the animals at the SPCA.
