Adopting pets
Our philosophy on adoption
Vancouver Animal Control runs a pro-adoption facility, so we make every effort to keep the animals in our care until we can find them new homes.
If an animal shows stress from being in the shelter, Animal Control will look for a temporary home. An animal would only be put down is if they are not adoptable or are not treatable.
Before you adopt
Owning a pet is a happy experience, but it's a lot of responsibility too. Be aware of everything that you will have to do if you choose to adopt a pet:
- Choose the right pet for your personality and circumstances
- Treat your pet well. All animals need attention, interaction, and enough room to roam
- Be prepared to pay for any veterinary care that your pet needs
If you adopt a dog, you will also need to:
- License your dog
- Make sure it wears its collar and tag
- Teach your dog basic obedience
- Use a leash
- Pick up after your pet
The pets we offer for adoption
Dogs
We have dogs of all ages, from newborn litters to quite senior dogs. The puppies are very popular, but older dogs can be great pets too. They are smart and grateful companions and won't leave you with puppy puddles or chewed-up slippers. Why not enrich your life, as well as the life of an older dog?
Other pets
Most of the animals we have are dogs. But we also have rabbits, hamsters, budgies, and sometimes a guinea pig or even chickens! If you are looking for a smaller pet, contact us to see what we have available. (If you want to adopt a cat, contact your local SPCA branch.)
So what makes a pet adoptable?
Adoptable pets are animals that don't have health issues that could seriously affect their health now or in the future. Adoptable pets also don't have behavioural issues that could pose a risk to people or other animals. Pets that could become adoptable with medical care, training, socialization, or other help are called treatable pets.
View pets available for adoption
PetFinder has a list of the pets that we have available right now.
Adoption fees for dogs
| Category | Price | Tax | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | $262.00 | $31.44 | $293.44 |
| Senior (7 years old or older) | $79.00 | $9.48 | $88.48 |
| Medical (Ongoing medical conditions) | $79.00 | $9.48 | $88.48 |
The adoption fee for dogs includes:
- Neutering or spaying
- Micro-chipping
- Six (6) weeks of pet insurance
- The first set of vaccinations
- The first vet check-up
- A free bag of dog food
If you are a Vancouver resident, you must also buy a licence for the dog you adopt.
Adoption fees for other animals
| Category | Price | Tax | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budgies and finches | $10.00 | $1.20 | $11.20 |
| Chinchillas, hedgehogs, and rabbits | $27.00 | $3.24 | $30.24 |
| Ferrets | $53.00 | $6.36 | $59.36 |
| Gerbils, hamsters, mice, and rats | $5.00 | $0.60 | $5.60 |
| Guinea pigs | $16.00 | $1.92 | $17.92 |
| Lovebirds and parakeets | $16.00 | $1.92 | $17.92 |
