Adoption Info & FAQs

Adopted dog with new family

Your choice to adopt a pet from The Animal Foundation will make a profound difference both to that pet and to the Las Vegas community.

In return, you’ll experience unconditional love, joy at the sound of your footsteps, and a friend and family member who will treasure every minute spent with you.

A mom and baby meet a new dog

You are about to make one of the best decisions of your life. Congratulations! We look forward to helping you find the perfect pet.

We have answers to all your questions about adopting a pet from our Las Vegas animal shelter. You can start your search to adopt a pet by viewing our online database, or better yet, come visit us today. We're open Tuesday through Sunday, 11am - 7pm. 

Adopters Welcome

Here at The Animal Foundation, our Adoptions Department approaches adopting our homeless pets in need with an open end approach philosophy inspired by the coined term 'Adopters Welcome' by The Humane Society of the United States. Some ways that The Animal Foundation embodies this philosophy is by removing outdated barriers for our community to adopt such as but not limited to:

  • No landlord checks/HOA checks
  • Apartment and condo friendly
  • No house checks

Adoption Counselors are educators first, and we strive to provide proper education on responsible pet ownership rather than turning away the uneducated. We strive to help place more pets in need into loving homes with Adopters Welcome by welcoming all members of our community and eliminating unnecessary barriers that deter adopters come into shelters to adopt.

While we strive for every interested adopter that comes into our organization to adopt, we still do implement our right to deny an adoption if after conversations are had, it does not seem the adoption would be best suitable for the pet and/or adopter and will attempt to find the best course of action applicable to turn around this decision if it is found in the best interest of the adopter/pet.

How to add a new pet to your family 

  • Visit https://animalfoundation.com/adopt-a-pet/adoption-search to browse adoptable animals to have an idea of what you are looking for when you arrive. An adoption counselor will work with you to help match you with an appropriate pet. 
  • Adoptions take place on a first-come, first-served basis for walk-in traffic, beginning at 11am each day.
  • When you arrive, you may browse the adoption area for a pet, or if you have an animal in mind, please note the animal ID# and you'll be able to speak with an adoption counselor.
  • Please note, patrons sometimes line up before we open to meet a pet, especially during adoption events. 
  • We do not place holds on pets.
  • Please do not bring your current pets with you to the shelter. We do not allow in-shelter dog-to-dog introductions. The shelter is a strange and stressful place for most pets and does not provide an accurate indication of how the animals will act in a home environment. The most successful dog-to-dog introductions are properly staged outside the shelter environment. We provide step-by-step instructions on how to properly introduce your new pet to resident pet(s).

Adoption FAQs

When you adopt, you’ll need:

  • Proof that you’re at least 18 years of age.
  • A picture ID with your current address, or if this isn’t available, a picture ID and a current utility bill.
  • A meeting with one of our pet adoption counselors.
  • The Animal Foundation Main Campus Adoption Center at 655 N. Mojave Road in Las Vegas.

More information on locations and hours.

Although it costs The Animal Foundation an average of over $300 to care for each adoptable pet, we work constantly to eliminate price barriers, so homeless animals can find a forever home. This is why we are committed to everyday low prices, so people don’t need to wait for a special promotion to adopt a pet.

Animal Adoption Fees

  • Puppies (under 6 mos. old) $200
  • Adult Large Dogs (6 mos. and older and weighing 30lbs or more) $50
  • Adult Small Dogs (6 mos. and older) $100
  • Kittens (under 6 mos. old) $75 or two for $100
  • Adult Cats (6 mos. and older) $25
  • Rabbits $25
  • Ferrets $75
  • Chickens and Ducks $5
  • Snakes $25 and up
  • Guinea Pigs $10
  • Hamsters, Rats, Gerbils $5

Adoption fees include spay and neuter surgery, all current vaccinations, and a microchip. Additionally, adopters at our campus Adoption Center will receive a transition bag of Hill’s Science Diet pet food (dogs and cats only), a coupon for $5 off Hill’s Science Diet, and a voucher for a complimentary wellness exam at a participating veterinary hospital partner.

Adopters of cats and dogs from The Animal Foundation are pre-certified for pet health insurance for their furry friends. Upon adoption, Companion Protect offers immediate coverage for those expensive surgeries, treatments and illnesses that may surprise a pet parent. The policy provides up to 90% coverage for eligible veterinary costs and includes free annual wellness exams at Vetwork Partners. The program helps prepare new pet parents with unexpected veterinary costs and ensures your pet has access to proper medical care.

Visit www.CompanionProtect.com to chat with a live agent and learn more.

A $10 pet license fee for pet adoptions applies for residents living in City of North Las Vegas and City of Las Vegas.

