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.

We think the animals available at the HSBC are the very best you can find anywhere.  But we sweeten the deal with our 30 Day Adoption Health Guarantee.  This original and unique program provides a complimentary first vet exam and 100% health care coverage for a wide variety of common illnesses in the first 30 days!  Click here to read more about the program. 

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 regular 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

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)

Cat and Dog Adoption fees include:

• HSBC's Thirty Day Adoption Health Guarantee.
• Spaying or Neutering (prior to adoption)
• Vaccinations (including current rabies vaccination) and de-worming medication
• Microchipping and chip registration
• 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!

Adopt-a-Critter

HSBC 30 Day Adoption Health Guarantee

Every cat and dog adopted at the Humane Society of Berks County's two adoption centers or at any satellite adoption center receives our exclusive 30 Day Adoption Health Guarantee.  This provides your pet complete coverage for a wide variety of common canine and feline illnesses.  Our goal is to provide you and your pet with the best possible health care and to avoid adoption returns due to rare but simple and treatable illnesses.  Please refer to complete details and limitation to this program below.

Program Details: Within the first 30 days after adoption, HSBC Animal Hospitals (click here to learn more about our Hospitals) will provide you a complimentary Overall Wellness Exam on your new pet. If one of illnesses below is diagnosed, HSBC Animal Hospitals will provide complimentary treatment, for the first 30 days following your adoption:

• Upper Respiratory Infections
• Infectious Tracheobronchitis (Kennel Cough)
• Diarrhea of Infectious Origin
• Vomiting of Infectious Origin
• Intestinal Parasites
• Common Skin Disorders
• Ear and Eye Infections
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Suture Removal (if required post-sterilization)

Diseases and conditions that are excluded: Congenital
and inherited diseases or conditions are not covered, nor are undiagnosed pre-existing conditions or conditions specified in an an adoption health waiver. No coverage for the treatment of FIP, Feline Leukemia, FIV, Parvovirus, Distemper or Hepatitis. No other animal in an owner’s house will be covered if they catch a disease from the new pet.

NOTE: You may also choose to use your own veterinarian.  A medical form listing vaccinations and worming is issued at the time of adoption. Your new pet may be required to see a veterinarian within 30 days of adoption. Your veterinarian will provide all services at your expense. Even if you have chosen to use your own vet, in the event of illnesses covered under the HSBC 30 Day Health Guarantee, you may still contact the HSBC to arrange care through our two animal hospitals.  The HSBC will not assume charges for any treatment of any condition, illness or emergency at any time by any other veterinarian.

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 for Berks residents)
• Cat Carrier or Dog Crate (a cat carrier is required)
• Small animal supplies

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.  Also, any cat or dog which has been up for adoption for eight weeks or more may be adopted at no charge through the FTAGH program!
• 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!).

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