Adoption FAQs

How much does adoption cost?

DOGS

Puppies (under 1 year): $475
Young adults (1 to 3 years): $350
Adults (3 to 8 years): $275
Seniors (8 years +): $200

CATS

Kittens (under 1 year): $250
Young adults (1 to 3 years): $175a
Adults (3 to 8 years): $100
Seniors (8 years +): $75
Barn Cat: $50

** Fees are subject to change.

*Animals listed as “Pronature Pals” are sponsored by Pet Food Warehouse and are available for adoption at no cost.

How old do I have to be to adopt?

Adopters must be 18+ to adopt on their own.

Are special discounts offered?

Veterans: 10% discount
Senior (applies to adopter 65+): 10% discount
Senior for Senior Program**: $150 for dogs / $50 for cats

*To participate in the Senior-to-Senior program, dogs must be 8 years or older, cats must be 10 years or older, and adopters must be 65 years or older.

I’ve filled out the questionnaire, now what?

Once you have submitted the Adoption Questionnaire, you can call our Pet Adoption Center at (802) 888-5065 ext. 101 or email adopt@ncal.com to schedule an appointment to come meet our available animals.

What is the Adoption Hold Deposit?

Once an adopter has met with and placed an adoption hold deposit on an animal, we will hold that animal in “pending” status until the end of the next NCAL business day. This is the time frame in which the adoption must be scheduled. This adoption hold deposit will be applied to the adoption fee at the time of adoption. The adoption hold deposit is non-refundable if an adopter should decide to not move forward with the adoption. The adoption hold deposit is applied to a specific animal and can not be applied to the adoption of another animal.

Will NCAL hold an animal for me to come and meet them?

NCAL does not hold particular animals for Meet & Greet Appointments. If you have scheduled an appointment with a particular animal in mind, we will do our best to accommodate your request within a reasonable time frame, however we do not guarantee that the animal will be available for adoption by your appointment time.

Where do your animals come from?

Our animals come from a variety of backgrounds. We work with nearby town officials handling stray and unclaimed dogs and cats, rescue partners who transport animals from areas of high need throughout the country, and owners who can no longer care for their pets. All animals that come to NCAL are first evaluated for temperament. While these evaluations are a snapshot in time and do not guarantee an animal’s behavior, they provide important information on the future success of an adoption. Incoming animals receive a medical evaluation, spay or neuter, necessary vaccinations, a microchip, enrichment and adoption services.

How long does the adoption process take?

You can plan for your Meet & Greet appointment to take one-hour for dog appointments and 30-minutes for cat appointments. This allows you to work with a counselor to determine your needs and meet animals that are the best match for you. If you move forward with adoption, and plan to take the animal home that day, this can take up to 30-minutes in addition to your Meet & Greet Appointment. If you schedule your adoption appointment for another day, you can plan for the adoption to take 30-minutes.

Please give us a call at (802) 888-5065 extension 101 or email the adoption center: customerservice @ncal.com