Ulster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

The UCSPCA is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent cruelty to animals by providing temporary shelter and finding adoptive homes for homeless, abused and neglected animals; conducting cruelty investigations; eliminating the crisis of homeless animals by providing low-cost spay/neuter services for cats and by spaying or neutering all animals offered for adoption; providing humane education and by working to improve laws to end animal cruelty.

1. View all available animals. Visit our Adopets page here to view ALL animals at our shelter available for adoption. As an animal becomes available, the page is updated accordingly. Adopets is a safe third-party site we use for our pet profiles and applications. 2. Click on the animal’s photos and read the profile. Read the profiles carefully for information on the animal’s core personality traits, health or behavioral needs, and compatibility with other animals or children. This will help match you and your next best friend based on your lifestyle and preferences. 3. Find your match and click the “Adopt Me” button on the profile. Adopets will walk you through creating an account and filling out the application. This usually takes 10-15 minutes. **NOTE: Completing the application does not guarantee or hold an animal. The application submission is only the first step in the process that includes submission, approval, meet and greet, contract and payment. Applications are processed in the order received. Each animal may receive up to three applications before being removed from the site. An application is not approved until an adoption counselor calls and makes an appointment with you. There are no fees/prepayments/deposits to apply to adopt; the adoption fee is paid when the adoption is finalized.** For inquiring about MORE THAN ONE animal who interests you, click the “Adopt Me” button on each additional animal’s profile. It will not ask you to fill out the application again; it will just put your application in that new pet’s queue. You may have active applications for up to three pets at a time. You can withdraw applications and submit them for different animals at any time. 4. Check in for updates. There may be one or two applications ahead of you for an animal you applied for. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. If earlier applications DO NOT result in an adoption, you will be called next. 5. Wait for a phone call. Upon receiving your application, an adoption counselor will call you, in queue order. You’ll spend around 15 minutes reviewing your application and the animal, and answering any questions you have. This ensures that the animal is still a potential match, even when you have all behavioral and medical details for the animal. 6. Meet the animal(s)! Once your application is approved, your meet-and-greet appointment will be scheduled. During this appointment, you will meet the animals and confirm your next best friend is a good match. All dog appointments in which a dog is already in the home, requires a dog to dog meet and greet during this appointment as well. If you decide during your appointment that the animal is not a good fit after all, that’s alright! We can introduce you to potential matches who don’t have other applications. If there are no other potential matches at the time of your appointment, keep checking back on our site for new animals. 7. Plan to take your pet home the same day. If your appointment and meet-and-greet go well you will take your new pet home that same day. You complete our adoption contract with a staff member, pay the adoption fee (listed on the animal’s profile), and receive all medical records we have available for your pet. If you have any concerns about same-day adoption, please discuss them with the adoption counselor ahead of time. 8. Congratulations on your new best friend! Send us photos and updates! Your adoption photo will be posted that week on our social media!