Mission Valley Animal Shelter
"A voice for those who cannot speak"
ADOPTION FEES
Adult dog: $125
Puppy (under six months): $150
Adult Cat: $ 40
Kitten (under six months): $ 50
Senior/veteran (adopter) discount: 10% discount on adoption prices
PROCESS
MVAS requires an adoption application to be completed and approved prior to adoption. As part of this application, we ask for contact information for at least two good NON-family personal references (eg., not your boyfriend or sister or parent), your landlord and your veterinarian.
Applications can be filled out at the shelter, or submitted electronically through our website. Only complete applications will be considered.
Applications are screened at the earliest available time. If we can successfully reach your references and approve your application, you will be contacted to set up an adoption appointment. We make every effort to match animals to good, loving homes as soon as possible.
For dogs older than 4 months we require a meet-and-greet with any resident dogs to confirm compatibility. We also require adopters to spend some time with their potential new family addition and encourage a walk if adopting a dog.
Placement decisions are made by experienced staff who take into consideration the best interest of both the animal and the family. The screening process is not on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Once an adoption is green-lighted, the process usually takes about 15-20 minutes. Adopters are provided with a microchip packet, medical records, a contract, a bit of food to help your new pet transition and counseling when needed.
PUPPY ADOPTIONS
At MVAS, a puppy is defined as any canine under the age of 6 months. Puppy adoptions are processed slightly differently than other adult animals.
Our young puppies are almost always mixed-breed, which means that they are not so genetically predisposed to a set physical and behavioral pattern. They have not been bred for specific predictable traits like a Beagle,
Heeler, Rottweiler or Pekingese. Unlike a purebred dog, your lovable shelter mutt is not so “locked in” to a predictable set of traits as it grows into adulthood, so you can more easily mold the puppy into what you desire it to be (with love, work, dedication, patience and training). If you want your dog to get along with children and cats, to remain in your yard or if you are hoping your dog will obey basic commands, you can typically make that happen if you are adopting at an early age and put in the effort. This can be much more challenging with certain pure breeds.
Because your mixed breed puppy’s ability to get along with other canines is largely in your hands (with proper socialization you should succeed!), we do not require adopters to bring their own dog for a meet-and-greet with their new puppy. We often have many wonderful families wanting the puppies, so sometimes your availability to accommodate our schedule will be a deciding factor on who gets priority. This is in the best interest of the puppies and our staff.
Puppies are spayed/neutered as soon as possible but no earlier than at 8 weeks of age. They are micro-chipped and receive vaccinations according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) booster schedule guidelines
RESCUES
MVAS provides numerous options for pet adoption including contacts with rescue groups that specialize in breed specific dogs.
WISH LIST
We maintain a wish list for potential adopters who are looking for an animal that might not be immediately available. If you wish to be added to our wish list and can specify a category that is neither too broad nor too specific, you can call us at (406) 883-5312. We will call you when an animal matching your description becomes available.