Online Pet Adoption

Web Resources Help Connect Pets to Loving Homes

Looking for a pet? Search no further than your computer.

Online pet adoption is a growing trend, allowing potential owners the convenience of searching for their new fluffy friends from the comfort of their homes.

Do Your Research

Going to a pet shelter to look for your next canine or feline companion can be overwhelming with all the options available to you. Doing research ahead of time can help you narrow down your search and make the pet adoption process easier and more manageable.

Online Adoption Resources

PetFinder.com and PetHarbor.com are online, searchable databases of pets who need homes. The sites represent most animal shelters and rescue groups in the country. Organizations maintain their own home pages and available pet database. The sites are also updated daily, giving prospective pet owners a current inventory of animals that need loving homes.

Another online resource for potential pet owners is 1-800-Adopt-A-Pet.com. They’re a non-profit pet adoption charity that helps shelters, humane societies, SPCA's, pet rescue groups, and pet adoption agencies advertise their homeless pets without a fee.

Purebreds Need To Be Adopted, Too

If you’re looking for a purebred cat or dog, there are a number of national organizations you can inquire with to find a breed-specific rescue, such as the American Kennel Club, the registry of purebred dogs in the United States, or the Cat Fanciers’ Association, the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats. There are pet rescue groups dedicated to specific breeds that can be found online as well.

If you’re looking for a reputable breeder of purpose-bred dogs or cats, an Internet search can be helpful, but with so many sub-par breeding operations online, it’s easy to get fooled.  You can use an online search to find potential breeders but be sure to ask them for veterinary references and references from other buyers. You should also ask the breeder about recommended health tests and do your own research as well. Before bringing the dog home, you will want to look up genetic diseases and/or conditions by breed on the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) site to learn more about the recommended genetic screens for your dog. A mere “she’s healthy” or even “our vet says she’s healthy” isn’t a good response. To make sure you’re not dealing with a high-volume commercial breeder  pretending to be otherwise, do not accept a plan to have your pet shipped or handed off in a parking lot. While it’s true some reputable breeders do ship their puppies when necessary, you’re better off not doing so.

Meet In-Person

No matter where you find your pet, realize that you’re committing to that animal for his/her lifetime. It’s important for people searching online for a pet to realize that browsing only helps you identify the physical characteristics you may be searching for. You need to meet the pet and make sure the animal is the right one for you. Pets, like people, have different personalities, energy levels and possibly even health issues that you can only determine in person.