No, you do not need to own your own home to adopt (renters are welcome!), however, the homeowner does need to be okay with a new pet entering into the home. We may need a copy of your lease that states you are allowed to have pets and may require a letter from your landlord in certain cases.

Certainly not! We welcome out-of-county and out-of-state adoptions but we may need to contact your local animal shelter prior to adoption approval.

Generally, no – we do not require homes have a fenced in yard. However, in some cases a fenced-in yard may be required for a particular dog in order to meet specific behavioral, medical or energy needs (for example, a blind dog), and ensure their safety and happiness. Every dog and home is evaluated individually to make a perfect match.

Yes. We actually require that you bring in your dog so that the dogs can meet and so that our trained Animal Care Associates can observe the dogs’ behavior to make sure they will make happy siblings.

We highly encourage all family members to meet the new potential pet, cat or dog, since they are about to become a member of the family too! This is to ensure everyone feels comfortable with the new addition and can receive expert counseling from our trained associates. Some cases may require that all members of the household be present to adopt a particular pet – based upon that particular pet’s medical or behavioral needs. If all members of the household unable to come in, take some time to talk to a customer care associate to determine what your next best steps should be!

We disclose everything we know about the pet before you adopt and include all of that information in your adoption folder for you to bring home. We want every adoption to be successful, so please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with your adopted pet if you are experiencing an issue or are in need of help. We have feline and canine behavior experts to help with any behavioral issues as well as skilled veterinarians and veterinary technicians who can offer advice about what to do with medical problems. If you are experiencing a problem, we want to help you fix it!

Homeless animals can contract common illnesses like internal and external parasites and respiratory infections. Even pets from breeders contract these same illnesses.

At Providence Animal Center, we do our best to diagnose and treat medical issues as they become apparent; however, due to varying incubation periods, it is not uncommon for a newly adopted pet to need follow up-care for illnesses that were not apparent during their stay in our Center. We are here to support you by offering low-cost post-adoption medical care options.

With your adoption, you are entitled to a few post-adoption vet care options. For a small fee of $25 you can use our internal service through the Adoptions Health Department up to 10 days after adoption. This includes the exam and medications needed for issues like kennel cough, incision issues and parasites.

You can also go to any VCA Animal Hospital up to 14 days after adoption and get a free exam and up to $250 of any needed treatments. Any costs after that are your responsibility.

Another option is to use your 30-day free wellness check-up at a participating veterinarian. This information is provided in your Adoption Folder. If it’s recommended your pet be started on medication or need hospitalization, please have your veterinarian fax the medical records and any recommended prescriptions to 610- 565-1176 ATTN: Adoption Health Department. Please also call 610-566-4575 x228 to let us know we should expect this fax. We are unable to reimburse for any costs you may incur at a veterinary practice; however, we can fill prescribed medication at a low or no fee within 30 days of adoption and, in certain cases when necessary, we may be able to perform in-patient hospitalization at our facility.

In your Adoption Folder, you will find a list of participating veterinarians in our community that offer a no-cost wellness check-up for pets adopted from Providence Animal Center. This should be used within 30 days of adoption, and you should bring with you your pets’ medical history that was provided to you at the time of adoption. Please keep in mind that just the exam itself is free. Your veterinarian may suggest additional vaccinations, internal and external parasite treatment/prevention, medications, or other care, be purchased during that visit. Providence Animal Center cannot reimburse for any costs you may incur at an outside veterinarian. If it is recommended your pet be started on medication for parasites, a respiratory infection or needs hospitalization, please have your veterinarian fax the medical records and any recommended prescriptions to 610-565-1176 ATTN: Adoption Health Department. Please also call 610-566-4575 x228. Providence Animal Center can fill prescribed medication at a low or no fee within 30 days of adoption and in certain cases may be able to perform in-patient hospitalization at our facility.

You can also go to any VCA Animal Hospital up to 14 days after adoption and get a free exam and up to $250 of any needed treatments. Any costs after that are your responsibility.

The Providence Animal Center Animal and Customer Care Associates go to great lengths so that this does not happen as it is very traumatic for the pet to return to the shelter. If you're having problems with your adopted pet, we request you to call one of our Customer Care Associates at 610-566-4575 x0 to see if we can help with any concerns or questions. We have canine and feline behavior experts on staff for behavioral questions and a veterinary department for medical issues.

Animals that are listed as “foster” are also available for adoption. The word “foster” next to the animal’s name designates an animal that is temporarily staying in a private residence with a foster family, out of the Adoption Center. Adoption requirements are the same for foster animals as for animals in residence at the Adoption Center, the only difference being that foster animals require the potential adopter to meet them via the foster family. Each individual foster pet's bio will have instructions about how you can set up a meeting with him/her.