All available dogs can be viewed on our Adoptable Dogs or Adoptable Cats pages on our website. If individuals would like an appointment to see any dogs and cats, the first step is to fill out our online adoption application. Aside from CDCK Adoption Events, we do not show dogs to applicants until their adoption application is fully approved. Most of our animals are in foster homes throughout the DC area, so please do not stop by our administrative offices or by City Dogs Daycare.
No. CDCK carefully screens its applicants by calling references, veterinarians, and landlords. CDCK also conducts home visits of potential adoption homes. CDCK has no obligation to adopt to any particular applicant and will refuse adoption if it believes that a particular applicant or their home would not be a suitable environment for a dog or cat. Anyone with any history of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or surrendering of pets without a valid reason is disqualified from adopting from CDCK. Our goal is to avoid the return of pets to shelters by finding forever homes for them with adopters who are capable of providing the level of care necessary to support the dogs and cats through their entire natural lives. We typically have multiple applications on each dog and cat and must determine the best choice for each of the individual needs of our dogs an cats. Unfortunately, there may be multiple suitable adopters for a dog or cat, and some will be declined if another applicant had a stronger application and background.
Please let your assigned Adoption Counselor know about your preference. You do not have to fill out another application.
Dogs: CDCK charges an adoption fee of $450($225for seniors ). This fee typically includes health care provided when the dog leaves the municipal shelter to join City Dogs & City Kitties Rescue and before adoption: initial limited veterinarian exam and pre-adoption health care for dogs over the age of 1 year as needed. We require all adopters to make their own vet appointment within 3 weeks of adoption.
For reference, here is the list of our post-shelter veterinary requirements for dogs. All dogs receive this care upon leaving the shelter and prior to transport to DC:
| 1. Limited Initial Exam 2. Spay/Neuter *Thoroughly check any adult female dogs for mammary tumors and remove and biopsy if required. 3. Rabies vaccination 4. DHPP vaccination 5. Bordetella vaccination 6. Snap 4DX test for Heartworm, Lyme, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia and provide a 30 day supply of Doxycycline for any dogs testing positive for anything on the Snap test. | 7. Microchip 8. Fecal flotation 9. Deworm – Deworm at vet even if fecal is negative. If positive, deworm at vet and second deworming meds and instructions with dog. 10. Administer Flea/Tick preventative (e.g. Frontline) and Heartworm preventative (e.g. Heartgard) at vet. If flea infestation is evident, Capstar is given. 11. Treatment of any urgent medical conditions identified by the shelter vet or while in foster care. |
Puppies: The fee is $450, but does not include the cost of spaying and neutering. All adopters of puppies are required by contract to have their adopted dog spayed or neutered when age appropriate (typically at 5 months of age). Because of their weak immune systems, puppies must be vetted for a longer period of time and kept away from other animals to ensure that they are healthy. Puppies require vaccines starting at approximately 6 weeks of age and must continue with boosters no less than 2 weeks apart but not more than every 4 weeks apart until the puppy is 16 weeks of age. This adoption fee covers pre-adoption vaccinations and an initial vet checkup, however, the adopter is required to schedule a vet appointment within 3 weeks of adoption.
Cats and Kittens: CDCK charges an adoption fee of $250. This fee typically includes health care provided when the cat or kitten leaves the municipal shelter to join City Dogs & City Kitties Rescue and before adoption: initial limited veterinarian exam, all age-appropriate rabies, distemper, and bordetella vaccinations, flea and heartworm prevention prior to adoption, spay/neuter (if age appropriate) procedure, microchip when available, SNAP test for FIV / FeLV Tests, and pre-adoption health care for cats over the age of 1 year as needed. We expect all adopters to make their own vet appointment within 3 weeks of adoption.
For reference, here is the list of our post-shelter veterinary requirements for cats. All cats receive this care upon leaving the shelter and prior to transport to DC:
| 1. Limited Initial Exam 2. Spay/Neuter (if age appropriate) 3. Test for BOTH FeLV and FIV; Heartworm test if available 4. Rabies vaccination 5. FVRCP vaccination 6. FeLV vaccination 7. Microchip 8. Fecal flotation | 9. Deworm – Deworm at vet even if fecal is negative. If positive, deworm at vet and provide second deworming meds and instructions with cat. 10. Administer Flea/Tick and Heartworm preventative (e.g. Revolution) at vet. If flea infestation is evident, Capstar is given. 11. Treatment of any urgent medical conditions identified by the shelter vet or while in foster care. |