All dogs living in Washington County must be licensed. The cost to license a dog is: $5.00 for one year, $9.00 for two years and $13.00 for 3 years. Lifetime licenses are available ($25.00) to dogs that have received their second 3 year rabies vaccination booster. Vendors selling licenses other than the HSWC, can apply a surcharge of up to $3 per license that they will retain as their revenue. Licenses are available at the HSWC and at the following businesses:
We cannot recommend a veterinarian. We suggest you review the list of local veterinarians on our website under Animal Services .
Yes, we transfer animals to other organizations as needed.
Cats: We try to process all adoption applications as quickly as possible. Once all verifications and introductions are completed, we complete the adoption paperwork immediately. The animal can then be taken home the same day. Cat adoption fees are $75 for kittens 6 months and younger, and $50 for adults 7 months and older. The fee for both residents and non-residents of Washington County includes the spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, parasite treatment, one month of free pet health insurance, a post adoption examination with a local vet, and a microchip. To learn more about the adoption process, please look here .
Dogs: If you are interested in adopting a dog, please visit the shelter with all members of the household (humans and canines) to meet the dog that you are interested in. Pending approval by our Adoptions Staff, adoptions are primarily completed the same day. The fee for adopting a dog varies, and includes an additional $5 fee for a Washington County dog license for local residents. The fee for both residents and non-residents of Washington County includes the spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, parasite treatment, one month of free pet health insurance, a post adoption examination with a local vet, a microchip and an ID tag. To learn more about the adoption process, please look here .
We do get puppies and kittens, especially in the warm weather months. We do not have a breed request list but encourage you to keep checking our website for adoptable animals.
During the adoption process, adopters sign an agreement stating that they will not abandon the adopted pet and that if for any reason they are unable or unwilling to keep the animal, they will either find a suitable home for the animal or return him/her to HSWC. Within 30 days of the original adoption, there is no fee. After 30 days, there is a surrender fee. Adopters go through an application process and background check, so we trust that if the original adoption was approved, the adopter looking to rehome a pet probably has that animal’s best interest at heart.
No, we make no guarantees about the behavior of any animal. Animals occasionally react differently in a home setting than they do at our facility. All dogs are given a Behavior Assessment prior to being made available for adoption. This process tells us many things about the dog; in particular, it’s potential for aggression. This means that to our knowledge, the dog hasn’t shown aggressive or predatory behavior.
Yes, we have a foster care program. We are always in need of foster homes and suggest all interested individuals apply. Applications can be obtained from our Customer Service staff at the shelter and online.