Thank you for considering adoption of your next best friend from the Humane Society of Berks County. We have many wonderful pets who can't wait to join your family. When you adopt a pet from the Humane Society of Berks County, you are giving an animal a second chance at love. We hope you will encourage other people to consider adopting from their local animal shelter.

Please take a look at some of the wonderful animals we have for adoption. More come in every day, so please stop by and visit. Don't forget to consider less traditional friends, too. We regularly have a wide variety of small mammals, birds, reptiles, farm animals, and others available for adoption!

Willing to adopt an older pet?  The HSBC has an incentive for you!  Cats 11 years or older and dogs 8 years or older may now be adopted under our award winning Free To A Great Home Program!  The adoption is free and includes all of the same benefits as a regualr adoption.  All normal adoption requirements and screening also apply.   Click here for details on the award-winning Free To A Great Home program.  

To see photos of adoptable animals, choose a button below:

Dogs

Cats

Critters

Happy Adoption images by Willow Street Pictures. 

Click here for details.

Adoption Procedures & Prices

Dog Adoption Fees:

• Under one year of age: $125
• One year to seven years: $90
• Eight years and over: Free (Free To A Great Home program policies apply)

Cat Adoption Fees:

• Under one year of age: $75
• One year to ten years: $50.00
• Eleven years and over: Free (Free To A Great Home program policies apply)

Adoption fees include:

• Spaying or Neutering
• Vaccinations (including current rabies vaccination) and de-worming medication
• Microchip
• Free 4 lb Bag of Science Diet Pet Food.  Science Diet partners with HSBC to provide great nutrition for all the cats and dogs while at the shelter and to continue that great nutrition when the pet goes home with you!

Note: A medical form listing vaccinations and worming is issued at the time of adoption. Your new pet MUST see a veterinarian within 30 days of adoption. Your medical form MUST be returned to the Humane Society of Berks County. Your veterinarian will provide all services at your expense. 

If you choose to use the HSBC's veterinary services, your first physical exam is provided at no charge and your pet will receive the HSBC's Thirty Day Adoption Health Guarantee.  This covers the cost of treatment for a variety of simple post adoption illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, kennel cough and other illnesses.  Vaccinations, blood work and other testing and some procedures are billable. Adopters should discuss any additional fees with HSBC veterinarians before authorizing procedures.

In addition, for a low cost these additional services may be purchased at the time of adoption:

• Leash and Collar
• Current Dog License (required at adoption)
• Cat Carrier or Dog Crate (a cat carrier is required)
• Small animal supplies available

Adopt-a-Critter

If you have any questions regarding the HSBC's adoption process or guidelines, please contact the shelter at 610-921-2348 prior to beginning the adoption process.

Free To A Great Home Adoption Program

The Free To A Great Home emergency adoption program was introduced in the summer 2005 to provide an incentive to adopt adult cats facing euthanasia due to a lack of space during the crowded summer months.  The program was a runaway success, completely eliminating euthanasia among cats for space (resulting in hundreds fewer cats being put to sleep each year).  It also led to record adoptions among both cats and dogs thanks to the press coverage and public attention the program received, as well as the first decrease in the rate of euthanasia in our shelter's history.  It also received a Best Industry Practice for Adoption Programs Award from the American Humane Association in 2006.

The program's success in getting harder to adopt older animals into new homes has led the HSBC to apply the program to older cats and dogs year round!  After two years of seasonal application of the program, we have found that adoptions through this program are by far our most successful with the fewest post adoption problems reported and the fewest adoption returns.

How the program works:

• Interested adopters go through the normal adoption screening process.
• If approved for adoption, any dog eight years and over and any cat eleven years and over are adopted at no charge.
• Adopters receive all the same benefits and responsibilities as regular adopters.

The HSBC hopes that this expanded program will help even more older pets get the homes that they need and make room in our shelter for even more younger animals!  Consider an older pooch or kitty (maybe get a puppy or kitten while you are at it!).

These and many other of our Happy Adoption images are courtesy of our good friends at Willow Street Pictures.  Please consider visiting their fantastic web site to see more of their art!  Click here or below.

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