Adoption Process & Fees

Before you arrive at the shelter to adopt, consider, and plan for these items.

• Take time to discuss as a family, what you are looking for in a companion animal, what type of activity level and lifestyle do you want to have with your pet. How much time do you have to dedicate to your pet.
• Start your search online, we are constantly updating our website with new animals for adoption. Although our online database is updated hourly, adoptions happen quickly so we cannot guarantee the availability of all animals listed below. If you see an animal you like, please stop by for a visit. Our animals are excited to meet you!

• Please note, we only allow patrons ready to adopt the same day to meet with an animal. You will need to be able to take the pet home and pay the adoption fee the day you meet the animal. We do not place animals on hold to be picked up later.

What’s needed to adopt today?

• Required Documents: Driver's license or photo ID with your current address. If your address is not current, please provide paperwork with proof of current address. Must be at least 18 years old to complete adoption process.
• Payment Options: Cash, Visa, Discover, Mastercard, or check. 
• Visitation: In effort to encourage successful matches and support ease of acclimation, we require every adopter to meet with an adoption counselor for a foundational conversation. During this foundational conversation it may be determined to have additional household members and/or owned dogs be required to visit as well.
• Spay and Neuter Information: Pets that are already spay/neutered can be taken home at the time of adoption. Pets that have not been spayed/neutered prior to adoption will remain at the shelter and be scheduled for the next available appointment. You will then receive the date and time to pick up your newly adopted pet.
  (If your pet is unable to be altered, a $50 refundable deposit is required in order to take the animal home.)
• Habitat Photo (small mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish): At the time of adoption, we require to see a picture of the habitat you have at home for small mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish. If you do not have a picture at the time of adoption, we will place a 24 hour Courtesy Hold for approved adopters to return with a photo.

I’m ready to adopt today, what happens when I arrive at the shelter?

Step 1.   Interested in a dog, view our adoption wall, and choose 1-2 dogs you would like to meet. Go to the kiosk and select, "Meet with an Animal,” take the printed ticket, sit in the lobby and wait for your number to be called. Please sign in only when you are ready to adopt.

               Interested in a cat, browse our adoptable cat kennels, and choose 1-2 cats that you would like to meet. Go to the kiosk and select, "Meet with an Animal,” take the printed ticket, sit down in the lobby and wait for your number to be called. Please sign in only when you are ready to adopt.

               Interested in a pet other than a cat or dog, look at our website and choose 1-2 animals you would like to meet. Go to the kiosk and select, "Meet with an Animal,” take the printed ticket, sit down in the lobby and wait for your number to be called. Please sign in only when you are ready to adopt.

              Meetings with animals stop at least one hour before closing.  We may stop meetings sooner if our queue is at capacity for the day.

Step 2. Meet with an animal: Your ticket will be called, and you will be designated to one of our counter spots, labeled 1-5. Our Client Services team member will review the animals you have chosen to meet and discuss a few basic items the animal may need in a specific home. Our team will add your name to our “Meet with an Animal” board and you will take a seat back in the lobby where an available Adoption Guide will call your name and take you to a private room where we can learn about what you are looking for in a companion pet and you can interact with the animals you are interested in. Our Adoption Guides will go over the pet's medical, behavior, any background information we may have, and you will be able to ask any questions. At this time, we may have your companion dog meet the dog you are interested in adopting. We charge a non-refundable $20 courtesy hold on adoptable animals if the adopter needs a few hours to have other household or family members meet, including dogs, not cats. We only allow owned dogs to come in and meet potential dogs for adoptions; we do not do cat-on-dog meets. This $20 fee will not be applied towards the adoption cost.  

Step 3.  Complete your Adoption Paperwork: Once you have chosen your new family member, you will go back to the kiosk and select "Complete Adoption Paperwork,” take the printed ticket, sit down in the lobby, and wait for your number to be called. When your number is called, you will return to a designated counter spot, complete your adoption paperwork, pay your adoption fee, and take your new companion home. 

Adoption Fees

All dog and cat adoptions come with spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchip and a one-year pet license. 

*Senior Discount (65 and over) — 50% off pet adoptions 

Our goal is to work with you to find the right pet for your family and lifestyle. If within 90 days of adoption your new pet is not the right fit, an adoption counselor will work with you to find a better match for your family. 

Credit and Debit Card Service Fees

Starting May 1, 2025, the City and County of Denver will charge a 2.5% service fee for processing credit and debit card transactions. The service fee is non-refundable. There are no fees for payments by cash, business check or money order.

Fear Free Facility

The Denver Animal Shelter adheres to a Fear Free philosophy. Fear Free was founded in 2016 with the mission to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them.

Admission to an animal shelter can be stressful for animals. They commonly experience feelings of fear, anxiety, and frustration because of entering and being confined in such an unfamiliar environment. When animals are overwhelmed by visual and sound stimuli in a shelter, we can help by blocking and limiting distractions, such as foot traffic.  Our cat kennels provide a privacy area where they can go and not been seen if they are stressed out, but our dog and small mammal kennels do not so we no longer allow self-touring of dogs and small mammals.

Our goal is to provide the most calm and safe environment as possible. This includes minimizing potentially stressful sights, sounds, and smells by closing doors, limiting foot traffic, speaking softly in calming tones, playing calming music at a low volume, and cleaning well between animals.