Thank you for visiting our Frequently Asked Questions page! Below you’ll find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions we receive at Pasadena Humane. As an animal-loving community member, we hope you’ll find this information helpful!
General
What is Pasadena Humane?
Pasadena Humane is more than an animal shelter; we are a community-supported animal resource center providing lifesaving programs and services for animals and the people who love them since 1903. Our goal is to keep pets with the people who love them and promote peaceful coexistence with wildlife. Pasadena Humane is an independent, 501c3 nonprofit organization. Learn more about our history.
Are you a no-kill shelter?
Pasadena Humane is a Socially Conscious Animal Shelter, which means that we take a holistic approach to sheltering by making appropriate decisions for each animal on an individual basis, while continuing to support the needs of people—both pet owners and the community at large.
Do you euthanize animals for lack of space or after a certain amount of time?
No, we believe humane euthanasia is only an option for animals who are irremediably suffering or pose a significant safety risk to the community. At Pasadena Humane, we accept all animals in need from within our service area regardless of their age, breed, health or temperament. In 2023, we placed 100% of healthy and safe animals.
Due to proactive efforts to increase adoptions, reduce length of stay and provide support services to pet owners struggling to keep their pets, our euthanasia rates have decreased over the last decade. In keeping with Standards of Care in Shelter Medicine, we portalized all our kennels in 2020 to provide animals with separate spaces for eating/rest and elimination. As a result, we have dramatically reduced stress-induced illness.
Adoptions
How do I adopt?
Please schedule an adoption appointment (daily, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) or stop by as a walk-in (daily, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) to adopt a pet. During the appointment, one of our adoption counselors will help you find a pet that is a good match for you. You can visit with pets that interest you, and counselors will share any medical or personality information we know. If you don’t find a pet for you during your first appointment, we will save your application for six months. You will also be able to contact our counselors directly for an expedited appointment, when you see an animal on the website that interests you. Check the adoptions section of our website to see photos and short descriptions of the available animals.
Who should come with me when I adopt? Should I bring resident pets with me?
Although it’s not required, we recommend that all humans in your household come with you when you adopt. However, we do not offer meet-and-greets between pets, so please leave your resident pets at home. The shelter environment is usually not indicative of how animals will get along in the home. Our adoption counselors will be happy to give you detailed information on how to successfully introduce your new pet to your resident pets.
Are all animals for adoption located at your shelter?
Most of our adoptable pets are located at our main animal shelter at 361 S. Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105. We also have cats available for adoption at Pet Food Express in Pasadena and PetSmart in Tujunga. And we have mobile adoption events at different locations in the community most weekends.
Some of our adoptable animals are currently in foster homes. A pet in a foster home will have the kennel #FOSTER on their online profile. If you are interested in adopting a pet in foster, our adoption counselors can help arrange a meet and greet.
Can I still see the animals if I don’t want to adopt?
Please stop by during our Visiting Hours (Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) to walk through our dog kennels, Neely Cat Center, and Critter House.
What if the pet I wanted to adopt has already been adopted?
That’s OK! That lucky dog (or cat or critter) has already found a home! Having the initial conversation with our knowledgeable adoption counselors about what you are looking for in a pet helps them possibly match you up with another pet who wasn’t on your radar!
How do I make an adoption appointment?
Click here! New appointments are released every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 AM. If you are unable to use our online appointment booking system for any reason, please call us at 626.792.7151 ext. 971 for assistance.
Can anyone adopt a pet?
We welcome adopters from all over—no need to live in our immediate area. We do require an adopter to be over the age of 18, as adopting a new family member is an adult-level decision. We embrace an “open adoption” philosophy, which means our adoption counselors do not quiz or interrogate; we have a conversation about adopting, what that means and what pets might best fit the adopters’ homes.
Why do you sometimes offer discounted or free adoptions?
Throughout the year, we have a series of adoptions promotions and free adoption days. Studies show that the amount one pays for their pet has no impact on the amount of love they give. We love our donor-supported free adoption days because we can find loving homes for many of the animals in our care at one time, especially during our busiest times of year.
What kinds of animals need to be adopted the most?
While all animals at the shelter need to find their forever homes, the ones who have a tougher time tend to be the larger dogs, dogs and cats with medical issues, and senior pets.
Are animals spayed/neutered before they are adopted?
All dogs, cat and rabbits are spayed/neutered, microchipped and up to date on all their vaccines before they go to their new homes. Additionally, adopters receive a free health exam within 14 days from a participating veterinarian and a discount in our Shelter Shop.
