Home » Adopt A Pet » Adoption Process
You can view animals for adoption in person at Winnebago County Animal Services anytime during our business hours; you DO NOT need an appointment. All animals are available for adoption; some dogs on stray hold may be pre-selected for adoption through our open selection model. If the dog is not reclaimed by their owner, the adopter who pre-selected the dog must complete the adoption by the end of business on the first day the dog is available. A deposit of the full adoption fee will be required to pre-select a pet for adoption. Be sure to view all the animals on both the ADOPT pages and the LOST and FOUND pages.
Anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult when visiting Animal Services.
Qualifications/Requirements to adopt include:
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Must be at least 18 years old
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Have a State-issued photo ID such as a driver's license
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Up-to-date rabies vaccinations and county rabies tags of any other cats and dogs you already own
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Please note that we honor out of county ordinances regarding rabies vaccinations and registration for the county you reside in.
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Little or no animal-related complaints on file
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History of being a responsible pet owner (regular rabies vaccinations and compliance with animal ordinances)
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Please contact your landlord and let them know you are considering adopting a pet. Some landlords may require a pet deposit or have restrictions in place such as the size of pet.
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We adopt to out of county or out of state residents; however, you must come to the shelter in person. We do not ship or transport animals to adopters.
As part of your adoption fee, all cats and dogs adopted from Winnebago County Animal Services are spayed or neutered before going to their new home. Cats or dogs that have already been sterilized can go home the same day of adoption. If an animal requires spay or neuter surgery, it will remain at the shelter until the next scheduled day of surgeries.
Winnebago County Animal Services will also implant a Microchip in your new pet as a permanent form of identification implanted between the pet’s shoulders. It's important that you keep your address and telephone number current with Winnebago County Animal Services and the microchip company in case your pet becomes lost.
Other services that may be included in the adoption fee:
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Age appropriate vaccinations
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Flea and tick preventative
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Worming, heartworm test (dogs 6 months and older)
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Parvovirus test (puppies under 6 months may be tested if showing symptoms)
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Cats may be tested for Feline Leukemia and FIV in specific instances