Thank you for your interest in adopting from the Kingston Humane Society! Please be patient. Since many of our animals are in foster homes, it takes some time to process applications, to notify our foster volunteers that we have a pending application and to schedule meet and greets when necessary. 

As a result of our strong foster program, a smaller number of animals are available for onsite viewing. You can see our onsite animals during the following hours:

• Weekdays (Monday-Friday, CLOSED TUESDAYS)
• 11 am to 6 pm
• Weekends (Saturday-Sunday)
• 10 am to 4 pm

*These hours are subject to change depending on the number of animals onsite, as well as the availability of staff/volunteers to assist.

All of our available animals are listed below. You can click on a photo of an animal you're interested in and it will take you to their full biography. After you have viewed the page and decided on animal you are interested in adopting, you can fill out the online adoption application by clicking on 'Apply Now' or stop by the shelter to fill out a physical copy.

Please limit the number of animals you apply for to 1-2, unless you're planning on adopting multiple animals, as this can create complications in processing your application. Please ensure you fill out all boxes to the best of your ability. When it asks for the 'Shelter ID #', click on the animal's photo, then find the number beside 'ARN' (ex. 22-123). When including a veterinarian reference for your current and/or past animals, please provide the vet clinic's name and phone number. In the section that says: Is there anything else we should know to help us process your application? Please list any past animal's that you have had, their names, and the person's name that the file is under. If you do not currently have a vet, please also elaborate in this section of the application. For the personal reference, include the name and phone number of someone that you do not currently live with, and have known for over 1 year. If you're having difficulties filling out the online application, please email customercare@kingstonhumanesociety.ca or call at 613-546-1291 ext. 102.

Once you have submitted your application, staff will process the applications one at a time and will accept the first, best application that aligns with all criteria. Depending on the time of year and the number of animals in care, application processing can take some time; up to 14 days during our busiest season. If you no longer see the animal you have applied for on our website, it is because we have a pending application. Inquiries about the status of applications delays processing time overall. If your references have not been contacted yet and you're concerned that your application was not received, then please contact customercare@kingstonhumanesociety.ca with your full name and the animal you had applied for and we will let you know.

Here are the next steps if you are approved

Dogs: If the adoption is approved for a dog, we will send you the medical report and connect you with the foster family. Afterwards, a meet and greet is scheduled here at the shelter where the foster will bring the dog and the meeting will be set in our off-leash area so that proper social distancing measure can be taken. From there, if the meet and greet goes well and you elect to proceed with adoption for the dog, the adoption can take place onsite, same-day.

Puppies: Since puppies do not have significant behaviour issues, meet and greets are not always necessary. If you have another animal in the home, a meet and greet is still required, otherwise we are often able to process same-day adoptions for puppies. However the KHS reserves the right to include a meet and greet as part of the application process.

Small Animal/Cats: If you are interested in a cat or small animal, the next step is to do a video chat with the foster parent of the animal (most of our animals are not onsite but rather in foster homes). This allows you to see the animal in a natural environment and ask as the foster parent questions, allowing you to get to know the animal better. Meet and greets for small animals/cats are only offered if the animal is already onsite, as it is too stressful for small animals/cats to be transported to and from the shelter regularly. If you would like to meet a cat prior to adopting, visit the shelter during visitation hours (see hours above) or one our pet store partners as they may have some of ours available for viewing. If the connection with the foster goes well and you choose to adopt, a date and time is set for the adoption to take place at the shelter. The foster of the cat/small animal drops the animal off at the shelter for a final medical exam and if all cleared, the adoption will occur at the scheduled time.

Satellite Adoption Centres

If you would like to meet a cat/small animal prior to adopting, please check each animal's bio and find one that shows the location as a pet store (ex. 'Pet Valu' or 'Global Pet Foods') to meet an animal in person!

Various local animal care businesses have 1 or more of our shelter animals at their place of business. These animals are up for adoption, so please fill out an adoption application directly with these businesses. The Kingston Humane Society does not accept applications for these animals, you will have to go directly to the store's location and apply. Our standard adoption policies still apply; however, there are some additional points that you should be aware of. Satellite adoption centre staff does not work for the Kingston Humane Society and are mandated to refer certain adoption matters directly to the Kingston Humane Society. They are given a more narrow set of policies that they may adopt under. We appreciate the exposure that the satellite centers bring to our Society, and ask you to help make sure the experience is beneficial to them. Returns are not allowed to satellite centers. After the adoption, any questions or concerns should be directed to the Adoptions Coordinator at KHS.

In the event that the satellite adoption centre reviewing your adoption form is not able to complete the adoption, or you are not selected, then please reach out to the adoption coordinator at the Kingston Humane Society customercare@kingstonhumanesociety.ca. Please understand that the satellite staff member reviewing this form is not allowed to discuss those reasons with you. This is to protect our satellite centre staff from trying to explain policy or decisions that they have no control over.