Adoption Process

You may be surprised to find that adopting a pet is a more involved process than you had imagined. Our adoption process is the same for everyone and it is not our intent to frustrate you. Rather, everything we do is in the best interest of the pets in our care. Our goal is to give them the best possible chance of finding a permanent and loving home…and you the best match!

 Before you make the decision to adopt one of our animals, you will be interviewed and matched with your perfect pet. Our process includes questions about your living situation, pet history, your current pets, and the way in which the pet will be cared for. We’re not just being nosey! Some of our dogs and cats would be good with kids, or other pets, or appropriate for first-time pet owners. Others may have behavioral problems, be shy, have special needs, or may be more appropriate for an experienced pet owner. Some dogs are housetrained and others are not. The questions we ask enable us to better assist you with matching your needs and desires in a pet with the needs of our available pets. Remember, not all pets are suitable for all homes!

 Some pets will be the subject of multiple adoption applicants. There is no "first come, first served.” SADSAC will be the final decision maker on the best match for each pet. SADSAC does reserve the right to refuse adoption to anyone. We currently adopt only in Palm Beach County.

 Please note that many of our dogs do require a fenced yard, though there may be some who are appropriate for apartment living or circumstances where a fence may not be required. We may need to do a yard-check before you take the dog home to be sure the type of fence you have is appropriate for the dog you have chosen.

 Once the interview process is completed and you meet our requirements for adopting one of our rescues, an adoption counselor will show you the pets available for adoption.

The counselor will fill you in on the history and needs of the pet(s) you are interested in. You can ask your counselor any questions you might have concerning that pet or pet care in general—housetraining, obedience training, veterinary care, and anything else you can think of. The Petsmart store has a wonderful selection of supplies and one of our SADSAC volunteers will be happy to help you shop for the right items. Dog adopters should check out the great training also offered in the store.

When you pick out your pet you will be asked to fill out an adoption contract and pay the adoption fee. Our cats are from $82 (some with discounts) and our dogs are $150  if altered, or $150 plus a refundable $50 surgery deposit if they are awaiting  their spay or neuter. 

Again, we do not intend to frustrate you! Please understand that it is very stressful and upsetting—for the pet, for you, and for our volunteers—when adoptions don’t work out and the pet has to come back to us. Also, a bad adoption experience can sour some people on dogs or cats or even rescue animals for life. So try to bear with us and thank you for your patience.

Our adoption days are held at the Petsmart in Boynton Beach on Saturdays 10am-3pm and Sundays from 11am-3pm. Volunteers are also in the store daily, but the times vary with their personal work schedule (we are ALL VOLUNTEER and have no paid employees). If you have any questions you may call our voicemail at (561) 736-1313 and leave a message or email us at sadsacflorida@aol.com. Since we are an all volunteer rescue, it may be several days before you receive a response. Thank you for your interest!