Adoption Fees

Adoption fees help us provide loving care to our resident animals. Your adopted animal comes with the following:

Spayed or neutered
Up-to-date on vaccinations
Microchipped pet identification
Pre-adoption behavioral assessment
A Free vet exam from the VT Veterinary Medical Association
Thirty days of pet health insurance
A bag of Hill's Science Diet food. (WCHS animals are fed Hill's through their shelter donation program)
Engraved pet ID tag

Kittens (under 6 months): $125

Cats 6 months to 5 years old : $100

Cats over 5 years old: By donation - you choose the adoption fee! (average is $25-50)

Puppies (under 6 months): $300

Adult dogs (over 6 months)

Local adult dogs: $200
Small breed* and transport* adult dogs: $250

Senior dogs (over 8 years)

Local senior dogs: $100
Tranpsort senior dogs: $125

Ferrets: $50

Rabbits (includes spay/neuter): $50

Guinea Pigs: $20

Gerbils & Hamsters: $10

Mice and Rats: $5

That "free" kitten or puppy in the paper is likely to cost you anywhere from $500 to $1,000 on your first vet visit!

*small breed: under 25 lbs

*transport dogs: are from high need areas such as the southern U.S.

Putting a pet “on hold”

Approved adopters may place a "hold" on an animal available for adoption, that they have met in person, for up to 2 business days for a fee of $25.00. The hold fee will be applied to the adoption fee. If an adopter decides not to adopt that animal, the hold fee is kept as a donation.

Pre-adopting a pet

While animals may be adopted only after they have been spayed/neutered, you may "pre-adopt" an animal that has not yet had his/her surgery. The animal remains the property of the WCHS until it has been spayed/neutered, at which point the actual adoption is completed. The $50.00 pre-adoption fee is applied to the adoption fee. 

Pet of the Week

Our Pet of the Week is offered at half his/her regular adoption fee