Are you looking for the best place to adopt a pet in Detroit? We’ve got you covered! We’ll give you all the insider info you need to find your new furry best friend.
How do I adopt a pet in Detroit, MI?
If you want to adopt a pet in Detroit, there are some details you’ll want to know ahead of time. Before you begin your search to find your new dog or cat, make sure you understand the process, requirements, and fees of the animal shelter or rescue that you want to adopt from. Below is a list of the general guidelines for adopting from most shelters.
Age minimum to adopt. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to adopt a pet. Some shelters or rescues will even require adopters to be at least 21 or 25 years of age. You will also need to bring a valid driver’s license or ID and provide proof of your address. To find out the age requirements ahead of time, you can check the shelter’s website or call in before you arrive.
Fill out the online application. Most shelters will require you to fill out their online application before being considered eligible to adopt one of their pets. There’s usually basic contact information, questions about the type of pet you’re looking for, the type of home or other pets you have, and sometimes questions about your pet parenting style.
Cost of adoption fees. It costs quite a bit for these shelters and rescues to care for all of their animals. Not only do they feed and shelter them, but they’ll give your pup or cat medical care, vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, and sometimes they’ll even microchip the pet in case they go missing in the future. For pricing examples, check out the section below about pet adoption costs.
Have a “meet and greet.” Before adopting your new pet, you will typically do a “meet and greet” in person and spend a little time together. This will help you both see if you’re a good match for each other. It’s also helpful to bring your whole family along — spouse, children, and even the other pets you have — to see how everyone gets along.
Home visit. This is much rarer, but some animal rescues will require a home visit before you can adopt your new pet. This helps ensure that your family and home are suitable for taking care of your new cat or dog. Not only does this help to verify the safety and care of the pet, but it also helps prevent returning pets after adoption.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog in Detroit, MI?
Each animal shelter and rescue will have slightly different adoption fees based on their financial needs to care for these pets. Remember that these fees help pay for their building expenses, staffing, insurance, etc. But they also pay for your new cat or dog to have housing, food, toys, a clean space to play and sleep, medical care, vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, and sometimes a microchip — in case they get lost in the future.
Check out the examples below to get a general idea of what to expect. And always call ahead or check out the website of the location where you want to adopt from before arriving to confirm these rates have not changed. This way, you’ll know what you’re getting into before you fall in love with your next fur baby.
Detroit Dog Rescue
Puppies and adult dogs
Puppies (there is an additional $25 spay/neuter deposit): $300
Small adult dogs: $375
Medium and large adult dogs: $250
Senior dogs: $200
Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit
Puppies and adult dogs
Puppies (5 months and younger): $285
Adult dogs: $180
Adult lap dogs (under 20 lbs.): $285
Senior dogs: $110
“Lonely Heart” dogs: $85
“Heritage” dog: $410
“Lovables”: $110
Kittens and adult cats
Kittens (5 months and younger): $80-$100
Adult cats: $55-$75
Senior cats: $30
“Lonely Heart” cats: $25
Rebel Dogs Detroit
Puppies and adult dogs
Puppies: $325
Adult dogs: $275
Where is the best place to find pets in Detroit, MI?
There are numerous places to choose to adopt a pet from in Detroit, MI. Our list below is just a good starting point. But wherever you decide to adopt your new furbaby from, please make sure to do your research ahead of time.
Check out the adoption process, prices, and make sure they are a respectable and reputable organization that genuinely cares for the well-being of each and every individual animal that comes through their doors. Your purchase of a pet is your financial support for whichever organization you choose.
PetFinder.com
PetFinder.com is the perfect place to search online from the comfort of your home for all the adoptable pets in your surrounding area. You’ll be able to see cats and dogs from numerous animal shelters and rescues. And you’ll be able to filter through the available pets to find the type of cat or dog you’re looking for based on gender, breed, size, age, and whether or not they are good with children and other pets.
Detroit Dog Rescue
Detroit Dog Rescue is a nonprofit organization and is this city’s first no-kill shelter. Founded in 2011, they have always been known for taking Detroit’s homeless dogs and getting them ready through training and medical care to become someone’s new pet.
Their mission is to focus “on raising awareness of the mounting homeless and stray dog epidemic in Detroit, along with advocating for humane rescue alternatives such as no-kill sheltering, foster care and adoptions, pet identification and healthy pet population control through spay and neutering.”
Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit
Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring a healthy human-animal bond by rescuing and protecting homeless animals and finding them new adoptable homes. Their vision is to see “a community free of homeless and neglected pets.” And they are working toward this through saving 100% of healthy and treatable animals, providing high-quality animal care, providing educational programs, and promoting animal welfare legislation.
Michigan Humane Society
The Michigan Humane Society is one of the largest and oldest animal welfare organizations in the state. They rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome thousands of animals each year. Their dedicated staff and volunteers provide exceptional care to animals in need, ensuring they receive medical treatment, behavioral support, and love. What sets them apart is their wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, veterinary care, and pet adoption centers across Detroit. They also offer educational programs and community outreach initiatives to promote responsible pet ownership.Rebel Dogs Detroit
Rebel Dogs Detroit is a no-kill, nonprofit organization whose mission “is to aid the epidemic of stray dogs, through rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming.” They assist the surrounding community with resources needed for local pet parents to care for their dogs properly. This shelter uses innovative methods to help increase the quality of the relationship between pets and their pet parents to help end pet homelessness in Detroit.
Detroit Animal Care
Detroit Animal Care works hard to “maintain the highest standards of humane animal sheltering; to promote the placement of animals into homes; and to encourage responsible pet ownership through education, enforcement, and community partnership.” This is a government-owned and run organization. And at Detroit Animal Care, you can adopt a pet and license your new or existing pup, and they’ll even help you find a lost pet. They work hard to find good, loving homes for pets and keep the citizens of Detroit safe from pet aggression or the spread of pet diseases.
Adopt a pet in Detroit today!
There are tons of amazingly sweet cats and dogs who need a new loving, forever home to call their own. And that home could be yours! Now that you know what to expect and where to go let’s find your new furry best friend. And don’t worry; we’ll be here for you every step of the way.
At Local Pet Care, we’re here to help you not only find the best places to adopt but also the best dog-friendly restaurants in Detroit, the best dog parks in Detroit, and even to help you find the best local pet care professionals right in your own town. With all of these resources, you will be set up for pet-parenting success!
For more great articles about dog-friendly activities and pet-parenting advice, check out the Blog at LocalPetCare.com.
