Looking for some sound advise on your new adoption? Check this free book out to give you some great tips on how to start your new adoption on the right foot, or paw.

Thank you for considering a Shelter pet! Every year, the Sauk County Humane Society (SCHS) shelters over 1,600 homeless, abandoned, or stray pets.

At the Sauk County Humane Society, we want the best for the animals we adopt out-and we want the best for you as an adopter! With that in mind, we do not adopt on a first come, first served basis. If we predict bad situations for the pets or the people, adoption privileges can be refused.

But, with that said, SCHS recognizes that all sorts of situations work well for both pets and people. We make the adoption process easy, fun, and positive. We want you to adopt from us and become a loyal supporter and member of SCHS. Adopting a homeless pet can be a wonderful way to do a good thing, and get a new friend for life!

YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAKING A POSITIVE ADOPTION! PLEASE FOLLOW THESE SUGGESTIONS!

Fill out your Adoption Application!

SCHS holds applications "open" for 6 months.

Below you will find a link to our Adoption Application.

We allow "same day" adoptions - if one's application is approved!

Here's the process for making a "same day" adoption:
1) Fill out our adoption application. (See link below.)
2) Print it off, and fill it out legibly and accurately.
3) Mail the completed application to us at SCHS, 618 HWY 136, Baraboo, WI 53913, fax it to us at 608-356-2519, or drop it off at the Shelter during our Open Hours.
4) Give us time to receive your application and confirm your information. Before coming, please call us at 608-356-2520 to make sure we received your information and have had time to process your application.
5) After you know that your application has been approved, come meet the pet of your dreams, and take it home with you that very day!

Do Your Homework!

Think long and hard before adopting a pet. Ask yourself questions like:

-What pet will be right for our family?
-Are we willing to handle the demands of a pet?
-Can we afford a pet at this time?

Still want to adopt? Great! Then do a little homework to make sure that you will have a great adoption experience.

Study how to select and train an appropriate pet for you!
Book stores and pet stores have lots of books, dvd's, and audiotapes available for purchase on these topics. Or save money by using your local library system's resources. Learn how to select the right pet and how to train it once you own it.

Also, most of us have friends or family who know a lot about dogs and/or cats. Ask for their advice about how to introduce your new pet to the family.

Find a pet professional!

If you're adopting a dog, enroll immediately in a puppy and/or dog obedience class. All dogs need training, and having a trainer lined up will help you avoid problems.

Pick a veterinarian.

It is important to have an appointment with a veterinarian the first day you take your new family member home with you.
Remember, any pet can get sick, so you need to be prepared for vet costs!
When adopting through SCHS, you have the option of activating ShelterCare Pet insurance. If interested, ask for details about this program when adopting and check with your vet to see if he/she accepts that sort of insurance. Also, we recommend you keep your new pet separate from any current pets for a week or two, to minimize them "sharing" illnesses!

Be prepared!

Before your new pet comes home:
-Purchase necessary equipment like dog crates, brushes, gates, food, and litter boxes.
-"Pet proof" your home by putting away poisons and valuables, selecting a good place for a litter box; etc.
-Have an "introduction plan". Keep things calm, and have a plan for introducing old pets to the new pet. This can prevent problems later, like illness and behavior issues. We recommend keeping old and new pets seperate for a quarantine period.
Most Important:Learn (from a professional trainer, library resources, etc) the best way to introduce a new pet to family members, especially young children. Carefully watch all early interactions, to detect signs of anger or fear in the new pet toward a child.
-Select a verterinarian before adopting, and make an appointment for the very day you adopt or very soon after.
-Make arrangements for your pet during your absences:
1. Do you have a good fenced yard?
2. Do you have a crate and knowledge to crate-train your new dog?
3. Do you have one, or even two, litter boxes set-up for your new cat?

While adopting, take your time and ask the Shelter staff for advice.

Don't rush into adopting. Our staff will be glad to tell you what they know about each individual animal. But please understand that since most of our animals are strays we often know very little about their pasts.

BEWARE
There is no such thing as a free pet.
There are lots of things to consider when bringing a new animal into your home.
1. Can I afford to buy a crate, and if necessary pay for training?
2. Can I provide my new companion with the exercise and stimulation they will require?
3. Can I afford the basic medical care required for my pet to be safe and comfortable? Is it spayed or neutered? Have I looked into what is required and what it will cost? How do I go about getting my pet licensed with the city?
4. Have I considered what I will do in the event that my animal requires more extensive and expensive medical care?
5. Can I afford proper food for my pet?
6. Do I have a lifestyle that will be a good fit for a pet?
7. Can I provide my pet with a safe home environment?

