Adoption Process

Nashville Humane Association is located at 213 Oceola Ave in West Nashville, near the corner of White Bridge Road and Charlotte Pike. We are open daily TUE through SUN from 10 AM until 5 PM.  If you plan to visit, please arrive by 4 PM to allow adequate time to visit and complete the adoption. We are closed every Monday.

As Nashville’s FAVORITE shelter, we adopt thousands of pets annually. You can visit and adopt from our facility on the same day. To adopt from Nashville Humane, you must follow our adoption process.

Here’s how it works:

Visit our ADOPT A DOG and ADOPT A CAT pages to see the available pets for adoption.

If you click on each pet’s page, you can learn more about the individual pet. First, look at the field called “LOCATION.” There are two options based on whether the pet is currently in the ADOPTION ROOM or a FOSTER HOME:

1. If the pet LOCATION is currently in the ADOPTION ROOM, they’re now living at the shelter with us. Visit us and meet them!
2. If the pet LOCATION is currently in a FOSTER HOME, you’ll need to email adoption@nashvillehumane.org with the SUBJ “Interested in Meeting _____,” and our adoptions team will provide you more information about a virtual or in-person meet and greet. Please note that it may take up to 48 hours to respond.

Once you see a pet you might be interested in adopting, click on the Apply for Adoption button. This online process will allow you to complete an application to adopt a pet at Nashville Humane.  Please note:

1. Completing an online application DOES NOT RESERVE or COMPLETE ADOPTION for a pet from our shelter. It only allows you to save time when you visit our shelter.
2. We do not “reserve” pets or hold pets. All adoptions are completed in person at the shelter.

If a pet is currently visible on the adoption page of our website, then they are available for adoption. If you’d like to meet them, determine whether they are in the shelter or a foster home by looking at the LOCATION field on their page. Then visit us if they are in the shelter. Or email us if they are in a foster home.

Also, you can visit us during regular business hours.  This may be easier for you to see and learn about while at the shelter. So, come and visit us, and we’ll walk you through the process. Because of COVID-19, we have established health and safety rules for visiting the shelter.  If you have questions or concerns, or special needs, you may want to give us a call in advance of your visit at 615-352-1010.

Adoption FAQ

How can I view adoptable pets?

You can go here to view the animals that are currently available for adoption: nashvillehumane.org/adoption.

Can I visit the shelter and meet the pets?

Yes. We are open for visits every day except Monday.

Can I bring my pet for a meet and greet?

Yes. We absolutely encourage your current pet to meet your potential new family member. We have spaces within the shelter where your current pet can hang out while you walk the shelter to meet prospective pets. When you arrive, ask a member of our Pet Services team to assist you.

Is there anything I can do to change the process or skip ahead in line, like calling the shelter or sending a DM on Facebook?

No. We’re doing our best to serve a high volume of interest, and we appreciate your patience. Thank you!

I am searching for a specific ‘breed’ of pet. Do you have it?

Maybe? Your best bet is to watch our ADOPTION PAGE on our website and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. You can see our lineup of adoptable cuties there, but remember, you need to follow our adoption process to adopt. The most common way to adopt is by visiting the shelter.

Lastly, due to the volume of inquiries and animals we care for at any given time, we do not have a “contact me list.”

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The adoption process at NHA is friendly, educational, and rewarding!  Animals come to us looking for a forever home, and we make certain to give them their best shot.  All animals in our Adoption Program, while at NHA, receive spay/neuter surgery, are current on their vaccinations, are microchipped, and receive high-quality veterinary care from our team of full-time board-certified veterinary staff.  And of course, lots of love!

Now, it’s your turn to love them forever.  Noticing that we use the word “forever” a lot?  It is really important to us that our pets find a permanent home!  Therefore, adoption applicants must meet adoption requirements before taking your new furry friend home.

Now here comes the hard part – visit with our wonderful cats and dogs and try to pick just one!  NHA Pet Service Representatives are available to provide advice on selecting the best match for you and will schedule a Meet & Greet between family members (including those with four-legs) and your prospective pet to help you determine which animal will best accept your lifestyle.

After reviewing a pet, you can complete an online application located on each pet’s adoption information page. PLEASE NOTE: completing an application does NOT reserve a pet for you. It simply allows you to save time when you come to the shelter to complete your adoption. We do not allow online holds or reservations of pets. 

Adoption Fees

More than 4,000 animals come through Nashville Humane Association’s doors every year. Each has a different story to tell. Some are found as strays, while others are surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them. Hundreds are rescued from animal cruelty cases, and even more have traveled hundreds of miles from under-resourced shelters for a second chance.

But no matter how they got here or where they came from, they’re provided with basic needs, individualized medical treatment, behavioral rehabilitation when necessary, protection, and most importantly love.

How are Adoption Fees Set?

We use a variable fee schedule to assign adoption fees. This fee schedule takes into account the animal’s age, breed, and size.

Some types of dogs and cats are less common and have a higher demand, so their fee might be higher. Other types of dogs and cats are more common, are older, or have special needs. A variable fee structure that assigns higher fees to certain high-demand animals ensures we have the funds to provide for other animals that have special needs and/or a more difficult time finding a new home.

Adoption Fees at Nashville Humane Association generally range from $85-$225 for dogs and puppies, and generally from $45-$175 for cats and kittens.

Scalable Pricing

There are, however, some special exceptions that are made from time to time regarding our general pricing structure detailed above. NHA will use a scalable pricing structure for these “outlyer” situations. As an example, some special needs or longer stay animals have reduced adoption fees. Because cost of stay and care can be expensive at the shelter, we want to encourage an expedited adoption for some pets. There are also pets that have had their adoption fee “sponsored” by a generous donor, so their adoption fee is basically “free” to the public.  Then there are also certain high-demand animals that have much higher adoption fees, this is a rare occurrence but it does happen from time to time. Because we anticipate that these “special” cases will be high-demand adoption animals, the adorable yorkie puppy who will be adopted in 5 minutes gets to help save the senior pibble who has been at the shelter for months. We use these higher fees to off-set the costs of care for all the animals at the shelter. Remember, NHA is an entirely gift-based not-for-profit we like to be creative from time-to-time when it comes to how we raise funds, and a scalable adoption fee is just one of those methods. Ultimately, these are all exceptions to the rule. For 99.9% of our animals at the shelter, Adoption Fees at Nashville Humane Association generally range from $90-$230 for dogs and puppies, and generally from $50-$180 for cats and kittens.