Yavapai Humane Society


Prescott, Arizona

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About Yavapai Humane Society

Yavapai Humane Society is an independent, non-profit organization that has been serving Yavapai County’s animals and citizens since 1972. The society has three pet adoption centers in Prescott, Arizona:

  • Prescott (main site): 1625 Sundog Ranch Rd, Prescott, AZ 86301
  • PetSmart: 277 N Walker Rd, Prescott, AZ 86303
  • Petco: 1931 E AZ-69, Prescott, AZ 86301

The shelter takes in and rehabilitates cats, dogs, and horses before finding them new forever homes. Their mission is to promote and protect the health, safety, and well-being of all companion animals in their county. The society also strives to serve and educate the community by offering the following services:

  • Low-cost spay/neuter programs
  • Walk-in vaccine clinic and wellness services
  • Community pet food bank
  • Support for low-income households
  • Pet guardianship programs
  • Trap-Neuter-Return program for stray cats

Yavapai Humane Society is committed to finding forever homes for the 3,000+ animals that end up at the shelter every year. When you choose to adopt from the shelter, you will not only save a life but are given a lifetime of unconditional love.

Contact Info

Address:
1625 Sundog Ranch Rd
,
Prescott
,
AZ
86301
Phone:
(928) 445-2666
Email:
info@yavapaihumane.org
Website: yavapaihumane.org

Hours of Operation

Mon - Fri: 11:30 am - 5:30 pm
Sat - Sun: 11:30 am - 4:30 pm

Adoption Process

Yavapai Humane Society offers adoptions every day of the week. The process begins with finding a candidate companion animal.

  • The most immediate and direct way: visit the shelter in person during their hours of operation!
  • You can also search their website to see who is waiting to find a new home. Click on a pet’s picture to see more photos, find out their age/size/breed, and learn about what makes them tick!
  • If you find a cutie who's currently in a foster home, contact the shelter directly to arrange a meeting.
  • If you're interested in adopting a horse, contact the shelter to make an appointment to visit their equine center.

As passionate advocates for animal welfare, Yavapai Humane Society is dedicated to matching the right family with the right pet. When you arrive at one of the Adoption Centers, an Adoption Counselor will work with you to find the pet of your dreams.

At the main shelter, there's a dog park where you can spend time getting to know your new friend. Yavapai's amazing staff encourages you to bring other family members, including resident dogs, to have a play and see how you all get along.

There's also a cat meet-and-greet play area with toys where you can look for the feline of your dreams!

Their helpful staff will share any health/background information on animals you're interested in adopting. They will also be more than happy to answer any other questions you may have about the adoption process.

Once you've found the animal you're ready to commit to, it'll take around 30 minutes to finalize the adoption. There are two requirements:

  • You must be at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID.
  • If you rent, you must provide proof that animals are allowed in your home.

Dogs and puppies must go home with a leash and collar. These can also be purchased from the shelter if you don't already have them.

Adoption Fees

Adoption fees at Yavapai Humane Society are given as minimum donation amounts. You are, of course, welcome to donate more if you can afford it to support the amazing work they do from Prescott and the surrounding community!

Dogs

  • Puppies (up to 6 months): $300
  • Large adults (6+ months, over 15 lbs): $100
  • Small adults (6+ months, under 15 lbs): $300
  • Seniors (8+ years): $50
  • Purebreds: $300
  • Superhero dogs: $300
  • YHS pet residents (in shelter 30+ days): $30

Cats

  • Kittens (up to 6 months): $80
  • Young adults (6+ months): $30

Discounts

  • Adoption fees are waived for “Pets of the Week”
  • Minimum donation is sponsored for adopters 60+

Your adoption fee covers routine spay/neuter surgery, any prior necessary medical treatment, microchipping and registration, and one month of free pet insurance.

For cats optional FELV/FIV testing can be carried out for an added fee. Extra licensing fees may apply for dogs.

Adoption Process & Fees

Our writing team is hard at work researching this shelter's adoption process and fees, so this page will be updated soon!

In the meantime, here's some nice-to-know info that applies to nearly every animal shelter, humane society, and rescue.

Why Rescue A Shelter Dog?

Because shelter dogs are full of love!

Is it because they know you saved them and love you harder for it?

I can't say for certain, but yes.

