Where to Adopt a Pet in Des Moines For Your Apartment Home

At Springs at Jordan Creek and Springs at Waukee, we welcome pets and even provide a fenced, leash-free dog park. We know that pets are like members of your family, offering a unique kind of companionship and lasting memories. Thinking about bringing a furry friend into your family? There are some great shelters in our area, focused on helping connect people with pets in need of a loving home.

Here are some pet adoption tips, and a list of some of the organizations in Des Moines that facilitate pet adoptions.

Pet Adoption Tips

Find the Right Pet for You

Consider your personality and lifestyle. Are you home most nights? Are you able to come home over the lunch hour? Will you be willing to exercise your pet? Talk to the staff at the pet shelter about which breed of dog or cat best suits your lifestyle. Taking time to fit a pet that aligns with you willingness and abilities will make for a more comfortable relationship.

Prepare Your Home

You may need to make a few changes to your home before you welcome a pet. Homes need to be made “pet friendly” by storing cleaning products and chemicals (like bleach and nail polish remover) where a pet can’t get them, by making sure any houseplants are safe if consumed by an animal, and by making a space the pet can call its own.

Do Your Shopping

For a dog, you'll need a leash, collar, bed, food and water dishes, and toys (all pets get bored when their owners aren’t around!). For a cat, you'll want to buy a collar, a bed and toys, a litter box and kitty litter, as well as food dishes. It's also a good idea to get identification tags for your pet, and many municipalities require pets to be licensed, so check your local police department for to learn more.

Where to Adopt a Pet in Des Moines

The following shelters offer pet adoption in Des Moines:

Furry Friends Refuge
1211 Grand Ave

Furry Friends facilitates adoptions of dogs, cats, and other small animals, like rabbits, guinea pigs, and rats. In 2015, the Furry Friends Refuge placed 1,341 animals in responsible, loving homes. Adoption fees range from $8 for a hamster, gerbil, mouse, or rat to $150 for puppies and kittens.

Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Inc. (ARL)
Multiple Locations

Through ARL, you can be a foster pet owner if you're not quite ready to make the long-term commitment of adopting a pet. ARL has a huge selection of animals to choose from: dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, turtles, birds, and more. Some animals have been together for a long time in the shelter, and they can be adopted as a "Bonded Buddy pair" for a reduced fee.

Animal Lifeline of Iowa
4521 SE 14th St

All the pets adopted from Animal Lifeline have been spayed/neutered, are current on their vaccines, and have been microchipped and tested for common animal ailments. ALI began as a haven for animals who were considered "unadoptable" due to special needs, age, shyness, or medical conditions. 

Understanding your responsibilities as a pet owner, like the costs and time involved in keeping a pet happy and healthy, is key to a successful adoption, so make sure you consider what it will take to feed and nurture a pet before adopting.

Have a favorite animal shelter in the Des Moines area? What was your experience? Leave your comments below!