Adopting from the Animal Services Shelter

Ready to Adopt?

What type of pet can you expect to find at a shelter?
Tulsa Animal Welfare cares for thousands of lost, stray, abandoned and relinquished animals every year. Some of these pets are eventually reunited with their owners, but the remaining thousands need new homes. Because the TAS accepts all unwanted, injured, stray and sick animals in the city, we are often unable to find homes for all the pets in need.

DOGS: Only 1 in 4 dogs stays with the first family that buys or takes him in. The others are passed between owners and many end up at animal shelters. Most of these are normal, young dogs in need of basic training. Unfortunately, being purebred does not help a dog keep his home. A quarter of dogs in shelters are purebred, about the same portion as the general pet population.

CATS: The number of cats that keep their homes is far lower. Many cats are allowed access to the outdoors where they become lost. Many pet cats are not spayed and neutered in time to prevent unwanted kittens. We have so many kittens during the summer we cannot find homes for all of them. We have also received purebred cats including Persians, Maine Coon, Ragdoll and Scottish Fold.

Other Pets: Tulsa Animal Services occasionally has small mammals, birds, reptiles and farm animals for adoption.

Is there a fee to adopt from a shelter?
Tulsa Animal Services is funded by your tax dollars. To recoup part of the cost of caring for animals, the City charges an adoption fee.

Benefits of Adopting
If you are ready to make a commitment to the right pet, you will not only save a life, you'll enhance your own. People with pets live longer and recover from illness faster than people who have none. Children with pets learn empathy and responsibility earlier than other children. Research suggests that children with pets handle family tragedy, such as divorce, better and may have fewer problems with allergies.