Frequently Asked Questions
1. I want to get my animal spayed/neutered. Can you help?
We do not have facilities for surgery, however we do offer a spay/neuter assistance program for people who qualify. Call our Pet Adoption Center, Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4pm, to find out if we currently have funding. You will need to bring proof of your income and a photo ID to qualify for the program. We issue coupons, valid at any vet in Humboldt county, to help with a portion of the cost towards one spay/neuter surgery.
2. I want to adopt a cat/dog. What do I need to do?
You are welcome to visit the animals we have available for adoption. If you are interested in any one in particular you can fill out an adoption application and talk with one of our adoption counselors. Once your application is approved* you can visit with any animal that is available** for adoption. If you have another pet, we ask that you bring them to the shelter to introduce them the animal you are looking to adopt (dogs only), to make sure they get along before you bring your new pet home. It generally takes about 20-30 minutes to fill out an adoption application and go through a consultation. The application is a 1-2 day process and you will be notified of your application status promptly.
**Animals are not available for adoption until they have been spayed/neutered and are deemed healthy.
3. How much does it cost to adopt an animal?
There is a $200.00 adoption donation for each dog over 6 months and $150 for each cat, which covers all tests, vaccinations (additional $15-20 charge for Rabies given at the Shelter) and the care that animals have received. Each animal is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm/lyme tested for dogs (over 6 months of age) and feline leukemia/AIDS tested for cats, and microchipped, which is registered in a national database. Puppies under 6 months of age or born at the Shelter have an additional donation of $50.00 due to the extra care costs. All applicable adoption processing donations must be paid prior to adopting a pet at the Sequoia Humane Society. The adoption cost is a donation that is non-refundable.
4. I'm looking for a specific breed of animal. Do you have any?
We often receive small dogs and special breeds, but they tend to be adopted quickly because of the high demand. If we don't have what you are looking for now you are welcome to fill out an adoption application and talk to an adoption counselor. Let them know what kind of animal you are looking for and we will hold your approved application on file for a year, just keep an eye on our website, Petfinder and/or Facebook, when an animal comes in that interests you, just give us a call to place your name on the wish list! You can set up an email alert when animals that come in match your criteria at Adopt A Pet.
5. I saw a sign that says that an animal is "not available" for adoption yet. What does this mean?
Animals are only "available" for adoption after they have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and have received a clean bill of health. If an animal is not available yet, chances are it either has not been altered or is still undergoing a health evaluation. If you are interested in a particular animal and it is not yet "available", we encourage you to check back regularly to keep up-to-date on the animal's status.
6. I'd like to visit with an animal. Can I do that?
If you'd like to visit with an animal we ask that you fill out an adoption application and talk with one of our adoption counselors first. Once your application is approved you are welcome to visit with any animal currently available for adoption. If an animal has a wish list, we offer the first opportunity to visit with that animal to the person on the list with the oldest approval date on their active application.
7. So this animal is not available now - can you hold it for me?
You can put an animal on hold for 24-hours if they are currently available for adoption and you have an approved application on file. Holds may be extended for a $20 per day non-refundable fee and does not go towards the adoption fee.
8. Has anyone else submitted an application for this dog/cat? How do you decide who gets to bring it home?
Generally we go by the approval date on the applications. We will compile a list of applicants for a pet until they become available for adoption, the order of the list is determined by the application approval date. Once an animal becomes available for adoption the person with the earliest approved application will have the first opportunity to meet with the pet and adopt them. We do require all household members meet with the potential adoptee during the hold period. Dogs must meet with any other dogs living in the household. Our hold period, once the pet is deemed available, is 24 hours. Holds may be extended for a $20 per day non-refundable fee. However, if there is more than one applicant on the pet and you do not show up within your hold time, the next applicant will be promptly notified and given a 24 hour hold.
Please note that in some cases we receive an animal with special needs. When necessary for the health and well-being of that animal we will evaluate all adoption applications and select the one that we feel best fits the needs of that animal.
9. If it doesn't work out, can I bring an animal back?
Our goal is to place animals in forever homes. To that end our adoption counselors make every effort to pair you with a pet that fits your lifestyle. It can be difficult for an animal to make the transition to a new home, only to be brought back to the shelter, so we encourage you to consider your choice of pet carefully before making a final decision.
We will accept animals back within 2-weeks after adoption; however, your adoption fee is considered a donation and will not be refunded. After a 2-week period animals may be put on our waiting list to be surrendered back to us. We do ask that adopters always contact us if, for some reason, they can no longer keep a pet that was adopted from our shelter. However, we cannot always guarantee to take that animal back into our adoption program at the time you are looking to re-home it.
10. Can I take an animal home before it has been spayed/neutered?
By law, all animal shelters and rescues in California must spay/neuter cats and dogs prior to adoption.
11. I want to get my animal micro-chipped - do you do that?
Yes! The Sequoia Humane Society can microchip your pet for only $25. No appointment is necessary - just bring your cat or dog to our Pet Adoption Center Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 3pm.
12. I need to find another home for my cat/dog - will you take them?
As a no-kill shelter, the Sequoia Humane Society can only take in as many animals as we currently have space for. We would be happy to take some information about your pet and place them on our waiting list. As other animals are adopted and space becomes available we will call you to schedule an intake appointment for a temperament evaluation. There is a surrender fee -- $50 for cats and $75 for dogs under 50Lbs, if over it will be $125. We test all cats and kittens for feline leukemia and feline AIDS and dogs for heart-worm - these tests cost an additional $25, unless you can provide proof of a negative test result from a veterinarian dated within the past 30 days. In certain cases these fees may be waived, for example, if you have proof from your veterinarian that your dog has been on heart-worm medication and has been vaccinated.
We can also put a picture and description of your pet on our 'private adoptions' webpage to help you re-home them directly. Other ways you might try to re-home your pet include posting signs at local vet hospitals, pet stores, in the newspaper, and at your place of work.
We are a small shelter and cannot take in every animal that is in need of a home. As a last resort you can contact the Humboldt County Animal Shelter at 840-9132. They are not a no-kill facility, but have an excellent track record of placing adoptable pets.
13. I found kittens/puppies - will you take them?
Lost and stray animals may be brought to the Humboldt County Animal Shelter in McKinleyville. If we have space we can take in kittens and puppies (see surrender policy above.)
14. I need to get my cat/dog vaccinated - do you do that there?
We are not a veterinary facility and do not offer vaccination services. However, many local veterinarians have low-cost vaccination clinics where you can have your pet vaccinated at a reduced rate. Times and dates vary by clinic - we recommend you call the veterinary hospital closest to you and ask for their vaccination clinic schedule.
15. I lost my pet - do you have it there?
No. All lost and stray animals go to the Humboldt County Animal Shelter in McKinleyville. You can call them at 840-9132 to file a lost report and see if your pet has been brought there. You may also want to check www.Petharbor.com to see a list of lost animals. You will need to enter your zip code and select 'Humboldt County Animal Care and Control', then click on the button that says, "I Lost My Pet".
16. I want to have my pet euthanized - do you perform this service?
We do not offer euthanasia services. Please contact a veterinarian directly.