Companion animals rely on their humans to provide for their needs-health, food, shelter, entertainment.
and affection. When you take on a new pet, it is a MAJOR commitment. Are you ready?

The mission of the Sauk County Humane Society is to prevent suffering and be part of the homeless pet solution. It takes many dedicated individuals working together to make things better and here at the shelter that is what is happening, a group of individuals who want to make a change are doing just that.
We wish you a happy adoption. In order to make this possible, we want you to be informed. Owning a companion animal is a huge responsibility, and we want adopters who can provide love, proper housing, training, nutrition and veterinary care. Owning an animal is also expensive-don't let anyone tell you differently. Our pets are totally dependent upon us for all their needs and this is a large responsibility to undertake. Click the following link to see estimated yearly expenses for different types of pets. The shelter is in the business of helping homeless animals; therefore getting people to spay and neuter their pets is a primary goal. By spaying and/or neutering your pet today you becoming a part of the homeless pet solution. Spay and neuter your pets, it is a major component of responsible pet ownership. Click here to view a video on spaying and neutering from your cats perspective. Link to Camden spay neuter video
When it comes to animals it is also important to know your limitations as to the number of animals you can care for. Each city has limits as to the number of pets a person can legally own, they do this because many people that lo9ve animals want to save them all. The next thing they know they have too many and can not possibly care for them. In this situation everyone loses and the shelter gets many animals due to people hoarding large numbers of them on their property.
Last, but not least, know the law-just as there are limits to the number of pets a person can own, there are also licensing laws. Depending on where you live, your city treasurer can help you determine how much a license dog license costs and what is involved in attaining one. Typically the cost is cheaper if your animal (s) spayed or neutered.
As a pet owner you are also responsible to keep your animal properly contained. Should your animal escape, animal control will typically be called to pick up your pet. If this happens, it is vital that your pet have its vaccinations and be registered. The first time your pet is found roaming, it will be secured at the shelter until you come in and redeem it. It is expensive to hire people to pick up and clean up after stray animals, and therefore there is a fee to redeem them. We want your animals safe and at home where it belongs, so the first redemption charge is $ . If your animal comes in a second time as a stray the cost to redeem it goes up significantly. Your redemption cost also range according to whether they are spayed or neutered.
So, if you are still reading this, you are ready to take the plunge! You have done your research and have honestly assessed your situation, having a companion animal can is extremely rewarding. If you are interested in adopting and have done your homework, the next step is to complete an adoption application. Once approved, your application is good for 6 months. When you find an animal you are interested in, come in and interact with it-the more times the better. Please consult with the staff and our volunteers; we will work with you to find a pet that suits your lifestyle. Once you have determined the pet you woud like to adopt, set-up an appointment to come in and pick up your new family member. At this time you will be given all your pets paperwork and have a chance to talk to a staff member about making the adopting transition smooth for you and your pet.
It is a good idea to think about what will and will not be acceptable behavior in your home so you and your new pet can establish the rules right from the start, much easier than to work backwards. Remember, our relationship does not end when you walk out the door. Once you adopt from us you are part of the SCHS and we are here for you. If you have any questions or concerns, PLEASE feel free to call and talk to one of our adoption advisors. These individuals are meant to be your safety net when you get home and to help trouble shoot should you have any problems. You will receive a call from us after the first week to check in on your new pet’s transition, but if you have questions prior to this -contact us.

Fabulous Foster Families
Perhaps you have noticed if you have looked at any of our pet finder animals that many of them have been in foster care prior to going up for adoption. For the health and well-being of our young animals, we do not adopt kittens until they are 12 weeks of age and puppies until they are 8-10 weeks of age. Why, you may ask, they are so cute. Yes, they are cute, but they are also very vulnerable. When we have youngsters in this age category people naturally tend to gravitate to them. The problem is they are not little toys; they do not have much as far as immunity until they have had a series of vaccinations and they can become ill very quickly.
When we get babies that are very young the shelter is the last place we want them, so we get them into foster care as soon as possible. Once they return from foster care and have had their initial shots, we make every attempt to get them into new homes as quickly as possible.
If you are interested in becoming a foster family we would love to have you join us. Spring is a time when we desperately need temporary homes for young animals or animals in need of respite care due to injury or minor illness. Providing a foster home can be a very rewarding experience, to get started simply fill out a foster application. Once we receive your application you will be contacted and asked to come in for an orientation. Once you complete your orientation, you will then be contacted as needed to foster.