Are you looking to add a furry, feathered, or scaled friend to your family in Fort Wayne? Fort Wayne Animal Care And Control (FWACC) is your local resource for pet adoption, dedicated to connecting animals in need with loving homes. This guide provides everything you need to know about the adoption process at FWACC, ensuring a smooth and joyful experience as you welcome a new companion into your life.
Adoption Center Hours
Planning your visit to Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control? Take note of their adoption center hours to ensure you arrive during opening times:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Friday: 12:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Only the 1st Saturday of each month)
- Sunday: Closed
Remember that adoption hours may be subject to change, especially on holidays. It’s always a good idea to check the Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control website or social media for the most up-to-date information before your visit.
Before You Visit to Adopt
Deciding to adopt a pet is a significant and heartwarming decision. To make the process as seamless as possible at Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control, here are a few important points to consider before you arrive:
- Current Pets: You are allowed to have one unaltered pet in your household. All additional pets must be spayed or neutered.
- Age Requirement: You must be 18 years of age or older to adopt a pet from FWACC.
- Household Agreement: It’s essential to discuss pet adoption with all adults living in your home to ensure everyone is on board and prepared for the responsibilities of pet ownership.
When you’re ready to visit Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control to find your new family member, please bring the following with you:
- Family Members: If you have children under the age of five, please bring them along so they can meet potential new pets.
- Dog Interaction: If you are interested in adopting a dog and already have a dog at home, it’s mandatory to bring your current dog for a meet and greet at the shelter. This step is crucial to ensure compatibility between dogs.
- Dog Leash and Collar: If you plan to adopt a dog, bring a leash and collar. Please note that adoption dogs are not permitted to leave the shelter in a choker or prong collar. FWACC does offer leashes and collars for purchase if needed.
- Cat or Small Animal Carrier: If you’re adopting a cat or a small animal like a guinea pig or rabbit, please bring a carrier for safe transport. Cardboard carriers are available for purchase at the shelter for $10 if you don’t have one.
- Photo ID: A current form of photo identification is required for adoption.
The Adoption Process at Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control
Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control operates on a first-come, first-served basis. They do not place holds on pets, and they reserve the right to place animals in what they determine to be the most suitable home for each pet’s well-being.
Step 1: Arrival and Application
Upon arriving at the shelter, proceed to the adoption entrance on the right side of the building, clearly marked with a sign. Doors open promptly at noon. As you enter, you will find adoption applications for cats, dogs, and small animals on the wall to your right. Select the appropriate form based on the type of pet you are interested in and complete it thoroughly, filling out both sides.
Even if you have started an application online, this physical application step is still necessary to secure your place in line. If you applied online, simply write your first and last name, phone number, and “online app” on the paper application.
This step is vital as it officially puts you in line for the adoption process. Remember, your online application is not considered valid until you complete this in-person application step.
Step 2: Application Review and Wait
Volunteer welcomers will be at the door to collect your completed application and inform you where to wait until it’s your turn to meet with an adoption counselor. They will assign a number to your application, indicating your position in the queue. If your application is approved, you will then proceed to meet with an adoption counselor for the subsequent steps in the adoption process.
Step 3: Meeting Your Potential Pet
Depending on the shelter’s capacity, you might be asked to wait outside or in your car, especially during busy times or inclement weather. If this is the case, an adoption counselor will contact you when it’s your turn to come inside and meet the animals.
The duration of this process can vary based on the day’s volume of visitors. However, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control aims to ensure that if you are ready to adopt, you will be able to take your new pet home on the same day.
Cat Adoption Process
If you are interested in adopting a cat, a volunteer cat counselor or a staff member will guide you to the cat adoption rooms. Here, you can spend time meeting and interacting with the cats to find the perfect match for your lifestyle. It’s important to note that some adult cats may have specific lifestyle requirements, such as needing a quiet home, a home without children or dogs, or a home equipped to manage special medical needs.
Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control encourages adopting cats in pairs, especially kittens from the same litter. Adopting two cats can often be beneficial for their socialization and well-being. If you adopt two cats that are already familiar with each other, you won’t need to separate them when introducing them to your home. However, if you adopt two cats that haven’t met before, the adoption counselors will provide guidance on a proper acclimation process to ensure they become comfortable with each other in their new environment.
Once you have chosen a cat to adopt, the adoption counselor will finalize the adoption contract, process your payment (via card, cash, or check), verify your photo ID, and provide you with the cat’s medical history and details about what is included in your adoption. Your new cat will be placed in the carrier you brought, or you can purchase a cardboard carrier from FWACC for $10 if needed.
Dog Adoption Process
For those looking to adopt a dog, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control requires a meet and greet with any dogs you currently own. This is a mandatory step to ensure a harmonious household. If you do not have any existing dogs, you will be guided to an interaction room or an outdoor area to meet the dogs you are interested in. Adoption counselors play a crucial role in this process; they will assess the suitability of a match based on your lifestyle and the dog’s personality and history to ensure the best possible placement.
