Adoption Process

If you are interested in adopting any animal from our shelter, the first step is to submit an adoption application. You can download an application from the links at the bottom of this page, attach the completed application to an email, and send it to the Humane Society of Jefferson County at shelter@hsjc-wis.com. Paper applications for all species are available at the shelter and paper cat adoption applications are also available at our PetSmart West satellite adoption center.

Once the application is received, the approval process will take approximately 1-3 business days and you will be contacted as soon as it is completed. As a part of the approval process we verify home ownership or get approval from your landlord. We do this because one of the top 10 reasons animals are surrendered is “landlord does not allow pets.” We also check on a working relationship with a veterinarian for any currently or previously owned pets. This shows us your intent to provide any needed medical attention for the new pet and that you will comply with state and local ordinances. We do not adopt to anyone under 18 years of age.

Available Pets

Click the links below to view all pets currently available for adoption.

• Cats
• Cats at PetSmart West
• Dogs
• Small Animals & Birds

Adoption Applications

Birds & Small Animals: Printable PDF | Online Form
Cats: Printable PDF | Online Form
Working/Barn Cats: Printable DOCX | Fillable PDF
Dogs: Printable PDF | Online Form

Adoption Fees

Adoption fees are paid in full at the time of adoption. All adoption fees include the standard medical care all shelter animals receive. There are no extra charges for routine procedures such as spaying and neutering, deworming, microchipping, and vaccinations. The shelter accepts cash, check, or credit/debit and our satellite adoption facility at PetSmart West accepts cash or check.

Special Adoption Promotions