Jokes aside, there are three things all shelter dogs need to thrive in their new home:

  1. Love
  2. Patient
  3. Training

Older shelter dogs, generally 1+ years old, may have experienced a lot of trauma, which often results in one of 8 common behavioral issues:

  1. Anxiety
  2. Aggression toward people & pets
  3. Resource guarding
  4. Destructive behavior
  5. Housetraining regression
  6. Poor social skills
  7. Leash reactivity & barrier-related aggression
  8. Constant whining

These issues are correctable! Your dog isn't broken, they're just damaged. You can fix them with enough love, patience, and a good training plan.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, finding good dog trainers can be hard. Like everything else, dog training is moving only. but there are great online dog trainers that are proven to work and can help get your new pup on the right path.

Animal Shelter vs Humane Society vs Rescue: What's the Difference?

You can learn a lot about an animal welfare organization just by looking at their name.

Animal Shelters

  • Most Animal Shelters are city or county-run organizations, often operated by the local Animal Control department, that manage strays and handle owner surrenders.
  • They usually have kennel facilities you can visit to adopt animals, and they usually have less stringent adoption requirements, lower adoption fees, and same-day adoptions (because their goal is to get animals out of the shelter).
  • Unfortunately, they usually know very little about each animal, including their true personalities and any behavioral problems.

Humane Societies

  • Most Humane Societies are non-profit organizations, many of which are no-kill shelters.
  • Some (but not all) are affiliated with The Humane Society of the United States.
  • They exist to improve animal welfare in the local community and often partner with city or county-run Animal Shelters that often euthanize animals due to capacity restraints.
  • They usually have kennel facilities, sometimes at multiple locations, and usually offer other services to the community such as low-cost spay/neuter clinics, community education programs, and more.
  • They may also have some animals in foster care.
  • There's a lot of variation in process and fees among Humane Societies, but they usually have really good websites that detail everything for you.

Rescues

  • Most Rescues are foster-based organizations that don't have physical facilities.
  • They usually have websites and contact emails, but not all of them have phone numbers.
  • Because they don't have a physical facility, you need to view animals in their foster network online, usually on their website but sometimes on their member pages on either PetFinder or Adopt-a-Pet.
  • If you see an animal you'd like to meet, contact the rescue using the process listed on their website or via email. They'll help you through the application process and set up a time for you to meet the animal at the foster's home.
  • Adopting from a rescue generally is the most expensive option here and takes the longest, but you get an animal that's been cared for in a loving home environment and their foster can tell you a lot about their personality.

6 Tips to Improve Your Adoption Experience

Adoption processes vary drastically from organization to organization, but here are some general tips that apply in most instances. Note that we'll use the term "shelters" here for simplicity but it includes all types of rescue organizations.

  1. See an animal online that you'd like to meet? Call the shelter before your visit to make sure the animal is still available. This especially applies for puppies, which are adopted out quickly.
  2. Usually, you'll need to get some paperwork in order: a photo ID, vaccination/medical records for any pets you currently have, possibly your vet's contact info and a couple of personal references, and (for renters) proof you're allowed to have a pet (copy of your lease or your landlord's contact info).
  3. If you need to provide contact info for your vet, let your vet know ahead of time. Otherwise, they may not release your information.
  4. Many shelters require your current dogs to meet adoptive dogs. Your current dogs need to be up-to-date on vaccinations.
  5. Some shelters require you to schedule a home visit to ensure a suitable living environment for the new animal.
  6. Adoption fees may seem excessive, but they're actually amazing values. Truthfully, caring for a pet is expensive. Most adoption fees include required medical care to get the animal ready for their new home including (but not limited to) spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, general vet exams, flea/tick treatment, deworming, heartworm testing/treatment for dogs, and feline leukemia and feline AIDS testing/treatment for cats. In general, your adoption fee is less than the cost of this care, so you're saving money in addition to your new animal's life!

If you have any questions about adopting an animal (what you'll need, what to expect, etc.) feel free to contact the PetLists team!

For more information about what's included in your adoption fee, or any other questions about the adoption process, reach out to
Yavapai Humane Society
in
Prescott
,
Arizona
directly using the contact info above.

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All information on this page is accurate and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge. If you spot an error, please contact us using our contact form.
Note: Hours of operation and other information on this page are subject to change during the COVID-19 pandemic.