If the dog interaction is successful, your adoption counselor will proceed with the adoption contract and payment. An added benefit for dog adoptions at Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is a $50 training certificate. This certificate can be used with participating certified professional dog trainers, encouraging responsible pet ownership and helping you and your new dog start off on the right paw.
Small Animal Adoption Process
Interested in adopting a rabbit, guinea pig, rat, hamster, bird, or another small animal? A counselor will assist you in interacting with these animals to help you decide if one is the right fit for your home. Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control often has bonded pairs of guinea pigs, rats, and birds, which must be adopted together to maintain their social well-being.
Adoption fees for small animals typically cover only the animal itself, not including cages or other supplies. Cardboard carriers are available for purchase at the shelter for transporting your new small pet home. It’s crucial to understand that small animals require just as much, if not more, care than dogs or cats in some aspects. Thorough research about the specific species you are interested in is highly recommended before adoption. Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control suggests exploring resources like Oxbow Animal Health’s website for species-specific care information.
Offsite Cat and Small Animal Adoptions
Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control also partners with offsite locations such as PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus, Westside Animal Hospital, Covington Veterinary Hospital, and Black Forest Cat Cafe for cat adoptions, and New Haven Pet Hospital for rabbit and guinea pig adoptions.
If you are interested in adopting a cat or small animal from one of these offsite locations, a separate adoption application is required. You can find this application at the top of the Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control adoption page under the dark blue icon, or by clicking HERE. For Black Forest Cat Cafe adoptions specifically, there is another application, accessible via the dark green icon or by clicking HERE.
Completing the offsite adoption application is essential to be considered for adoption and places you in line for the animal. Adoption assistants review these applications and contact approved applicants in the order they were received to confirm continued interest.
Offsite adoptions are processed only during Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control’s regular adoption hours, as shelter staff are needed to finalize the adoption process. For any questions regarding offsite adoptions, please contact FWACC at (260) 427-5502 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dog & Cat Adoption Fees
Adoption fees at Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control are structured to be affordable while still supporting the shelter’s operations and animal care programs. Here is a breakdown of dog and cat adoption fees:
Dog Adoption Fees:
- Puppies (under 6 months): $125
- Small Dogs (under 25 lbs, 6 months – 8 years): $100
- Large Dogs (25+ lbs, 6 months – 5 years): $100
- Senior Small Dogs (under 25 lbs, 9+ years): $50
- Senior Large Dogs (25+ lbs, 6+ years): $25
Cat Adoption Fees:
- Cats: While the standard cat adoption fee is $65, thanks to a grant, adopters often contribute around $30.
Small Animal Adoption Fees
If you’re considering adopting a small animal, here are the adoption fees:
- Ferret: $50
- Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Cockatiel: $25
- Hamster, Gerbil, Mouse, Parakeet: $15
What’s Included in Your Adoption Fee
Your adoption fee at Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is a great value, covering approximately $300 worth of services and provisions to ensure your new pet gets a healthy start in your home. The adoption package includes:
- First distemper combination vaccine
- Rabies vaccination (if age-appropriate)
- Heartworm test (dogs only)
- First month of flea preventative (during flea season)
- Microchip (dogs, cats, and rabbits)
- Starter bag of food (dogs and cats)
- Donated exam from participating veterinarians
- $50 Training Certificate (dogs only)
- Spay/Neuter surgery (dogs, cats, rabbits)
Please note that the adoption fee does not include the pet registration required for residents within Fort Wayne city limits. You can learn more about pet registrations HERE .
Additional Items Available for Purchase
For your convenience, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control offers several essential pet items for purchase at reasonable prices:
- Leashes: $10
- Flat Collars: $5
- Martingale Collars: $10
- Harnesses: $25
- Cardboard carriers for cats or small animals: $10
Additionally, FWACC has partnered with GoodPup to provide accessible dog training resources. Training is vital for strengthening the bond with your new dog and ensuring a well-behaved companion. GoodPup offers private training with certified trainers in the comfort of your home, covering essential cues and addressing behavior issues. Sign up today to receive a lifetime discount, and GoodPup will donate to Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control.
A Note About Pet Health
Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control Department is committed to the health of all animals in their care but cannot guarantee that adoption pets have not been exposed to illnesses before arriving at the shelter or before vaccinations become fully effective. While FWACC is not aware of any serious health conditions in adoptable pets, they recommend utilizing the free health exam donated by local veterinary clinics. These vets can discuss common conditions found in stray, neglected, or kenneled animals, such as internal and external parasites and upper respiratory infections.
Please be aware that Animal Care and Control cannot reimburse medical expenses. Any treatment chosen for a pet after adoption is at the adopter’s expense. Consulting with your veterinarian before introducing a new pet to your existing pets is highly recommended to ensure a healthy transition for all animals in your household.
For any further inquiries or assistance, please contact the Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control adoption team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 260-427-5502.
Choosing to adopt a pet from Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control is a rewarding decision that changes lives – both yours and the animal’s. By following this guide, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the adoption process and find your perfect pet companion. We encourage you to visit FWACC and open your heart and home to an animal in need.
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