How to Adopt a Dog or Cat in Berks County: Fees and Steps

In Berks County you can walk into either of two shelters and, in most cases, take a dog or cat home the same day: the Animal Rescue League of Berks County at 58 Kennel Road in Cumru Township, and Humane Pennsylvania's Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving at 1801 N. 11th St. in Reading. As of Nov. 10, 2026, posted adoption fees run from $25 to $425 at the ARL and $25 to $375 at Humane Pennsylvania, depending on the animal's age and size, and both shelters spay or neuter, vaccinate and microchip every dog and cat before it leaves.

Smaller Berks rescues adopt by written application instead: Berks Community Cats lists a $150 fee for a cat or kitten, with a lower special advertised on its site, Zoe's House Rescue sets its fee dog by dog, and Safety Net Sanctuary in Fleetwood publishes no fee at all. After any adoption, state law requires a dog license and a rabies vaccination, and it requires the spay or neuter the shelters have already done.

Where to adopt

The ARL is at 58 Kennel Road, Birdsboro, PA 19508, which its contact page places in Cumru Township off Route 724 near Routes 422 and 176. It is open Monday and Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Tuesday. It places dogs, cats, small animals, barn animals and working cats, and it also shows pets at Petco in Wyomissing. Its phone is 610-373-8830; the adoption desk's email is adoption@berksarl.org.

Humane Pennsylvania's Reading shelter is the Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving, 1801 N. 11th St., Reading, PA 19604, 610-921-2348, adoptreading@humanepa.org. Its contact page lists office and adoption hours of 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. If you have been searching for the Humane Society of Berks County, this is the building: the state's 2026 kennel list carries kennel license 1259 as "Humane Society of Berks Co" at 1801 N. 11th St., and Humane Pennsylvania's site shows that license number for the Freedom Center. Its Lancaster campus adopts cats and critters only.

Safety Net Sanctuary, 187 Houck Road, Fleetwood, PA 19522, 610-944-8099, describes itself on its home page as a 12-acre farm that has specialized in senior and special-needs animals of all types since 2014. Zoe's House Rescue, a foster-based dog rescue, has no facility to visit; its dogs live in foster homes until adopted. Two more groups place animals through online applications: Berks Community Cats, a trap-neuter-return group that adopts out cats found too friendly to stay outdoors, and Brindle Buddies & Friends, a dog rescue based in Reading that lists its dogs and application on Adopt-a-Pet.

Both shelters also post pets that are not theirs. The ARL's Pets Being Rehomed page and Humane Pennsylvania's page of the same name list animals owners are placing directly through Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet and Home To Home; both shelters say they do not verify the owners' descriptions. To see every adoptable animal within a set distance of your ZIP code, including the rescues above, search Adopt-a-Pet or Petfinder.

Adopting at the ARL

The ARL's adoption page says it does not require an adoption application. Adoptions are first come, first served, with no reservations and no appointments except to meet a pet in a foster home.

1. Look at the animals online at berksarl.org/pets. The ARL says the page is updated through the day as pets arrive and leave, and that it cannot send alerts when a particular pet becomes available.
2. Fill out an adopter profile ahead of time if you want to save time. There are online profiles for dogs, cats, small animals and barn animals. A profile does not reserve a pet or put you on the waitlist.
3. Go on an open day and be there when the doors open: 10 a.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. The daily virtual waitlist opens at 9 a.m., and you join it from the shelter's check-in page when you arrive. You get a text and email when it is your turn, and if you are not present when your name is called, the ARL says "you will need to rejoin the waitlist."
4. Bring your current dog if you are adopting a dog, and all household members. The ARL recommends both but requires neither. Dog-to-dog meetings are the only introductions it does on site; it will not introduce a dog to your cat or small animal there.
5. Meet the animals. The dog kennels are open for browsing from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Sunday; at other times staff bring dogs out for meet-and-greets outside the kennel. Bring children along to the meeting if they live with you.
6. Review the record with the adoption counselor: medical history, behavior notes and anything a previous owner reported.
7. Sign electronically. Since Sept. 18, 2024, all adoption paperwork is emailed and signed on your phone or a shelter tablet.
8. Take the pet home. The ARL says that if everyone agrees on the match, "you'll typically be able to bring your new pet home that same day," and to allow at least an hour for the visit.

The page lists no identification or age requirement. Bring a photo ID anyway; Humane Pennsylvania requires one, and you will be signing a contract.

