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Adopting an Animal from MADACC
At this time, MADACC has both an in-house and foster-based adoption program which focuses on the placement of unclaimed stray animals. We have two ways to adopt animals at MADACC. You must come to MADACC in person to meet adoptable animals! We do not have the resources to give information about adoptable animals over the phone and callers will be instructed to come to the facility.
Our adoption hours are as follows:
Monday through Friday – 11:00 am – 6:00pm
Weekends – 11:00am – 4:00pm
Pre-Select dog adoptions are available through our new process of making certain dogs available for adoption prior to the stray hold expiring. Not all animals will qualify for Pre-Selection (those with known owners, those with medical and behavioral challenges, and other variables). You will be able to meet with these dogs and if we make a match we will set up an adoption. If an owner comes to reclaim, we will return the dog to it’s family and void that adoption and refund the adoption fee. If no owner comes to reclaim, we will have the animal made ready for adoption and able to have their new family pick up at the earliest date available after the stray hold expires. You can find Pre-Select Animals by going to our ADOPTABLE ANIMALS page, and looking for a animals available for Pre-Select Adoption. The status of animals can change daily pending medical exams so if you are interested in an animal you can check back. Only animals identified with a Pre-Select program status are eligible. Please note that until an animal has been sterilized and vetted for adoption that the owner of that animal may come in and reclaim that animal. MADACC respects property ownership claims even if it is days after the stray hold has ended and the owner has paid the required fees. This is not a common but we want to be clear up front about this potential situation. ALL PRESELECT ADOPTIONS MUST BE PAID FOR VIA CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD! No exceptions! This is in the event we need to refund an adoption fee if the animal is reclaimed by the owner.
Finder Adoptions: Finders who are interested in adopting an animal they have found should discuss this at the time the animal is in MADACC custody. We will require for you to fill out the paperwork and pay the adoption fee (this fee will be refunded should the owner be reclaimed by an owner). We will only give finders 24 hours from the time MADACC has taken custody of an animal to decide if they would like to adopt or not and after that time we will proceed to move forward with an appropriate path for the animal (transfer or adoption from MADACC). We will not void adoptions to allow a finder to adopt the animal if they do not contact us within 24 hours and we suggest filling out the paperwork and making payment via credit/debit card at the time of drop off. No exceptions to this rule.
Dogs and cats that have not been reclaimed are also available to meet and bring home at our building seven days per week. Our adoptable cats are always viewable in our lobby. Our adoption center staff will happily help you select the right dog or cat to add to your family. We strongly encourage you to come to our facility to meet animals in person.
Please be advised that we will not hold an animal for you to go home and get other family members or companions. Another potential adopter would be able to see and adopt an animal that you might be interested in while going to get other family members. Make sure when you come that you can make a decision on adoption, or have the authority to make that decision for your family.
To adopt an animal you will be asked to fill out an “Adopter Profile” when arriving at MADACC. This form is short and easy and will help us determine the best animal for you. If you would like to view or print the “Adopter Profile” you can do that and bring it in filled out. All previous applicants will still have to fill out a profile to adopt. The profile will assist in finding the best match for your family!
View and Print Adopter Profile! Click HERE!
Adoption Fees are determined for each animal individually, the ranges are as follows (All Milwaukee County residents will be charged an additional $12 for a license at the time of adoption):
- Puppies and Dogs $75 – $500
- Adult Cats (1 year to 3 years): $50
- Adult Cats (4 years and older): $25
- Kittens (6 months- 11 months): $75
- Kittens (2 months- 5 months): $125
- Specialty and Pure Breed Cat – $125-$300
If you are interested in adopting an animal from MADACC please come into MADACC during our adoption hours M-F 11-6 pm and S-S 11-4 pm. Some of the animals on our website will be transferred to area shelters and rescue partners for adoption. If you find an animal and bring it into MADACC, and are interested in adopting the animal if it is not reclaimed by an owner, please discuss this with the Customer Service Representative while at our facility and you will have priority adoption status for that animal. Please note that finders will still need to go through the same approval process as any other potential adopter. Please note, if the animal is sick or injured, finders will not be eligible to adopt the animal until it becomes available to the public if it can be treated and become an adoption candidate.
To assist further in the placement of adoptable animals, cooperative efforts exist between MADACC and other humane societies, regional breed rescue groups, and wildlife sanctuary centers. Many adoptable or potentially adoptable animals that have completed their stray hold period and are not claimed by their owner are offered to our animal placement partners.
Adoption Waiting Period
Sometimes, adopted animals are not able to leave MADACC immediately when they find their new family. Some may still be on stray hold. Some are waiting for sterilization surgery or for other medical treatments to be completed. We have laws regarding stray hold or seizure hold time periods that dictate the soonest an animal can leave. Then, depending on our population, they might not get in for a final medical checkup or surgery for several days after that time elapses.
During this time between the adoption and the final release into your ownership MADACC is unable to accommodate any and all requests to visit with the animal, have additional family members meet animals, or allow people to just go back and look at the animal.
While we realize this is disappointing, this policy is in place for several reasons:
1. MADACC does not have the staff resources or space for such visits to occur.
2. Revisiting completed adoptions prevents us from finding new matches for the public that have not met a new best friend yet.
3. Animals walked through the building into the public areas can be exposed to disease, injury or altercation with a stray animal being brought in by the public.
4. Animals become stressed with change and movement through the building. Many of them are fairly calm after a few days. Others live in a state of fear. Part of our enrichment program entails keeping their time here as stable as possible with routine, familiar caretakers and limited opportunities to become agitated or nervous.
We want your new best friend to have the best start when they leave here to join your family. We will keep them safe and happy until they get to leave and join you.
There are no exceptions to this rule. If you need to bring in a dog or another family member before you can complete an adoption, we understand, but will be unable to hold the animal for you while you leave and return. That is why we encourage potential adopters to bring all the decision-makers with them (both two-legged and, for dog adoptions, 4-legged) when they come in to adopt. If you are unable to make a final decision without more family members weighing in, please wait until you are able to all come in together.
