Welcome to the Portsmouth Humane Society

The Portsmouth Humane Society, Inc. is a private, 501(C)(3) Animal Shelter dedicated to assisting our community by caring for and placing as many adoptable pets into good homes as possible. We are one of the longest serving animal welfare groups in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a history reaching back to the early 1900's.

We not a part of The Portsmouth City Government, however we are the contracted animal shelter for the City of Portsmouth and we work closely with Portsmouth City Officials for the welfare of the animals in our city.

In 2007^*, the Portsmouth Humane Society provided care for 3069 animals and over 25% of these were owner-surrenders from Portsmouth residents while 2023 or almost 66% of the animals we received were strays.

As a result, we always have many wonderful animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles and the occasional exotic bird in our shelter that would be a great addition to your family.
^{*Statistics as reported to the VDACS 2007 report.}

When you are considering a new pet, you will get more value for your dollar by adopting a pet from your local animal shelter, please give our dogs, cats and other pets a chance to win you over and you will find out what so many have come to discover-There's something special about a "P-Town Pet"!

Super Adoption Event Deals Continue

The Portsmouth Humane Society is proud to announce that not only has our "Super-Size" adoption event been continued, we have expanded our offer to include special low adoption prices for senior pets and special offers for clients over the age of 55.

If you are looking to add a new pet to your family, now would be the perfect time because you just won't find a better deal than those we are offering until December 31st, 2008!
Come visit our shelter and meet all the great pets we have available for adoption!

Grey-Whiskers Club-Dog and Cat lovers who adopt a pet over the age of five (5) years or, the animal has been in our shelter for two months or more will enjoy a 40% discount on their adoption fee!

Seniors-4-Seniors-Clients over the age of 55 can adopt a new cat for just $36.00, a savings of 70% off our regular adoption fee!

Two-4-One Cat Adoption Any client can adopt not one, but TWO great cats from our shelter for the price of one!

Remember, all prices include first vaccinations, FeLV (Cats) or Parvovirus Test (dogs), Spay/Neuter Surgery as well as a pre-registered RFID microchip implanted in your pet for easy identification.

We have chosen Kuranda dog beds for our kennel facilities because they are so good for our dogs. We still don't have enough for all of our kennels and are asking for the smaller-sized beds. If you would like to donate a bed so another dog can sleep in proper comfort, please click here.

Adoption Policies

Under Virginia Law, the Portsmouth Humane Society may only adopt two (2) companion animals to any household within a thirty (30) day period.

A valid, Federal or State issued picture I.D.

For safety reasons, we do not adopt animals into homes with children under four (4) years of age.

Please read our reason for this policy.

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

To adopt a dog, a yard check by Portsmouth Animal Control or other law enforcement agency may be required.

Applicants wishing to adopt an unaltered animal must reside in Portsmouth, Virginia or an adjacent political district pursuant to Code of Virginia section § 3.1-796.96.C-3 & § 3.1-796.96.C-4

Note: If the an applicant wishes to adopt an animal in which it can be reasonably established the animal has been sterilized, the adjacent political district rule is not applicable.

Proof of home ownership

Mortgage statement, property tax bill, deed

Copy of lease agreement that states pets are allowed to reside in the home you are renting and a receipt for or other proof that you have paid any required pet deposit.

Prospective adopters who wish to adopt a pit-bull or pit bull mix will be required to:

1) Submit a criminal background history to the Portsmouth Humane Society for consideration.
2) Pay any required fees to have the animal spayed or neutered prior to the animal being released for adoption.
3) Obtain a waiver or rider for their homeowners insurance policy.
4) Attend an approved canine good citizenship course within three months of adoption.

Adoption Fees

Adopting a healthy pet to a new home is our primary goal. Accordingly, the Portsmouth Humane Society holds every animal, regardless of origin (owner surrender, lost/stray, seizure) for a ten-day period to ascertain as much information as possible regarding animal health and temperament.

This policy does not apply to lost/stray pets that are reclaimed by their owners or those ordered released to owners by Portsmouth Animal Control or a Court of Law.

The Portsmouth Humane Society accepts cash as well as MasterCard and Visa credit/debit cards.

Check Out Our Adoption Specials!

*Please Note:
All animals in our shelter (owner surrender, stray, seized) that were altered prior to arrival have the same adoption fee as unaltered animals.
The Portsmouth Humane Society does not have a staff veterinarian and cannot guarantee health, age or temperament of any animal. As we are a 501 (c)(3) non-profit animal shelter, there are no refunds given for animals that are returned for these reasons.

Vaccinations & Sterilization

Prior to departure from our shelter, all dogs and cats will receive the following from shelter staff:

Dogs & Puppies Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis, Parafluenza, Leptospirosis, Bordatella, have been tested for heartworms (if over the age of 6 months), given de-wormer and implanted with a pre-registered microchip.

Cats & Kittens Rhinotrachetitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia, have been given de-wormer, tested for feline leukemia as well as feline AIDS and been implanted with a pre-registered microchip.

Unaltered animals will receive a rabies vaccination and be altered by the Virginia Beach SPCA's Neuter Scooter. Animals will be assigned the first available appointment.
The cost of spay/neuter surgery is included in the adoption fee of unaltered animals.

The Neuter Scooter visits our shelter twice each month and not only alters animals adopted from our shelter, but provides low-cost spay/neuter services for residents of Portsmouth, Va.

After You Adopt

After adopting a new pet from the Portsmouth Humane Society, all new adopters are required to take the animal to a veterinarian for a physical exam within the first seven days.

It is also Virginia law that all new pet owners have an unaltered animal spayed or neutered within the first thirty days of ownership unless a statement from a licensed veterinary doctor is obtained as to the reason why altering the animal at that time would pose a risk to the animals health.

Special Deals for New Pet Owners

When you adopt your new pet from the Portsmouth Humane Society, we have special gifts just for you! Our adoption packages for dogs and cats include discount coupons for veterinary services, pet food and a wide range of other special offers reserved just for you and your new pet!

During the 2008 calendar year, the Pedigree Dog food company will be offering a months supply of dog food for your new pooch!

All you have to do is download the form from Pedigree, complete the required information and submit a copy of your adoption paperwork. You will receive a coupon good for a free bag of Pedigree dog food to help your new best friend get off on the right track! This is a limited time offer, so don't forget to download the form from Pedigree today!

Consider a Pet Health Insurance Plan

It is a fact that veterinary bills for any pet can skyrocket-an unforeseen illness or injury can wreck any household budget and the Portsmouth Humane Society encourages you to consider a pet insurance plan or wellness plan to protect you from these extraordinary expenses.

Because of our partnership with the ShelterCare Pet Insurance company, you can sign up for a special offer that is available of new adoptive pet owners!

ShelterCare Pet Insurance protects you from unexpected expenses for an illness or injury and with each completed application from one of the banner links on our website, the Portsmouth Humane Society will receive a $25.00 donation to help us meet day-to-day expenses such as blankets, medication and other needs that a modern animal shelter cannot do without-and this donation is of no cost to you!

You must click through the link on our website in order to take advantage of this special offer.

Copyright © 2008, The Portsmouth Humane Society