Adoption Info

Thank you for choosing to adopt your new family member from the SPCA Serving Erie County!

We are committed to finding loving and responsible homes for our animals. Our adoption process aims to ensure the well-being and happiness of both the animals and their adoptive families. We strive to find the best match for all adopters who walk through our doors by being open-minded and setting biases aside.

Prospective adopters must obtain a guest pass by undergoing a private, verbal interview with an adoption counselor. This interview helps us understand your lifestyle, preferences, and the type of pet you are looking for. Once you have a guest pass, you can meet with the animal you are interested in.

Prospective adopters must:

-Be 18 years of age or older.
-Show proof of current address.
-Provide photo identification

Adoption counselors and volunteers are available to assist you in learning more about the animals awaiting adoption and which species/breed might fit best into your lifestyle.

Once you have found your perfect match, you must sign an adoption contract outlining your responsibilities as a pet owner and our commitment to providing support and guidance post-adoption. An adoption fee is required to help cover the costs of spaying/neutering, microchipping, and other medical expenses incurred by the animal while in our care. The fee may vary depending on the age, species, and medical history of the animal. We do not offer refunds for returned animals.

Our animals are waiting for your visit! Please stop by our Adoption Center located at 300 Harlem Road, West Seneca, NY 14224 on the following days/times:

Adoption Hours
Monday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
(final adoption guest passes issued at 5 p.m.)

Sunday: Closed (but you can still adopt at one of our off-site locations >> )

-A general physical exam for all animals given by a member of the SPCA’s veterinary services staff
-Spay/neuter surgery for dogs, cats, rabbits, and domestic male rats
-Age-appropriate vaccinations, including bordetella
-Initial deworming
-Seasonally, a dose of flea control medicine
-Feline leukemia test (cats)
-Microchip for dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets
-Temporary identification tag for dogs and cats
-Certificate for your new pet’s first physical examination at the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society’s veterinarian of your choice
-Three weeks’ email access to the SPCA’s Behavior and Training Department
-Free bag of Purina dog or cat food (while supplies last)

-Cats 7 and older for people 50 and older: Fee waived as part of the SPCA’s Golden Ears program
-All Shadow Cats, regardless of age: Fee waived
-Most cats 5 and older: $50
-Most cats/kittens 21 weeks – 5 years: $120
-Most kittens 20 weeks and younger: $200
-Dogs 10 years and older: $100
-Most dogs 7 years up to 10 years: $200
-Most dogs 1 year up to 7 years: $250
-Most dogs/puppies 21 weeks up to 1 year: $400
-Most puppies 20 weeks and younger: $450
-Special prices in effect for particular dogs of a certain size: $200-$500
-Ferrets: $100
-Rabbits: $60
-Guinea Pigs: $25
-Domestic rats: $15
-Gerbils/hamsters/domestic mice: $5
-Small animals, exotics, farm animals, and others: various prices depending on animal

Our West Seneca shelter accepts Mastercard, Visa, Discover, or cash. No personal checks will be accepted.

Offsite SPCA adoption locations accept cash only.

In addition to method of payment, photo ID is required, and proof of your current address, the address at which the animal will be living. All dogs must leave with a leash, along with either a collar or a recommended harness. All cats must leave in an appropriate cat carrier. Don’t have these items? Don’t worry! We carry many of them in the Petique, located right inside our Adoptions lobby!

Also: BRING YOUR TIME & PATIENCE! You’ll want to have plenty of free time to spend with your potential pet! Any proper adoption process takes time and patience…a rushed adoption is rarely a good one. Saturdays are usually our busiest day, so be prepared for longer wait times.

The best place for our pets is in a home and the SPCA Serving Erie County is committed to getting them out of the shelter as quickly as possible through adoption. Because of this, we limit putting pets on hold for lengthy amounts of time. Pets can be put on hold for 24 hours for the following reasons:

-To meet other dogs in the household
-To meet other family members
-If they had spay/neuter surgery or another medical procedure and are unable to be handled

If there is an animal you meet, adore, and would consider adopting, yet you want a little more time to think about adoption, ask about our If the Fur Fits program.

Contact our Adoptions Supervisor at 716-875-7360 ext. 203 or our Offsite Adoption Coordinator at 716-875-7360 ext. 235