HSCI - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)
I've heard that the HSCI doesn't adopt to some people. Is that true?
There are many people who adopt from us and we are thankful they considered us when looking for a pet. We do not adopt to everyone. We require an application to be completed. Based on the completed application, we will check references as needed. There is a 24-hour waiting period before an animal goes home. This is to give the adopter time to seriously consider the responsibility of having a pet for life.
We realize that these procedures may be offensive to some people. Our screening process is consistent with other humane societies and is necessary to ensure a permanent, committed home. If we gave an animal to anyone who asked, we might as well be a pet store. We want to make sure each animal receives the time and attention it deserves to have a long, healthy, and happy life.
Our waiting period is designed to give the human a chance to consider the commitment of having a pet. During this time period, we process the application. We are trying to prevent adopting a pet from being an impulsive decision. It gives the human an opportunity to think through some of the issues we raise on our application, such as "Am I home enough for this pet?" "Can I afford the vet care, food, and other expenses?" "Are the children too young for this?" These and other questions on our application involve the most common reasons why animals are given to us.
We check references to promote responsible pet ownership by respecting land owner's wishes. Many animals are relinquished to us specifically because of a person's failure to check or abide their landlord's policies.