Adoption FAQs

Adopt

We look forward to helping you find your forever friend. To help you through this process we have provided some Frequently Asked Questions. Please contact us at 217-223-8786 if you have additional questions.

  1. How does adoption work?
    If you are interested in adopting an animal, you first must fill out an application.  An adoption counselor will look over the application and verify any information with landlords, past/present veterinarians, and also do a background check.  In most cases, we will require any potential adopters to meet and interact with the animal before putting it on hold.  Adoption applications generally take approximately 24-72 hours to process.  We rarely allow an animal to go home the same day. It is important to remember that we may have multiple applications for one animal, and our goal is to match the animal with the best fit for them.
  2. What does it mean to put an animal on hold?
    If an application is approved, we can place an animal on a temporary hold.  This will give potential adopters the opportunity to think about the big decision to adopt an animal, purchase supplies, or travel to Quincy.  While on hold, the animal is “reserved” for the approved adopters.  We may continue to accept applications for an animal that is on hold, but he/she cannot meet with or be adopted by another family until the hold has expired.   An animal can only be placed on hold after an application is approved.  Generally, an animal is placed on hold for 48 hours.
  3. Why do you charge so much for animals from the “pound”?
    The Quincy Humane Society is NOT a pound.  We are a non-profit, privately funded, no-kill animal shelter.  Our animals stay with us until they get adopted.  The adoption fee we charge offsets the services we provide for the animal.  Animals adopted from us are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and seen by a veterinarian regularly.  In most cases, we spend hundreds of dollars on each animal that stays with us. We do not make money off of adoptions.
  4. Why are all your animals spayed or neutered?
    It is a state law in Illinois that all animals adopted from an animal shelter are spayed or neutered before leaving.  If it was not state law, we would do it anyway.  The country is facing a severe animal overpopulation problem, and spaying or neutering the pets that leave our facility ensures we do not contribute to that epidemic.
  5. Why do so many of your dogs have age restrictions?
    Age restrictions are assigned to certain dogs to help protect the safety of both the dog and the family that may adopt it.  Our animal care staff have closely examined the personalities of every dog, and any age restrictions assigned to a dog are meant as a guideline to help adopters determine which pet will best match the needs of their household.
  6. Is there a waiting list for a particular breed?
    At this time, there is no official waiting list for certain breeds.  However, the variety of dogs we have available for adoption changes regularly and will sometime include purebred dogs.  We recommend checking our “Available Pets” page regularly to see what we have available each day. We encourage all individuals and families to adopt… not shop! If you are ready and anxious to invite your new furry friend into your home, websites like Pet Finder are a great tool to help you locate that particular breed that you are looking for.
  7. Can I fill out paperwork online?
    Yes, the application is available through the “Adopt” page on our website. Once you have submitted it, the application will be emailed to our Adoption Manager and is processed like a regular application. Please make sure it is filled out completely in order for us to process it.
  8. Why are your adoption fees different for each animal?
    At the Quincy Humane Society, we love all of our animals.  However, we know that some animals are more desirable to the public: small breed dogs, puppies, fluffy kittens, and some popular breeds.  Having a higher adoption fee for animals we know will go home quickly, enables us to care for the animals that become long-term residents.
  9. I live out of town.  Can you ship an animal to me?
    We do not ship animals.  If you live out of town, we are more than willing to allow you to adopt if you can make the trip to Quincy to meet the animal. Depending on your distance it might be best to plan a weekend trip to visit. This will give you plenty of time to meet with the animals and do all the adoption paperwork.