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Adoption Criteria 

A Friend for Life

If you’re looking for a wonderful life-long companion, then you’ve come to the right place!

CPHS has many animals of every shape and size to choose from.  During the animal’s stay, the shelter staff and volunteers provide many enriching activities, such as walks, outings, behavior training and socialization.

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Step 1: Before You Adopt

Make sure everyone in your family understands the commitment of owning a pet. Make sure you are financially able to care for a pet. Additionally, if you rent, check with your landlord to ensure pets are allowed where you live.

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Step 2: Complete an Adoption Application

All potential adopters must complete an adoption application before they are permitted to visit with an animal. This can be done onsite or online prior to visiting. Applications are available here.

Open application, complete online and save to your computer as a PDF file.

Follow instructions in Step 4 for sending to us.

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Step 4: Finding the Right Pet

Browse our available pets online here or on our Facebook page.  Add the name of the animal you are interested in adopting to your application. You are welcome to come down and browse through our animals onsite. 

Please note that we try to give as much information as possible about our animals likes and dislikes from the behaviors we see here at the shelter.   Please check to see if the pet has restrictions that apply to your home in their bio. 

Please keep in mind that as a rule we cannot hold animals for anyone.

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Step 3: Submit Your Application

After completing your application please send by: 

Email: info@centralpahumane.org for dogs or for cats to cattery@centralpahumane.org 

Fax:

(814) 942-8505

Mail to:

Central PA Humane Society
1837 East Pleasant Valley Blvd, Altoona, PA 16602

Staff will contact you for any requirements needing completing on  your application and let you now we are open for walk-ins.  

After you have completed your visit your application will be reviewed by an Adoption Counselor.  You will be contacted with a decision as to approval or not. 

Note: There is a $5.00, non-refundable application fee 

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Step 5: Welcoming Your New Pet

Please keep in mind that there is no such thing as the “Perfect Pet.” Any adopted animal will require training, patience and ample time to adjust to their new home.  

 

Shelter animals need time to decompress and understand that they are in a home.  Do not expect the perfect pet straight away.  Allow your new family member a minimum of two weeks to start to feel at home.

 

We are always here to help if you need some additional guidance or assistance.

Policies

The Path to a Forever Home

At CPHS, we want all the animals in our care to find them a forever home. However, we have to make sure that forever home includes an adopter who is that animal’s perfect match. Adoption applications are not approved on a first-come, first-serve basis; instead, we are committed to finding adopters who not only click with our animals but are able to meet our adoption criteria.

CPHS Standards for Adoption

Animals are available for adoption to residents living within the adoption area of the Central PA Humane Society, including Blair, Bedford, Huntingdon, Cambria, Somerset, Centre and Clearfield counties. All persons living in household are required to be involved in the selection of the pet. If the adopter is living at home with parents, parents must be present at the time of adoption.

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Verbal permission of the landlord is required for persons living on rental property.

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Animals will be placed with adults of legal age, to be kept as indoor, household pets. They are not to serve as guard dogs, hunters, or mousers.

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Owners are required to provide each companion animal with adequate food, water, shelter, space, exercise, veterinary care, and humane treatment. Cruelty and/or neglect shall be deemed to exist if this animal is: (a) inadequately maintained for health (current vaccines and rabies inoculations, food, water, housing, and minimal physical grooming); (b) repetitively running at large creating a public health, welfare, and safety problem; (c) physically harmed in any way

No animal will be adopted as a gift for another person.

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According to Pennsylvania Dog Laws, all dogs must be kept under control and not to be allowed to run at large. Because chained dogs are at higher risk of being stolen, a fenced yard is recommended. This provision can be waived at the discretion of the Humane Society staff.

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Cats will not be declawed. Humane alternatives to scratching or clawing will be implemented (e.g., Soft Paws, scratchers, trimming nails). Any questions about implementing humane alternatives to declawing? Please contact us.

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No animal will be adopted to persons having an extensive history of losing, giving away, selling, or having animals injured or killed by moving vehicles.

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Animals that are known to have exhibited vicious tendencies or other serious behavioral disorders are not available for adoption.

Benefits of Adopting

Open Your Heart

Every day, people just like you open their hearts and homes to our loving shelter animals. Rescuing or adopting a homeless cat, dog, or critter is truly a selfless act that gives a pet the chance to enjoy a happy, fulfilling life.

Your new pet will thank you with loyalty, companionship and unconditional love.

Benefits of Adopting

Adopting a pet is one of the most rewarding things you can do for you and the pet. From emotional benefits to physical benefits, pets can impact our lives in tremendous ways. In addition, there are many other benefits when you choose to adopt a shelter pet.

A Large Selection

The Central PA Humane Society has lovable dogs and cats of all shapes, sizes and ages. Your chances of finding a wonderful companion who matches your lifestyle and family are excellent!

 

About 25% of shelter dogs are purebred. The rest make up the best selection anywhere of unique, one-of-a-kind mixed breeds. Mixed breed dogs are often healthier, longer-lived, more intelligent, and have a more stable temperament than purebreds.

Shelter Animals Make Great Pets

Many pets end up in shelters because of circumstances beyond their control. They’re victims of a death, illness, divorce, a new baby, or a move that didn’t include them. A second-hand pet in no way means second-rate.

 

Most of our shelter residents are healthy, affectionate animals. Many have already lived with a human family and have the basic training, socialization, and cooperative skills they need to become part of your household.

The staff at CPHS can give you great insight into a pet’s personality. We evaluate each dog’s behavior upon arrival and become familiar with their disposition. This valuable information helps us make optimal matches between homes and pets, and helps you make you the most appropriate adoption decision.

You Can Save Lives

One of the most rewarding aspects of adopting a shelter dog is the simple fact that you’re saving a life and giving a deserving animal a new home. It feels great to help an animal in need, and after living in a shelter, your new pet will be especially appreciative of the wonderful life you’re going to give him.

 

But that’s not all.  Your adoption fee will benefit other animals, too. By adopting an animal, you will support the Central PA Humane Society and help us to continue caring for many homeless pets in our Blair County community.

Save Money

Another advantage to adopting is that shelter animals are a real bargain! An adoption fee is much lower than the cost of buying a dog from a pet store or breeder.

 

Our adoption packages include spaying or neutering, so you won’t have to pay for the cost of surgery. Our pets are given a physical exam, vaccinations, and are dewormed.  We also include microchipping to help you locate a lost pet.

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