How to Adopt a Dog in Ottawa

Instructions

• 1

  What to Consider When Adopting?
  

  Before making the choice to adopt a dog, a lot of consideration must be given towards the type of breed that will best suit your familial situation. For example, those living in apartments or leading busy lives involving a great deal of travelling with have to think twice about getting large and energetic breeds.

  
  Beyond this, strong consideration must be given to the fact that dogs that have been put up for adoption. Some of these animals may have come from abusive pasts or may have been neglected. Such animals may require a more patient training method or more experienced owners. See the links here for here for information on finding the right breed for you.
• 2

  Where can I adopt?
  

  For adoption in Ottawa, the Ottawa Humane Society provides the largest and best venue for finding a dog to adopt. Once you have decided to adopt a dog, the Humane Society will assign you an adoption counsellor to assist you with finding the right dog for you. When you start the process, you will be required to fill out an adoption questionnaire in order for your assigned counsellor to get to work on finding you potential matches. An adoption agreement must also be signed for any potential adoption, it can be found here. Photo ID and proof of address are also required.
• 3

  Adoption Costs and Registration
  

  The cost of adoption, although cheaper than buying a dog via most other means, is still a significant investment. The costs vary based on the age and size of the dog. Information pertaining to costs can be found here.

  
  All cats and dogs must be registered with the city of Ottawa on an annual basis. Information on the registration process and fees can be found here and here.
• 4

  Things to Consider After Adopting
  

  After you have adopted your animal successfully, there are many other things that must be considered including caring for your pet and training them appropriately. A list of information and tips provided by the Ottawa Humane Society can be found here.
• 5

  Good luck to all those aspiring to adopt the right pet for their family!