Adoption Fees

Adopting a Cat

  • Vintage cat (over 8 years): $60
  • Adult cat (6 months to 8 years): $80
  • Kitten (under 6 months): $150 for one; $250 for two

Adopting a Dog

  • Senior dog (7 years or older): $80
  • Adult dog (6 months to 7 years): $225
  • Young dog (under 6 months): $300
  • San Francisco residents pay an additional $20 for the Dog License Fee

Small Dog -- Big Heart: For a limited time, adoption fees are reduced to $100 for all dogs 20 lbs. and under who are six months or older (SF residents must still pay Dog License Fee).

Variable Adoption Fees

Recently, we decided to implement a variable adoption fee structure because we recognize that some of the animals in our adoption center are in high demand and can quickly find a loving home. These animals have a higher adoption fee because they can leave a financial legacy for the other animals in our care who may need extensive medical treatment or more time to find a loving home. Many of the animals in our adoption center, especially senior animals who may have life-threatening illnesses, benefit greatly from this.  We want to always be able to treat animals in need and variable fees allow us to do this.

Hold Fees:

We offer a trio of “adoption hold” services for your convenience. Hold fees may be paid with a credit card over the telephone by calling 415.522.3500.

  1. Meet & Greet Hold Fee: $25. This hold enables you to place on hold — for a maximum of one day — an animal you see on our website until you can meet him/her and work with an SFSPCA Adoption Counselor. This hold ensures that the animal will be here to meet you but it does not guarantee that you will adopt it.
  2. Daily Hold Fee: $25 per day. This hold — limited to no more than three days — is available to approved adopters who need extra time to prepare for their new companion's homecoming.
  3. Medical Hold Fee: $40. This hold enables you to place an animal on hold while we await the results of medical testing or diagnostics, schedule the animal for spay/neuter surgery, or receive a final veterinary release. The Medical Hold does not guarantee that the animal will become eligible for adoption or that you will adopt it.

Hold fees are not refundable and cannot be applied to the Adoption Fee. The SF SPCA reserves the right to decline adoptions or help find you a more appropriate companion animal.