With Our Gratitude
Before anything else, we want to say thank you for planning to adopt a dog or cat! And congratulations on choosing Get Your Pet — the simplest, smartest and most humane way to adopt.
The Future of Pet Adoption is Here
Get Your Pet has been called “the future of pet adoption” because, although shelters are a necessary last resort for strays and abused animals, they are no place for our beloved pets. Yet, each year, 2.5 million pets end up there, because Guardians (current owners) who love them just can’t keep them. Tragically, because of lack of space, animal shelters euthanize just about this same number of animals (pets and strays) each year.
Together with Get Your Pet, you can help save a wonderful animal companion from getting caught up in the system. It’s simple. Just adopt a dog or cat directly from one good home to another — yours.
See how direct pet adoption works, or read on for details…
Start Looking for Your Pet
With getyourpet.com, you’ll benefit from viewing up-to-date pet profiles, meeting potential pets in a non-shelter environment and speaking with their actual Guardians. All we need is a zip code to show you the available pets that are local to you. Filter your search by species, age, gender, compatibility with children or other pets, size, coat length and energy level. Browse until you find one or more pets that you feel good about. It’s that easy.
Ready to adopt a dog or cat? Browse pets.
Messaging
When you want to make contact with one or more pet Guardians, it’s time for you to join the Get Your Pet Community. Joining costs you nothing. As a member, you will be able to search in depth for the pet you want; exchange unlimited, secure messages with any Guardian who has published a pet profile; and arrange meet-ups. All of the information you and the Guardians exchange on getyourpet.com is anonymous and secure.
When both you and a Guardian feel ready, you can arrange to meet up.
Meeting Up
You and the Guardian with their pet can meet wherever you like. Most people choose a neutral place, such as a park that is convenient. This allows you to meet your potential pet in a location where (unlike in a shelter) the pet behaves calmly and naturally. You will also meet the Guardian, the person who has lived with the pet and knows the pet best.
Get Your Pet supplies you with a list of questions to ask a Guardian.
Also, see Tips for the Meet-Up to get the most out of your meeting.
There is no charge for meet-ups. But it does sometimes happen that an Adopter and Guardian hit it off right away and exchange the pet at the first meet-up, before visiting the vet for an exam. As you would expect, this transfer of ownership incurs our adoption fee ($199 for a dog, $49 for a cat. See What Does it Cost?).
But, not to worry. A voucher for a pet exam from a participating Get Your Pet Vet and the rest of the benefits that come with our adoption fee are still available to you, the Adopter. As long as you follow up the meet-up on your dashboard, you still get legal documentation, a physical examination for your pet and 30 days’ pet insurance (offer varies in California) at no extra charge. So be sure to Follow Up!
For those who want to see the vet before adopting, the next steps are shown below.
Vet Exam and Adoption
If everybody agrees that it’s a good match, you and the Guardian and the pet visit a participating Get Your Pet veterinarian for an initial exam. There is no extra charge for the exam. It is included as part of the adoption package, which also includes: legal documentation of the adoption; a certificate for 30 days’ pet insurance from Trupanion (offer varies in California); and the right to re-list the pet on getyourpet.com if the adoption doesn’t work out.
Many vets included on our list also offer a free rabies vaccination, if needed. If you are satisfied with the veterinarian’s findings, you can transfer ownership of the pet and complete the adoption right in the vet office. See tips for the vet exam and adoption.
Remember: Follow Up on your dashboard right after your adoption to pay your fee and get all the benefits that are due to you.
Get Your Pet will be with you every step of the way in the adoption process, with prompts and tips to help you find the pet that is right for you. You’ll see: it really is a simpler, smarter, and more humane way to adopt.
So, if you’re ready, let’s get your search started!