{"id":10020,"date":"2025-03-01T14:01:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T19:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/petadoption\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:44:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:44:09","slug":"petadoption","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/oaw\/petadoption\/","title":{"rendered":"oaw\/petadoption ~  Pet Adoption  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n  \n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\">\n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/oaw\/petadoption.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n      <\/a>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n    \n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n      <h1><!--[type=EDIT name=\"Page Title\"]-->Pet Adoption<!--[END]--><\/h1>\n\n    <\/header>\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n \n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; 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By adopting\n\n\n  from an animal shelter or rescue group, you\u2019ll help save the lives of two animals\u2014the pet you adopt and a homeless animal\n\n\n  somewhere who can be rescued because of space you helped free up.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cat for Adoption\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive pull-right\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/catadoption.jpg\">\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Shelter Animals Make Great Pets\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  A \u201csecond-hand\u201d pet in no way means second-rate. Most shelter and rescue pets are healthy, affectionate animals. Many have\n\n\n  already lived with a human family and have the basic training, socialization, and cooperative skills they need to become part of your\n\n\n  household. It is a common misconception that animals end up in shelters or with rescue groups because they\u2019ve been abused or done\n\n\n  something &#8220;wrong.&#8221; In fact, most animals are given to shelters or rescue groups because of &#8220;people reasons,&#8221; not\n\n\n  because of anything they\u2019ve done. Things like a divorce, a move, lack of time, and financial constraints are among the most common\n\n\n  reasons pets lose their homes.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  In addition, all Delaware shelters examine and give vaccinations to animals when they arrive, and spay or neuter them before being\n\n\n  adopted. In addition to medical care, shelters also screen animals for specific temperaments and behaviors to make sure each family finds\n\n\n  the right pet for its lifestyle.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Unconditional Love\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  An adopted pet can enrich your life in ways both big and small. The unconditional love and loyalty of a dog or cat can lift depression,\n\n\n  ease loneliness, lower blood pressure, and give you a reason to get up in the morning. A kitty asleep in your lap feels warm and\n\n\n  comforting. A dog that loves to walk or run outdoors can be just the incentive you need to start exercising regularly. There are\n\n\n  countless benefits to pet ownership, and knowing you saved your furry companion makes the bond you share that much more meaningful.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Greater Choice\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  There are plenty of animals to choose from at most shelters. They come in every age, shape, size, coat color and breed mix, and you can\n\n\n  find purebreds at shelters as well. In fact, many breeds have their own rescue organizations, so if you\u2019re looking for a purebred,\n\n\n  make sure to check both your local shelter and breed rescue organization.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h3>\n\n\n  Shelter Pets Are a Bargain\n\n\n<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  For a low adoption fee, you can adopt an animal that would cost several hundred dollars through other means. The fee includes spay or\n\n\n  neuter surgery, worming and vaccinations. Many times it also includes microchipping and a certificate for a free health exam.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dog for Adoption\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive pull-right\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/dogadoption.jpg\">\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  Don\u2019t Support Cruel Puppy Mills and Other Irresponsible Breeding Operations\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  When someone buys a puppy or kitten online, from a pet store, or at an open-air market or through a newspaper ad, they may be unknowingly\n\n\n  supporting cruel practices that are motivated purely by profit. Puppy and Kitten Mills are commercial breeding facilities that\n\n\n  mass-produce dogs and cats for sale through pet stores, or directly to consumers through classified ads or the Internet. The animals are\n\n\n  subject to inhumane treatment, such as living their entire lives in squalid, overcrowded cages, over-breeding, and medical neglect. These\n\n\n  animals are often in ill health and have problems like poor socialization skills due to lack of human companionship and genetic defects\n\n\n  due to inbreeding.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<h4>\n\n\n  Learn more about Puppy Mills:\n\n\n<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aspca.org\/fight-cruelty\/puppy-mills\">The ASPCA page on Puppy Mills<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.humanesociety.org\/issues\/puppy_mills\/\">The Humane Society of the United States page on Puppy Mills<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Irresponsible animal breeders are also motivated by profit and are generally unknowledgeable about responsible breeding practices. These\n\n\n  breeders often do not screen for genetic defects, do not provide adequate veterinary care, and may overbreed animals for years\n\n\n  jeopardizing the animals\u2019 welfare.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  If you have checked your local animal shelters and rescues and do not find the right pet for your family, or if you choose to buy an\n\n\n  animal from a breeder, please find one where the animal\u2019s best interest is at the core of what they do.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Responsible animal breeders understand good animal husbandry practices and work hard to ensure the best care for their animals.\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n  Here are resources for finding a responsible breeder:\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/findresponsibledogbreeder.pdf\">The Humane Society of the United States Guide on Finding a Responsible Breeder<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n  <li>\n\n\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.humanesociety.org\/forms\/ask_responsible_breeder.html?credit=web_id301140040\">Ask a Responsible Breeder<\/a>\n\n\n  <\/li>\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"smalltext\">\n\n\n  <a href=\"oawhome.html\">Return to Office of Animal Welfare home page.<\/a>\n\n\n<\/p><br>\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n<p class=\"smalltext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Download Adobe Acrobat Reader\" height=\"21\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/dhss\/img\/getacro60.gif\" width=\"60\"><\/a> Please note: Some of the files available on this page are in Adobe PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.  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