I didn’t find my new pet at Pasadena Humane. Are there any other pets in need of homes?
There are thousands of animals looking for new homes across the Los Angeles area. Please consider visiting another local shelter such as San Gabriel Valley Humane Society or shelters run by LA Animal Services and LA County Animal Care & Control.
We also host a Private Rehoming page for animals being rehomed by members of our community. These pets are not housed at Pasadena Humane and all arrangements to meet with them must be made directly with their guardians.
Public Spay/Neuter and Vaccine Services
What types of animals do you spay/neuter at your public clinic?
Pasadena Humane offers spay/neuter services for owned dogs, as well as owned and community cats within our 11 animal care & control service areas.
What services do you offer at your vaccine clinic?
Our vaccine clinic offers standard vaccinations for dogs & puppies (rabies, DA2PP, Bordetella) and cats & kittens (rabies, FVRCP). Additionally, you can have your pet microchipped at our clinic. Deworming is available for puppies and kittens. And flea prevention is available for cats. For a full list of services and fees, visit pasadenahumane.org/vax.
Do I need an appointment?
Yes, both spay/neuter and vaccine services are available by appointment only. Appointments can be made on our website via our online booking portal. Appointments are released at the end of the month.
Why don’t I see any available appointments?
Clinic services are in high demand, and appointments fill quickly. Currently, we are unable to meet the large demand for public spay/neuter and vaccine services. We are working hard to combat a national shortage of veterinary health professionals through aggressive recruitment and retention strategies, including training from within. Our veterinarians’ priority must be the medical and spay/neuter needs of our shelter animals. We are required by law to spay/neuter all shelter pets before they can be adopted.
What do I do if there are no appointments available?
If appointments are booked for the month, you will see a message saying, “There are no appointments available at this time.” We encourage you to check for cancellations throughout the month and try again at the end of the month when we release new appointments. You may also consider finding another low-cost provider.
Are financial resources available to assist with covering the cost of spay/neuter or vaccines?
Financial assistance for spay/neuter and vaccines is available for residents of Pasadena Humane’s 11 animal care & control service areas. Please complete this form to apply for assistance. If you live outside our service area, please contact Spay-4-LA or CAMP for low and no-cost spay/neuter options in your city, or visit our vet resources page for more options.
Animal Care & Control
What cities do you provide animal control services to?
We provide animal control services to Altadena, Arcadia, Bradbury, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena.
How do animals come into your shelter?
Pasadena Humane admits lost, abandoned or owner-surrendered animals from our service area. We also take in animals during ongoing investigations or as transfers from other shelters in need, when space allows.
Where do I go for help with an animal if I live outside of your service area?
If you need assistance with an animal located outside of our animal control service areas, please contact your local shelter. If you need help finding your local shelter, check with your city to find out who handles their animal control. Nearby local shelter systems include LA Animal Services (serving the City of Los Angeles), LA County Animal Care & Control (serving most areas in Los Angeles County) and San Gabriel Humane Society (serving San Gabriel & Temple City).
Where do I direct a dog barking complaint?
Pasadena Humane understands that excessive barking dogs and noise created by other pets can have a negative effect on the quality of life in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, there is no immediate solution to complaints of excessive animal noise because law enforcement and animal control officers cannot take legal action unless the pet in question has been declared a “public nuisance”. Our animal control officers may only enforce state animal laws and municipal codes. Please read on to learn more about the process to have a pet declared a public nuisance.
How does Pasadena Humane respond to allegations of animal abuse or neglect?
We exist to protect animals. Our officers make a thorough investigation and if they find abuse or neglect, as defined by law, they will take appropriate action which could include seizing the animals and forwarding the case to the city attorney or district attorney’s office for their review and filing consideration. Animals are considered property by the law and may only be seized from owners after an investigation determines that abuse or neglect exists, according to the guidelines of the law. Our officers also work very closely with all of the parties involved and are proactive in providing education to resolve issues whenever possible, depending on the circumstances.
What do I do if I need help with a wild animal?
Pasadena Humane cares for injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife in our service area. For animals that have a likelihood of survival in the wild with treatment, we offer rehabilitation with the goal of releasing animals back to the wild. For more information, please visit the wildlife section of our website.
Stay Up To Date
Sign up for our email newsletter
Questions? Contact us at hello@pasadenahumane.org