We offer discounts to seniors and to active military personnel, veterans, and first responders. Occasionally, we run pet adoption promotions.

Adopters 60 years and older can take $25 off the adoption fee of any cat or $50 off any dog. This adoption discount is valid year-round, and photo ID must be provided at the time of adoption. Licensing fees still apply where required.

We offer a 50% discount on adoption fees for all active military personnel, veterans, and first responders (police, EMT, paramedics, and firefighters). Your ID badge must be presented at time of adoption. This discount is only available to the military member, veteran or first responder, not to family members. Licensing fees still apply where required.

For all adoption discounts, adopters must meet qualifications to be eligible to adopt. Adoptions can and will be denied if an adopter cannot meet requirements or if placement is not in the best interest of the pet. Adoption discounts cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Multiple pet adoptions are subject to approval by the adoption manager/supervisor.


The adoption process takes about 45 minutes in most cases.


  • We will look up any information we may have on the animal you’ve chosen and help you interact with them.
  • After you and the animal have spent some time getting to know each other, we’ll start the adoption process.
  • We’ll verify your ID and proof of address (if different than your ID).
  • We’ll have a brief counseling session to learn more about your household, your lifestyle, and your ability to love and care for a pet.
  • We’ll answer any questions or concerns you may have.


That’s all there is to it. Let the loving begin!

If you are not sure about a permanent adoption, ask a counselor about our Trial Adoption program that lets potential adopters house a pet temporarily — generally over a two-week period – to see if that pet is a good fit with family members and even other pets. This program is designed to give potential adopters more time and experience with an animal before they make a lifetime commitment.

We’ll provide you with an initial supply of pet food along with all required vaccines and medical care (restrictions may apply) for your pet during the Trial Adoption period. You’ll be asked to provide other pet necessities such as collars, leashes, crates, food bowls and, most importantly, love and affection.

In most cases, yes. Pets that have already been spayed or neutered will go home with you the same day. If not, he or she will stay overnight, have their surgery and generally be available to go home the next day. If you know you are in the market for a pet, it is a good idea to have some things ready for your new pet such as bedding, food, bowls, and toys. That way, when you fall in love, you will be ready.

The Animal Foundation does not place a hold on specific pets. Adoptions for qualified applicants are on a first-come, first-served basis.

No. The shelter is a strange and stressful place for most pets and does not provide an accurate indication of how the animals will act in a home environment. The most successful dog-to-dog introductions are properly staged outside the shelter environment. We provide step-by-step instructions on how to properly introduce your new pet to resident pet(s).

In keeping with best practices within the animal welfare community, The Animal Foundation will only identify a breed if there is proof of registration from the American Kennel Club. Research has shown that sight-based identification of breeds is highly unreliable and can be misleading. Dogs and cats are as individual as people are. The best way to learn about the personality of an individual pet is to visit the shelter, spend time with the pet and ask one of our adoption counselors about the pet you are considering

  • We highly recommend you upload a photo of your new dog or cat (and any others you already have) to Finding Rover. Finding Rover is a free service that uses facial recognition software to help you find your lost dogs or cats. By registering your pet in the Finding Rover community, your pet becomes searchable by thousands of users if he or she is ever lost. The software will look for “found” matches in its database.
  • Keep the contact information associated with your pet’s microchip up to date.
    Keep recent photos of your pet, so you can find and use them quickly if he or she is ever lost.
  • If your pet does go missing, contact nearby animal shelters and veterinarian offices and post on social media. Post flyers in your neighborhood, where allowed.
  • For more helpful information, visit our Lost & Found page.

The Animal Foundation will take back any adopted pet if the adoption does not work out for any reason.

If you still have questions after viewing our FAQ section, for the quickest reply, please email our adoptions team at adoptions@animalfoundation.com. You can also call the adoptions department at 702-955-5901. 

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We're Here to Help!

Our Adoption Counselors are always here to help. If you have any questions or concerns after bringing your new pet home, please contact us at 702-955-5901 or email.

Send Us Your Happy Tails!

We love to hear from our adoption alumni! Tell us your pet's inspiring story as she or he went from homelessness to happiness! Use this Happy Tails form to send us your happy tail, along with photos and videos.

The Animal Foundation Logo

The Animal Foundation at 655 N. Mojave Road in Las Vegas is conveniently located off US-95 and Eastern. The Animal Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible in full or in part. Tax ID: 88-0144253. Contact us by phone or email using the contact information found here.

Hours of Operation

Adoptions Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 7pm
Lost & Found Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 7pm
Low-Cost Vaccine Clinic By Appointment Only
Spay & Neuter Temporarily Closed

DCDF logo inverse small.pngThe Animal Foundation is a proud recipient of funding from Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation.

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