Types of Animal Shelters

Written By: Eva Ternovska

Edited By: Bethel Tessera

When adopting a dog, the animal shelter that you choose to go to can be crucial. Every animal shelter has different rules and regulations. Before adopting, make sure to research the animal shelters that you are going to. Here are the three main types of animal shelters.

Municipal shelters

Municipal shelters are funded and operated by the government. They offer a wide array of services, including pet adoption, animal control, and vaccination. These shelters are usually required to take in all stray animals. An example is the Los Angeles Animal Services, which is owned by the Los Angeles government. It offers adoption services for a wide variety of animals, from dogs to lizards.

Full service private non-profit

As stated in the name, this is a shelter that’s owned by a non-profit organization. It covers a wide array of animal services. These shelters are usually open admission, meaning that they take in all animals that come their way. These shelters might have the letters SPCA (acronym) in the name. These shelters have their unique missions and goals. For example, Humane Society Silicon Valley is a private non-profit animal shelter in California. Not only does it provide adoption services, but it also provides spay and neutering services and a pet pantry.

Private shelter with a municipal contract

These are private animal shelters that have a contract with the municipal government to assume animal control duties.

Rescues/Sanctuaries

These shelters are most of the time owned by nonprofits that specialize in rescuing animals. These types of animal shelters offer a variety of different services and accommodations. Animal rescue shelters may specialize in a specific species or breed. An example is Shelby Shelter. Shelby Shelter is a non-profit that rescues dogs from China and rehomes them in the United States.

How do I decide which shelter to use?

When deciding which shelter to use, look at a shelter’s website or visit it in person to find out information about it. What does the animal shelter specialize in? If you’re looking for a cat, an animal shelter specializing in only dogs is not a good idea. Private and rescue animal shelters are more likely to be specialized, while municipal animal shelters are likely to have a wide variety of animals. Some questions to keep in mind: What are the shelter’s policy and requirements for adoption? How much is the adoption fee? What condition are the pets kept in? These are all necessary questions to ask during your research.

References:

Miller, Pat. “What You Should Know About Animal Shelters” Whole Dog Journal, 16 December 2008.