By meeting different levels of Adopt a Pet's Certification criteria, your organization demonstrates its commitment to transparency, responsiveness including prompt communication and professional customer service, and providing a positive adoption experience for animals and adopters. More levels and benefit details here.
Silver Certification criteria
Your organization...
Is a registered nonprofit or a government organization.
Has been active for at least one year.
Demonstrates an open adoptions policy, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility. (See * below)
Replies to most inquiries, applications, or voicemails in three days or less,
- Or has a facility with walk-in adoption hours at least three days a week.
Refers to Rehome or Adopt a Pet using your referral link or a link to Adopt a Pet visibly online, like on your website or social media.
For all levels of certification, on Adopt a Pet, your organization must...
Have an approved shelter/rescue account. Sign up here.
Have added a minimum of 10 adoptable pets.
Actively maintain your adoptable pet listings.
Have either a visible email address with your adoption inquiry form set to ON, or an adoption application link, or a phone number that is answered or has an informative voicemail message.
Have completed all your My Shelter/Rescue Information fields, providing thorough and accurate information to potential adopters.
Get Certified
Submit your Certification request here:
Qualification questions? Email helpdesk@adoptapet.com
*Adopt a Pet is committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of any visible or invisible differences. Open adoptions include being open to adopters regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, veteran status, age or sexual orientation or identity. Each organization defines their own open adoption process and what works best for their pets and community.
As the ASPCA says, "The structure of adoption programs at shelters across the country varies widely from no screening (any animal available to anyone) to use of rigid guidelines to screen potential adopters. An approach known as “open adoptions” falls somewhere in-between these two extremes, matching adopters and pets through dialogue and conversation, in a climate of trust, communication and understanding."