Applicant Requirements
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and show valid proof of ID at the time of adoption and must have completed a pre-adoption questionnaire. The pre-adoption questionnaire is a three page form that all applicants for adoption must complete prior to approval for adoption.
TLHS adoption counselors will review the applicant’s previous and current pet ownership information and references as well as lifestyle and living arrangements. Please provide name of veterinary clinic and contact information for a veterinary reference as well as landlord name and contact if applicable on the questionnaire.
Proof of rabies vaccination on any owned animals must be provided at the time of adoption consideration as well as heartworm prevention for any currently owned dogs or puppies.
Please note that completing an adoption application does not mean that you are automatically approved to adopt that animal. The adoption approval is left to the discretion of the adoption counselors and management at TLHS.
TLHS reserves the right to deny an adoption to anyone who has not taken the opportunity to first visit the animal in person.
Choosing the perfect pet for your home
TLHS bases our adoptions on matchmaking. Inform your adoption counselor of what your home and lifestyle is like. This is a critical step of our adoption process as our adoption counselors are experienced with every adoptable animal in our facility and can best match you with the perfect fit. To learn more about why matchmaking is important click here.
TLHS is happy to introduce a dog or puppy to a currently owned dog. Please let the adoption counselor know if you would like to take advantage of this courtesy. We will not be able to test cats from our facility with your dog or cat for safety reasons. If you have a cat at home, please inform the adoption counselor. We will do our best to ensure the safest choice for all animals involved.
Do not feel rushed to make a decision. Adopting is a lifetime commitment for both the adopter and adoptee. That’s a big decision to make. Not sure that a lifetime commitment is best for you at this time? Click here to learn more about how fostering may be right for you.
If you have not visited our facility, please use this time to discuss pet ownership with a veterinarian of your choice and plan a visit to TLHS to discuss adoption with one of our adoption counselors. Our goal is for the transition from our adoption facility to your home the best experience and most positive experience it can be.
Ready to adopt?
Canines
Puppies under 6 months – $150
Puppies over 6 months and adult dogs – $85
VIP Dogs – $150
Felines
Kittens under 4 months – $80
Kittens over 4 months and adult cats – $60
VIP Cats – $80
Dog Adoptions Include:
- Spay or neuter
- Rabies vaccination
- Current on routine vaccinations, heartworm prevention, and flea and tick prevention
- Heartworm test (if over 6 months)
- Routine deworming
- Microchip
- Free health exam within 48 hours of adoption at a local participating vet
- Pet Insurance (optional post-adoption)
A “VIP” pet is a highly adoptable canine or feline that is adopted quickly, usually the same day or week that they are made available.
Cat Adoptions Include:
- Spay or neuter
- Rabies vaccination
- Current on routine vaccinations and flea and tick prevention
- Initial Felv/FIV/HW test
- Microchip
- Free health exam within 48 hours of adoption at a local participating vet
- Pet Insurance (optional post-adoption)
A “VIP” pet is a highly adoptable canine or feline that is adopted quickly, usually the same day or week that they are made available.
TLHS is currently making appointments for all adoption meet and greets to limit capacity in our building to keep our community safe during Covid-19. If you see an animal you would like to make an appointment to visit with, please complete the needed appointment form by clicking the button below.
Print your pre-adoption form!
Want to visit our facility?
Be sure to review our adoption policy.
Adoption FAQ's
Puppies under 6 months in age are $175 and puppies over 6 months and other dogs vary from $100
- Spay or neuter
- Rabies vaccination
- Current on routine vaccinations, heartworm prevention, and flea and tick prevention
- Heartworm test (if over 6 months)
- Microchip
- Free health exam within 48 hours of adoption at a local participating vet
- Pet Insurance (optional post-adoption)
Cat and kitten adoptions vary from $80-$100
- Spay or neuter
- Rabies vaccination
- Current on routine vaccinations and flea and tick prevention
- Initial Felv/FIV/HW test
- Microchip
- Free health exam within 48 hours of adoption at a local participating vet
- Pet Insurance (optional post-adoption)
Our adoption fees are considered a donation at the time of adoption and are non refundable. All our pets are exchangeable within two weeks of adoption to ensure we match you with the best pet for your home as possible. Please keep in mind some cats and dogs can take up to three months to adjust to their new home.
Yes! All pets will be spayed or neutered. If you choose a pet that is intact, you may foster the pet until we can process the adoption at the time of spay. Please be advised that TLHS reserves the right to spay or neuter some animals prior to leaving into foster.
Yes! All pets are chipped prior to leaving. We use Michelson Found Animals microchips. Please make sure to change your phone number, email address, and physical address with www.foundanimals.org if you move, change phone numbers, or need to update your email. Always report a lost pet to your microchip company. This service is free and there are no further fees to update your information.
Yes! All of our cats and kittens must leave in a pet carrier for their safety and yours. If you do not have a pet carrier, we have pet carriers available for $5.00 at the time of adoption. We do recommend purchasing one to use.
We are very fortunate to have local funding from our Mead, Music, and Mutts fundraisers and through a grant provided by the Petco Foundation to fully sponsor ALL of our heartworm positive dogs for the year 2021! You will need to foster your heartworm positive dog until treatment is completed. You will be able to adopt your pet after your dog receives its second and third heartworm treatment injections. Please note, there are some cases that our veterinarian may determine that heartworm treatment is not a viable option. This is rare but possible. You do have the option of treating one of our heartworm positive dogs through your veterinarian. Please be advised that our adoption coordinator will have to consult your veterinarian to confirm treatment plans upon adoption approval and release of the dog.
