Pets Alive WNY
Our Mission
Our mission is to promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of pets and people by taking in and placing homeless companion animals, encouraging and supporting spay/neuter, providing community outreach to ensure proper animal stewardship, and promoting rational and effective animal care and control policies at all levels of government.
Adoption Policy
Pets Alive WNY is committed to matching the right animal in the right household. We take a case-by-case approach to our placements. We do not deny applications based on yard size, fencing, age, home ownership or experience. We have many dogs and cats that would fit into apartment dwelling and some that need a fenced yard. Some of our animals require an experienced guardian, while others are perfect for a first time dog/cat enthusiast. Some of our animals make a perfect pet for a family with children, while others need a calmer adult only household. Our cat and dog adoption applications are geared toward personality matching to ensure that the right pet goes with the right family.
Dogs
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Our adoption process starts with a completed adoption survey, reference checks and for dogs might also include a home visit, at the discretion of the foster homes. Our home visit is to ensure our animals go to safe and loving homes and are not intended to intrude on your privacy. We have had cases where the address is bogus, the potential adopter is a hoarder, or there were signs of outdoor only animals, which is not what we desire for our adopted animals. It is also an interview process that helps us match the right animal in the right home.
Our adoption donations are based on the vetting costs the particular animal needs. Our standard dog adoption fees range from $400 for purebred dogs, $225 for mixed breed adult dogs, $400 for puppies 6 months and under with special adoption pricing for dogs over 7 and long term dogs. Puppies under the age of 16 weeks are also available as foster-to-adopts. Adopters pay an adoption hold fee of $200 when they take the puppy home. They take them to their scheduled spay/neuter appointment where they get altered, updated with vaccinations (including rabies) and microchipped at our cost. The adopter would then pay the balance of the adoption fee of $200 once that has been completed. This final process can be done digitally through our software system as we text the adopter the link to the adoption contract that they can sign on their smart phone and can pay the balance with a credit card right on their phone as well.
?Cats
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In order to make an appointment, you must first submit an application. Once approved, an adoption counselor will reach out to you via email in order to schedule a visit. The visit is meant to find the perfect match, and approval of the application does not guarantee that you will leave with the cat you applied for. You must be 21 years of age or older to adopt.
When visiting our adoption center, please plan to bring the following with you:
1. A valid Driver’s License or Proof of Identification
2. Landlord approval if you rent your residence
3. Form of payment for adoption fee (We accept cash, credit cards, or checks.)
4. A cat carrier
Cat Adoption Fees*:
Kittens (0-18 months): $175
Cattens (18 months-3 years): $125
Cats (3 year and older): $100
?Thank you for considering one of our adoptable animals and if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at adoptions@petsalivewny.org for dog inquiries and cats@petsalivewny.org for cat inquiries.
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*All our animals are vaccinated, neutered, on flea preventative and wormed prior to final adoption. Kittens under the age of 3 1/2 months are available for foster-to-adopt placements. That means they can go home with the adopter, but must return to Pets Alive WNY the evening before their scheduled spay/neuter surgery so they can be altered, microchipped and given any time appropriate vaccinations, all of which is included in the adoption fee. New York State Ag/Markets law requires us to hold a $50 spay/neuter deposit for any unaltered animal that leaves our care, but that can be in the form of a check that is held and returned uncashed when the adopter brings their kitten back for their spay/neuter surgery, which is included in the adoption fee.