Lower Costs, New Process for Animal Adoptions in Fairfax County

Pets will be able to go home the day they’re adopted under a new process starting July 1 at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

Under the current system, adoptive pet parents must go to the shelter to get and pay for their pet, then pick up the pet later at a veterinarian after the pet is spayed or neutered. This also means two payments.

The new system will combine the payments – and reduce the total – and all pets will be spayed or neutered prior to adoption, allowing them to go home immediately.

Cat fees will range from $50 to $100 – a decrease of more than $30 when spaying or neutering is taken into account.

Dog fees, which can top $200 with spaying or neutering, will drop to $100 to $175.

“In addition to streamlining the adoption process, the new system will facilitate better customer service and ensure that all animals are spayed and neutered prior to being made available for adoption,” according to a county press release.

More information is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/animalshelter.