Adoption Procedures

Grand Strand Humane Society has now transitioned to appointment based adoptions for dogs and we now require that all potential adopters submit an online application through our website as the first step towards being approved for an adoption. The online applications will be processed faster and allow us to gather important information in advance. To find out about procedures for cat adoptions please read the instructions under the heading “What to Expect if You’re Looking for a Dog or a Cat” .

Applications will typically be reviewed the day after it was received. When there are multiple applications for the same animal, they will be reviewed in the order in which they were received. Please do not submit more than 1 application if you have not heard back from us right away.  Due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we can no longer respond to duplicate applications, messages or questions sent through Petfinder profiles or messages about adoptable animals sent to us via Facebook Messenger. These messages will no longer receive a reply. Submitting the online application is the only way we are able to respond. 

After your application has been reviewed you will receive a phone call from our adoption counselor. If you have been approved to adopt, the adoption counselor will schedule an appointment for you to come in and meet some of our amazing animals and finalize an adoption. The counselor may also have follow up questions or need clarification on something in order to move forward with your application. The decision to adopt is an important one for you and the animal you select. The adoption process is designed to place you with the most compatible animal for your lifestyle.

We encourage you to view some of our available animals on www.petfinder.com, however these are not all of the animals we have available. Our application will allow you to tell us more about the kind of animal you are looking for if you don’t see one on our Petfinder page. In this case, be very specific about the kind of pet you are looking for and if it is a dog please tell us if you are looking for a small, medium or large dog.  Our counselors will help you in finding the right fit for your family based on your application and conversations. If you see an animal on our Petfinder page that is listed as being in a foster home please mention this on your application along with its name. Once your application has been reviewed and approved we will set up a meet and greet with the foster animal at the shelter.

If you are interested in adopting a cat you can either fill out the online application and then visit us at our location at Tanger Outlets on Hwy. 501 to meet with our adoption counselor or fill out the application in person at this same location. Once you have been approved you will be able to  look at and visit with our available cats. Once you find the right fit for your home the adoption counselor will finalize the adoption with you. In the summer of 2023 we changed our adoption procedures for those wishing to adopt a kitten. When there are no other cats already in the home and someone wants to adopt a kitten under 6 months old we now require that 2 kittens are adopted together. There are many reasons for this decision that you can discuss with the adoption counselor but the biggest is that 2 kittens are more likely to keep each other in check when it comes to behavioral issues. If there is or are other cats already in the home we will allow kittens under 6 months old to be adopted as a single.

If you are interested in adopting a dog you will need to fill out the online adoption application. Once it’s approved you’ll receive a phonecall from the adoption counselor to schedule an appointment to meet with them at our shelter on Mr. Joe White Ave. We cannot allow potential adopters to walk through our kennels unattended to look at dogs any longer but our counselor will work with you to find the right fit. During your appointment, the counselor will introduce you to up to 4 dogs that they think will be a good fit based on conversations you have had and your application. If you do not find the right fit during your first appointment, the counselor will schedule another appointment for you within the next 30 days. Approved applications are valid for 30 days.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we kindly ask for 24 hours notice in order for your application to remain valid. Should there be 2 no-shows for an appointment, without 24 hours notice, we will be unable to move forward with your application.

In the summer of 2023 we changed our adoption procedures for those wishing to adopt a kitten. When there are no other cats already in the home and someone wants to adopt a kitten under 6 months old we now require that 2 kittens are adopted together. There are many reasons for this decision that you can discuss with the adoption counselor but here are the most important.

1. One kitten can become lonely and bored
2. Two kittens will help keep each other entertained
3. Having two kittens is very amusing to watch
4. With a buddy, they’ll have fewer behavioral issues
5. You’ll save two lives, instead of one

The adoption application can be viewed and COMPLETED ONLINE HERE. This application allows us to gain more information about you and to make sure you have chosen an animal that is best suited to your lifestyle and living arrangement.

Once you find an animal you are interested in you will be able to spend some time getting to know it and making sure there is the right connection and bond you are looking for. Selecting a family pet is a very personal choice and cannot be conducted based upon viewing a picture or having a phone conversation.  Our adoption counselor will assist with any questions that you may have.

Requirements For Adoption Approval:

● You must be 21 years or older to adopt

● You must have a proper form of picture identification

● You must be prepared to pay an adoption fee

If you rent, provide the name and contact information for your Landlord or Management company, fill out a Landlord Agreement and present us with a copy of your lease agreement. It is important to note that if you rent and do not own your home you will be required to fill out a landlord agreement before we can go forward with the adoption process.

If you currently have pets in your home we will ask for your veterinary records or the name of your previous veterinarian if you have had pets in the recent past.

Depending on the type of animal you are adopting, we may require additional information or a house visit. We do not require a fenced in yard in order to be able to adopt a dog. This is handled on a case by case basis and there could be situations when a fenced in yard is required. You will discuss this with our Adoption Counselor at the time of your application appointment. There could be times when we may ask to visit the home in order to ensure it is a safe environment.

If you have a dog or dogs already in your home we will require that you bring your current animals to the shelter for a meet & greet to ensure they get along with the pet you are considering adopting. This will be set up with the adoption counselor in advance and may require more that one meeting with the dog you are interested in adopting. We will need at least 24 hours to do a cat test for any dog you are interested in adopting.

Adoptions are at the shelter’s discretion and filling out an application does not mean you are approved nor does it guarantee you will be approved for an adoption. GSHS reserves the right to deny any application.

Please understand that we cannot:

• Guarantee the health of our animals because most of them come to us as strays.
• Guarantee their training or if they are housebroken.
• Guarantee the temperament/ personality of any animal.

Next, you will fill out the adoption contract. This is the binding contract for the adoption of the animal you have chosen. You will also pay the adoption fee and get your adoption information packet.

If you are adopting a cat or kitten we will require they go home with you in a secure, locking plastic or metal carrier.

We take in a lot of stray animals that are not necessarily spayed or neutered yet and may have Heartworm disease. If the animal is already spayed or neutered and current on all of their shots, they may be able to leave with you immediately. If the animal needs to be spayed or neutered, we will work with you to schedule your new pet for the next available surgery day. You will be able to pick up your animal at the indicated time on the day it has surgery.

If the dog you would like to adopt has heartworm disease we will provide the treatments for this. Treatments require multiple, early-morning visits so non-local potential adopters will need to make sure they are available for the treatment schedule.

The Adoption Fee Includes:

• Spay/ Neuter Surgery as required by South Carolina 47-3-480
• Applicable core vaccines
• Heartworm testing for dogs and heartworm preventative during their time with GSHS
• Feline Leukemia/FIV testing for cats
• Microchip and first year membership with 24hr. Pet Watch
• Medical Records
• Topical Flea Preventative