Best Places to Adopt a Pet in Elk Grove

So you’ve decided it is time to add a new best friend to your family. First of all, congrats! Secondly, now there are a few decisions you will need to make, starting with where to find a new pet. Let’s take a look at the top 5 places to adopt a pet in Elk Grove.

 1.  Elk Grove Animal Services:  Elk Grove Animal Services is committed to providing exceptional service to all of our community members: canine, feline, human and more! They are here to ensure that all animals within the community are treated humanely by way of a variety of services and programs.  Here is their adoption process:

• Browse their adoptable pets on their website, or at egas.petfinder.com or adoptapet.com
• If you see a pet you would like to adopt, call them at (916) 687-3042 and press 3 to leave a voicemail in their Adoption Interest Inbox. You must leave your name, phone number, and the Animal ID number of the animal you are interested in to be placed on that animal’s interested party list. Please note this is not a guarantee you will receive a call back since some animals are extremely popular and may generate dozens of voicemails.
• If/when you become first on the interested party list, a member of their adoption team will call you to provide an over-the-phone adoption consultation. If it seems like a good fit, they will schedule you to come to the shelter for an adoption* appointment.

2.  Sacramento SPCA:  The SSPCA has been helping pets since 1892!  They provide adoption services, low-cost vaccinations as well as low-cost spay & neuter services.  In 2019, they adopted 3961 animals.  They offer dogs, cats, and adoptable small animals such as rabbits.  Here is their adoption process:

• If you see an animal you would like to meet, you can schedule a same-day appointment by clicking the appointment link.
• New appointment times to meet adoptable animals will be posted daily at 9:00AM and tend to fill up quickly. Please check back often for openings in the schedule due to cancellations.
• Animals are available for adoption on a first-come, first-served basis. Please check the website before you arrive for your appointment to be sure the animal you are interested in is still available. If the animal has already been adopted (removed from the website) and you do not wish to meet with a different animal, please cancel your appointment.
• Upon arrival, the shelter staff will let you know what animals are available and any special considerations the animal might have.
• Once you have finished a counsel and an animal meet-and-greet, you will be able to take your new furry friend home! 

3.  Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter:  The Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter is one of Northern California’s largest shelters. More than 14,000 animals enter their care and protection each year coming to in as strays, abandoned, owner-surrenders, confiscations from cruelty and neglect, and others requiring protective custody. Their goal with each is to provide loving shelter, extensive medical care as needed, and second chances for a better life. Comprised of committed and compassionate staff and volunteers, they work as a team, building better communities for animals and people through action and education.  Their adoption process:

• View Adoptable Pets Online: View the list of available pets online. Carefully consider if the pet is the right size, temperament, and suitable for your household. Consider daily care, home environment needs, training, routine veterinary care and vaccines, annual licensing fees, and other pets at home. Check with landlords and homeowner associations to determine whether having a pet is possible or if there are pet guidelines and requirements.​ Select up to 3 pets to visit by writing down their associated Animal ID Number (ex. A123456), which is mandatory to schedule your appointment over-the-phone. Adoptions are available on a first-come, first-service basis. If you selected a pet younger than 3 years of age, please select two more pets to visit and write down their Animal ID Numbers.​​ 
• Schedule Your Appointment: Call (916) 875-2287 between 9:30 am – 3:30 pm (except Mondays and ​holidays)​ to schedule your adoption appointment.  Provide the Animal ID Number(s) and your contact information to the shelter representative. 
• Visit The Pets: Face coverings and social distancing are required. During your visit, spend some time and get acquainted with the pet. It is strongly suggested that you bring your children and other household members with you to ensure a good match.
• Adoption Counseling:  Fill out an adoption application (dog and cat). When the form​ is complete, return it to the Adoption Desk for processing. Speak with one of our adoption counselors to process paperwork, and proceed to the Payment Desk. Adoption fees may vary depending on the type of pet and any additional services you may request. Licensing fees are required and vary by your home address. City residents should receive a bill in the mail and all licensing fees must be renewed annually​. Review Adoption & Licensing Fees
• Spay/Neuter Surgery, Then Bring Your New Pet Home! If the pet is already altered, you may take your pet home immediately! If not altered, the spay/neuter surgery will be performed before your new pet goes home and generally takes only one business day.

4.  City of Sacramento: The Front Street Animal Shelter does far more than care for lost and abandoned animals in our community. They provide a variety of services that protect both citizens and animals, including:

• Transporting sick or injured stray animals that were picked up by the animal services officers to the emergency vet
• Rescuing animals locked inside hot vehicles and from abusive, cruel, or negligent conditions
• Assisting stray dogs, whether they are friendly or aggressive, that roam freely on the street, on public property, or at a citizen’s residence
• Administering a rabies control program
• Helping citizens resolve nuisance problems, such as dogs barking excessively and dogs defecating or urinating on other people’s property
• Investigating dog and cat bite complaints
• Assisting other agencies such as the County of Sacramento Animal Care and Regulation, the Sacramento SPCA, the police department, the fire department, and the California Highway Patrol
• Educating pet owners on the importance of spaying or neutering their dogs and cats

In partnership with the community, they keep lost pets safe so that they can hopefully be reunited with their owner or adopted into a new family.  Please visit their website for information on how to adopt a pet from them.  

5.  Lapcats (cats only):  Lapcats was founded in April 2005 by two Sacramento County Shelter volunteers. Their mission is to provide support and resources to animal shelters by reaching a broader community rescuing, rehabilitating, fostering, showcasing, and adopting shelter cats at off-site venues.  Here is their adoption process:

1. Fill out an online application. 
2. They will review your application and determine if you are the right fit for the cat(s) you are interested in. They try to screen all applications within 3 days, if you have not heard from them, please contact them at [email protected]

If you can’t find a pet at any of the places listed above, additional rescues can be found at Petfinder.com.

Once you bring your new furry friend home, be sure to contact Karla’s Pet Care, LLC for any pet sitting or dog walking needs you might have and ENJOY your new best friend!