You can adopt a pet who has received excellent medical assessment and care.
Each animal entering the shelter is thoroughly examined by one of our veterinary partners. In addition, all our animals will be current on vaccines, treated for fleas if necessary and dewormed. Our cats are all tested for FIV and FeLV. We work to ensure that every animal in our care is as healthy as possible before being made available for adoption. In fact, our charity spends over $200,000 each year on just medical expenses alone.
You can adopt a pet who has received top-notch socialization.
Our Pet Project Foundation volunteers put in over 25,000 hours each year socializing and exercising our shelter animals. They walk dogs, hop bunnies, and socialize cats - all to ensure that our animals are prepared to be good citizens in their new, forever homes.
You’ll typically pay less than if you get a "free pet".
Most pet owners discover that the free pet they get isn’t really free. You’ll most likely have to pay to have the animal spayed or neutered, veterinary checked, tested for rabies and other diseases, vaccinated, and microchipped. All these services are included in our modest adoption fees.
You help stop cruelty in mass breeding facilities.
Adopting a shelter animal means you aren’t supporting the cruel practices of puppy and kitten mills. Throughout the country, thousands of commercial pet-breeding facilities and backyard breeders produce millions of animals for sale in pet stores and through newspaper ads and internet sites. These animals often live in intolerable conditions, forced to produce litter upon litter, and are destroyed as they become unprofitable assets.
You support a valuable charity and community institution.
For over 20 years, the Pet Project Foundation has worked hand in hand with the shelter to ensure that abandoned, injured and abused animals in our communities have a safe refuge until a permanent, loving home can be found for them. When you adopt a pet from our shelter, you assist both the shelter and Pet Project Foundation in our mission, and ensure we can continue saving lives in our cities.
You get a lifetime resource with shelter employees and volunteers.
Our shelter staff can be a great resource to help you find information or work through issues with your pet. If you have questions or concerns after your adoption, our staff and volunteers are always ready to help whenever possible.
You can choose from a great selection of animals.
Our shelter offers a wide variety of animals and breeds.
You encourage others to adopt animals from shelters.
When your friends ask where you got your amazing pet, you can tell them “from the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter”. Your adoption may encourage others to do the same.
You’ll feel better.
Adopting a rescued animal can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Giving an abandoned animal a second chance at a good life helps enrich your life as well.
