Americans adopted 2 million dogs and 2.2 million cats from animal shelters in 2025 – a significant percentage of new pets that year. Local animal advocates share their insights with the Press to help possible new “pet parents” understand what’s involved in building suitable homes for these special animals.

Lehigh Valley

Humane Society

Lehigh Valley Humane Society (LVHS), located in Allentown, provides shelter, fostering, adoption, and veterinary services for rescued animals. It is the only shelter in the Lehigh Valley that has a contract to accept animals brought by animal control officers. Interim CEO Teisha Jones says the resulting high-volume intake has made the organization adopt a progressive stance. To be known as a “no kill” shelter, a facility needs to save at least 90 percent of the animals that come through its doors; LVHS averages 93 percent or better during most months.

“The goal is to save as many of the animals as possible,” Jones explains, “and that creates the space to acknowledge that it’s just not possible to save every animal that comes in, but that number should be below 10 percent every month as long as you’re utilizing the resources you have and staying a progressive organization.”

Jones continues, “One thing that we did years ago was committing to thinking outside the box,” which can mean “having conversations with people who might not be quite ready to adopt,” but can learn to be good pet parents through LVHS training and support. “We have the resources to teach them what they need to know and support them post-adoption.” One component of that support is a certificate that entitles adopted animals to free medical exams and medication for the first 14 days after adoption.

“The biggest piece of advice I would give someone considering bringing a pet into their home would be to ask themselves if they’re ready to make a lifelong commitment to this pet,” Jones advises, noting that the commitment could extend 10 years or more. “The next piece is to come up with a contingency plan. If for some reason you’re no longer able to keep this pet, who can help you? Is there a family member who could take the pet in? Can you set up a savings account for boarding for temporary situations?”

Once a prospective owner has answered those questions and developed a plan, “the next thing is to do breed research,” Jones says. “Find out what breed best suits your lifestyle,” including living space and activity level. “And then be patient… Unfortunately, shelters have new animals coming in every day,” so even if the adopter’s preferred type of pet is not available immediately, LVHS can set up an email alert for when the right pet comes through its doors.

Forgotten Felines

Forgotten Felines and Fidos, located in Germansville, is a nonprofit, volunteer-run, no-kill animal organization. The group works to prevent animal homelessness through initiatives like trap-neuter-release (TNR) for feral cat colonies, low-cost spaying and neutering, and sheltering rescued kittens and cats in a nurturing environment until they are adopted. Although the facility is not zoned to house dogs, its volunteers serve as foster parents to dogs looking for a permanent home.

“Many people come to shelters after their pet has passed and they just want to see if they are ready to bring a new cat into their home,” Forgotten Felines reports. “Often people come ‘just to look’ and find the cat who steals their heart so whether they thought they were ready or not, they just could not walk away without that kitty who ‘picked them.’”

Before cats are considered adoptable, “there is often a waiting period where the cat is kept separate from other cats so that the medical staff can check out the medical situation for each cat in order to assess their health but also their well-being,” Forgotten Felines explains. “Once the cat is placed in a room that fits its needs, volunteers interact with it to see if the cat is friendly.”

Additionally, “If the cat is hiding because it is frightened or if shelter staff knows it has been abused, the staff takes extra care to go slow, talk softly, and otherwise patiently interact with the cat to get it to trust them enough to come out. Cages are left open so the cat can come out on its own time.” Although this approach takes time, it helps animals acclimate to a new situation and allows shelter staff to get to know them.

When shelter cats come home, their adoptive families can help them adjust by taking a few key steps. “One of the things that helps … is to have some of the bedding and toys that they have been using in the shelter go home with them so they will have their own scent when they get to their new home,” Forgotten Felines explains, adding that “adopters are encouraged to provide a cat tree or other places to sit in order to watch out windows and get high up for a better view of their room. An appropriate litter box or two depending on the size of the home is essential, as well as the same kind of food that they’ve been eating in the shelter, and a comfy cat bed.”

Newly adopted cats should stay in their own space for at least a day or two, according to Forgotten Felines, with a longer timeline if other cats are already in the home. “If there are other pets in the house, it is recommended that the cats be separated for the first week or two. The new shelter cat should be in a bedroom or other confined space to learn the sounds and smells of their new home. Slowly introduce any other pets in 20-minute periods with supervision for a few days, gradually increasing this time so that the adopters can see how the animals get along.”

The Sanctuary

at Haafsville

The Sanctuary at Haafsville maintains a cat adoption center in Orefield and a dog adoption center in Breinigsville, partnering with other no-kill shelters, as well as accepting pets from owners who can no longer care for them and rescuing cats and dogs from natural disasters. The Sanctuary runs both fostering and adoption programs.

Considering the differences between an adoption from a shelter and a purchase from a breeder, The Sanctuary board member Russ Hryvnak acknowledges that breeders can typically tell new owners the pet’s genetic history. However, he notes, “The most important thing to understand is that shelter pets are not fundamentally different from breeder pets – they simply need patience and time to adjust.”

Additionally, people adopting from a shelter are given valuable information about an adopted animal’s temperament and disposition, based on careful observation. Hryvnak explains, “We evaluate every dog and cat for temperament, behavior and medical needs before adoption and share everything we know with prospective adopters, so you are never going in blind.”

He adds, “Patience is the single most important thing a new adopter can offer. Avoid the temptation to rush the bonding process or measure progress against what you may have experienced with a pet from a breeder. Every animal moves at its own pace, and the rewards of allowing that process to unfold naturally are immeasurable.”

The Sanctuary provides individualized care to the animals it shelters, including recognizing the “meaningful difference between an animal relinquished by a loving owner due to a life change and one that experienced abuse or abandonment.” Hryvnak clarifies, “Both deserve wonderful homes, but animals with trauma histories need more time, more patience and a gentler approach in those early weeks.

He elaborates, “The ASPCA describes this as the ‘3-3-3 rule’: three days to decompress, three weeks to learn routines and three months to truly feel at home. At The Sanctuary, our campuses were intentionally designed as a peaceful, calm environments to help traumatized animals heal and rebuild trust before entering an adoptive home.” Hryvnak makes it clear that staff at The Sanctuary “are transparent with adopters about each animal’s background and remain a resource long after adoption day.”

In addition to preparing an appropriate space in the home for the animal before its arrival, Hryvnak advises that new owners “Establish a routine immediately.” This includes “consistent feeding times, walk schedules and bedtime routines… And resist the urge to overwhelm them with visitors or new experiences right away. A quieter first few weeks allows the animal to bond with their immediate family and build confidence gradually.”

Lehigh Valley Pitties

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs organization has promoted animal adoption for the past several years, and 2026 is no exception. The IronPigs became the “Pitties” for the month of August, in honor of pitbulls looking for homes, and the team hosted a special adoption night Aug. 11.

Abby Road Veterinary Hospital has sponsored the 2026 season of “Bark in the Park” nights, at which dogs were welcome at Coca-Cola Park. Local pet food company Duke’s Delites joined the hospital as a sponsor for the special Aug. 11 dog adoption night, when several animal adoption agencies had adoptable dogs and the paperwork available for people looking to welcome a shelter pet into their lives. Mutts Gone Nuts retrieved Frisbees as part of the added entertainment that night, and Casey the Bat Dog was on hand to retrieve bats and meet fans.

More information on how to adopt or support the mission of these organizations is available online at forgottenfelines.org/ and thesanctuarypa.org/ and lehighvalleyhumanesociety.org/

Please note that this article is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all special needs of rescued animals. Consult an animal welfare expert or animal trainer if you are planning to adopt a shelter pet.