All of our adoptions are based on a matchmaker premise. To learn more about matchmaking, click here. We believe that a breed is not a determining factor on behavior. We will match you with a pet that is best suited for your home. All of our dogs and puppies have the possibility of going into homes with a family with children. To view our adoption policy, click here. Please check with the ordinances for your city or county as this mix can have ownership restrictions.
We have a Barn Cat Program available. Please be advised that a cat may or may not “mouse.” These cats still need to have access to food, water and shelter from the elements. We do not adopt cats under 6 months to outside homes as they are prime targets of larger predators.
In most cases, you can pay the adoption fee in advance and foster the pet until we can schedule a spay or neuter and complete your adoption. In the event that the pet is already fixed, you can finalize your adoption and take it home. We do reserve the right to require some pets to be fixed prior to fostering.
You should have a voucher for a free health exam from a list of providing veterinarians to be used within 48 hours of adoption. Please make sure to take advantage of this free offer and make sure to take the medical records provided to you at the time of adoption to your veterinarian. You will need to keep your puppy or dog on heartworm prevention for the rest of its life to protect it from heartworm disease. Please make sure to keep your pet on flea and tick prevention as well.
What is MatchMaking?
At TLHS, we receive inquiries daily about specific breed availability. The most common breeds that we are asked if we have available are Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds, Boxers, and many toy breeds including Chihuahuas, Shih-tzus, and Yorkshire Terriers. Many people who are interested in one of these pets have owned one as a child or may have recently lost a pet of the same breed. The conversation usually begins with “I would love to have another (insert dog breed).”
To be honest, each dog is an individual. It is remarkably impossible to look at a dog and the breed description and assume that this German Shepherd is just like the one that you owned as a child. Or that the Siberian Husky you saw on TV will be a perfect family pet. Breeds with longer hair often need to see a groomer at least once a month if not twice a month. Are you prepared for the responsibility to train and care for a pet that is a breed that is pleasing to look at or hold?
Many families are looking for a great family pet that is “easy.” Pets are like children and sometimes require extra care and training. Time is important to have available for a pet as behavior is not determined by a “breed standard.” What is your lifestyle like? Do you live in an apartment and work 14 hours a day? Are you looking for an outside pet? Or a guard dog? Do you have a fenced yard? Do you have young children? Do you have other pets?
These are questions that our staff will take into consideration when they are trying to matchmake you to one of our available pets. We will not send a dog or cat into a home that is not a good fit for the pet or your home. TLHS adoption counselors make our best effort to ensure a positive experience for you and our pets. Give your new pet time to adjust to your home while making sure that you are doing your best to provide exercise, nutrition, and positive reinforcement to help support good behavior the rest of its life.
Please reach out to our Placement Coordinator via email at placement@tupeloleehumane.org if you would like to start the matchmaking process today!
Barn Cat Program FAQ's
The adoption fee is waived. You will be responsible for ongoing veterinary care (as necessary), food, water, and shelter.
When you bring the new cats home, they will need to be confined to an escape-proof room or enclosure like a tack room, garage, coop, or XXL dog crate for 2-4 weeks while they acclimate to their new surroundings. You will feed/water and clean the litter pan daily during the confinement period. After this period of confinement, the cats will usually accept their new home and may be released. You will continue to provide daily food and water and allow them access to shelter such as your barn or garage.
Yes. All barn cats come spayed or neutered, rabies vaccinated, treated for worms/fleas/ear mites (dose of Revolution), and ear tipped.
Any cat you adopt from TLHS will be current on rabies vaccination. Following adoption, you will be responsible for keeping the animals’ vaccinations up to date. The best way to have feral cats vaccinated is with the use of a live humane trap such as those used to trap raccoons, possums, etc.
No; the cats in the barn cat program are not social, friendly cats or suited to be pets. They have no desire to be “lap cats” and cannot be touched, or may take a very long time to trust enough to pet. We strongly encourage adopters to offer cats in this program an independent outdoor life complemented by appropriate care and shelter like a barn or garage.
The youngest cats in the Barn Cat Program are approximately six months old. TLHS will not adopt younger kittens as barn cats, as they don’t yet have the knowledge, size, or skills to remain safe outdoors. Most cats in the barn program are young adults between one and five years of age, though we do have younger and older cats available occasionally. If you have an age preference, just let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you!
The cats require shelter in a permanent building or structure like a barn, shed, stable, or garage in a suitable rural area where they will be safe. The property should be at least .5 miles away from busy roads. Daily food and water must be provided, as well as any future medical care needed. The cats must also be kept confined for the initial 2-4 week relocation period to ensure a successful transition to their new home.
The TLHS barn cats are not accessible to visitors for safety reasons. When you are scheduled to adopt, TLHS will select barn cats for you based on which cats are the most eager to enter a cat carrier for us. If you have a color, age, or gender preference, we will do our best to accommodate you, though we’re not able to make any promises! All barn cat adoptions are scheduled by appointment since it can take some time and extra staff to round the kitties up.
Contact our Placement Coordinator today at placement@tupeloleehumane.org if you would like to help provide some of our barn cats a home!
Ready to get started?
Email adopt@tupeloleehumane.org or call 662-205-4221 to schedule a meet and greet! We thank you in advance for helping us help our community and save lives!
Pupdates
Everyone at the Tupelo Lee Humane Society was just wonderful to work with! Megan was our adoption coordinator and she was so great at sending us photos and videos of Max while we waited for him to be released. Finally that day came and we drove almost 4 hours to get him. The facility is beautiful and full of wonderful caring people to greet us. I think they were as happy as we were that he was going to be going home with us!
We stayed in a local hotel that night just to make it a little easier and we had a blast getting to know this adorable little guy! Puppies are a challenge, and Max is definitely his own little guy, but he has been a part of our family from the first night. Our other two dogs and cats welcomed him right away and we couldn't love him more!
