We will always provide any information we have on a pet’s temperament and health status, but many of our animals come in as strays and have been in the shelter for a very brief amount of time. Behaviors seen inside the shelter can be unreliable. Even though we strive to make the shelter as much like home as possible, the shelter is a very loud and stressful place for a pet, so they may not always act like themselves. Also be sure to check out some of our animals available from foster homes! While each home is unique, our wonderful foster families can help provide perspective on how the animal usually behaves outside of the shelter. 

We encourage all members of the household come meet the pet prior to adoption, including children. Often times, pets are good with certain children, but not with others. In addition, if you are adopting a dog and would like to do a meet and greet with your resident dog(s) prior to adoption, our staff would be happy to help. For cats, our staff can help talk you through a proper slow introduction at home. 

After adoption, we recommend you visit a vet of your choice to do a thorough exam. Our shelter can only provide a brief exam in order to serve our average intake of over 10,000 animals a year. Any abnormalities discovered will be disclosed, but not all can be treated by Young-Williams and may need to be treated by your full-service veterinarian.