Our most frequently asked questions.

Have we answered your questions in our web site? Perhaps you'll find what you're seeking here:

How much does it cost to adopt?

Adoption prices vary depending on the kind of animal. Cats are $70.00, Dogs are $90.00 and a senior (8 years or older) cat or dog is $50.00.

Will my new pet have all his/her vaccines?

Yes, all animals are up to date on any vaccines they are old enough for prior to adoption.

Will my new pet be spayed or neutered? Why?

Yes, all pets are spayed or neutered before adoption. We feel this is important.

The overwhelming reason litters of kittens and puppies are relinquished is overpopulation. The failure of owner’s to spay/neuter their adult animals results in too many offspring. And, there are never enough responsible homes for so many pets

Consider the following analysis. An unspayed female cat, her mate, and all of their offspring, producing just 2 litters per year, with 2.8 surviving kittens per litter can total:

1 Year: 12 animals
2 Years: 67 animals
3 Years: 376 animals
4 Years: 2,107 animals
5 Years: 11,801 animals
6 Years: 66,088 animals
7 Years: 370,092 animals
8 Years: 2,072,514 animals
9 Years: 11,606,077 animals

A similar study analysis conducted for dogs yields similar results. After 6 years, one unspayed female and her offspring can produce 67,000 offspring. The numbers would suggest that, after 9 years, the potential impact would be nearing 12,000,000 animals. Clearly, spaying and neutering make sense.

What if I take my pet home and then decide I can’t keep it?

HSVB & IRC understands that sometimes things just don’t work out the way we planned and so we ask that if you can no longer take care of the animal that you return the animal to us so we can place him/her in a new home.

Does the Humane Society have a training program or class?

Yes, we offer a 6 week training course for dogs in both basic and advanced obedience training. For more details «click here». Or, «check our calendar» for the next available classes.

Does the Humane Society microchip all of the animals?

No, HSVB&IRC only microchips animals that are adopted from us. Animals that come here as a stray and then are returned to their owners are not microchipped.

Who are the victims of animal abuse?

76% of all reported incidents of animal abuse involve pets. (12% are farm animals, 7% wildlife).

Often, animal abuse is a sign of other domestic problems. Statistics show that those who abuse animals, especially children, are often victims of abuse themselves. Varying studies report that 54-71% of women seeking shelter for domestic violence reported their partners had threatened, injured, or killed one or more family pets. The U.S. Department of Justice emphasizes the importance of including information about past animal abuse as a part of criminal records and a useful tool in criminal profiling.

HSVB&IRC has prepared an informative presentation on this topic, which you can preview by «clicking here». (We will gladly bring a program on this topic to your group. «Click here» for more details.)

Animal abuse is a serious crime and often an indicator of other serious crimes. It is important that animal neglect and cruelty be reported.

How do you end up with 7,000 pets each year?

The stories vary. Since 1953, we've heard every reason imaginable. Some are lost… Some are abandoned… Some are abused… Some are brought in by their owners… Animal Control finds others... Storms leave pets homeless... The list goes on.

Many people wonder why people give up their pets? We hear about house training problems, destructive behavior, a landlord will not allow pets, they're moving, or he plays too rough. Some people tell of economic hardships. Others complain that the pet keeps having litters of kittens or puppies. We learn about people's allergies, their time constraints, their job's travel requirements, and more. Often we're faced with an owner who died. Or sometimes we hear from owners who failed to understand how large (or small) their pet was going to be.

Beyond sheltering pets, we provide services to encourage pets and their families to "stay together." For this reason, «humane education» and «behavior training» are critical parts of our program at HSVB&IRC.

Keep an important fact in mind: HSVB&IRC is the only "open admission" animal shelter in Indian River County. That means no animal is ever turned away.