If you are not sure, the ARL offers a trial adoption: you take the animal home for up to two weeks under a trial agreement, and the fee is collected only when the adoption is finalized. After adoption, its "Happiness Guarantee" promises returns "without judgment or criticism" and a money-back guarantee within the first 14 days. For a no-commitment afternoon with a dog or cat, see its Dog's Day Out and Cat's Day In programs.

Adopting at Humane Pennsylvania

Humane Pennsylvania's adoption process page sets five conditions up front. All adopters must be 18 or older. All adopters must have a current driver's license or ID. You must list every pet already in your household with its vaccine status, and the page adds, "Rabies vaccines are required by law." If you are adopting a cat, bring a hard-sided carrier of the right size. If you are adopting a dog, bring a collar and leash. Its adoption resources page says a leash and collar, and a cat carrier, can be bought at the time of adoption.

1. Pick an animal from the available-pets pages online.
2. Fill out the Berks Adoption Interest Form, linked from the adoption process page, if you want to start the paperwork before you arrive. It is optional.
3. Walk in between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. any day of the week. Adoptions are first come, first served, and the page warns that an adoption not begun by 4 p.m. may not be completed the same day.
4. Meet with an adoption counselor. The page says completing the adoption "typically takes one hour" once you are with a counselor. Humane Pennsylvania introduces a shelter dog to your own dog only "in special circumstances."
5. Sign the adoption contract and go home with the animal. The page asks adopters to be ready to take the pet home the same day.

Every adopted cat and dog comes spayed or neutered, vaccinated including a current rabies shot, dewormed, treated for fleas, microchipped with the chip registered, with a bag of Science Diet food and with the 30 Day Adoption Health Supplement. The supplement takes $60 off a first visit at Humane Veterinary Hospitals in Reading within 30 days and discounts treatment of listed illnesses, such as upper respiratory and ear infections and kennel cough; it excludes parvo, distemper, feline leukemia, FIV and pre-existing conditions. You may use your own veterinarian instead, at your own expense.

What it costs

Fees below are as posted on each shelter's site on Nov. 10, 2026. Humane Pennsylvania says "individual adoption fees may vary among our animals based on breed, adoptability, age, health and other factors," and the ARL adds a 3.5% convenience fee on debit and credit cards.

At the ARL, the fee includes the spay or neuter, a microchip and current vaccinations. It does not include Pennsylvania sales tax, a carrier for a cat, or a collar, leash and dog license for a dog.

Age (ARL)	Cats	Dogs under 40 lbs	Dogs over 40 lbs
6 months and younger	$165	$425	$425
7 months up to 2 years	$100	$275	$250
3 up to 7 years	$50	$175	$150
8 years and older	$25	$75	$25

The ARL takes 50% off the second pet's fee when you adopt two or more at once, except puppies under 6 months, and takes $50 off a second kitten under 6 months. Under its Seniors for Seniors program, adopters 65 and older pay nothing for a pet 8 or older. Under Patriotic Paws, veterans who show a military ID or DD-214 have the fee waived on a spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped pet 6 months or older. Working cats, placed in barns and warehouses, go for a donation. Other ARL fees: rabbits $50, guinea pigs $25, hamsters, gerbils and mice $10, ferrets and chinchillas $85; parakeets and canaries $20, cockatiels $45, parrots $150; turtles $5, bearded dragons $40; fowl $5, pigs $100, male goats $75, female goats $100, horses by donation with a $250 minimum. Farm animals "may be excluded from promotions and sponsored/free adoption events."

At Humane Pennsylvania:

Age (Humane Pennsylvania)	Dogs	Cats
2 to 6 months	$375	$150
6 months to 2 years	$225	$75
2 to 8 years	$150	$50
8 years and older	$75	$25

Its critter fees: rabbits $35, guinea pigs $25, small mammals $15, reptiles $15 to $40, turtles $15, ferrets and chinchillas $50, birds $15 to $30. The page says some animals "may be covered by HPA's Free To A Great Home program," with details at the adoption centers.

Fee-waived days exist but are not on a schedule. The ARL's sponsored adoptions page describes company-paid adoption events at which "more than 40 animals find loving homes per day," and its adoption page says the waitlist may open earlier on those days. On Nov. 10, the ARL's home-page calendar showed one upcoming event, the Festival of Trees on Dec. 5, and Humane Pennsylvania's events page listed only a Nov. 20 Lancaster donation drive; check each shelter's events page before you go.

The smaller rescues

Safety Net Sanctuary adopts by application. Its adoptable pets page says to download its Dog and Puppy Application, dated 2025, and email it to allaboutus0909@gmail.com or attach it to the page's contact form. The form asks whether you can provide proof of residence such as a driver's license, for your veterinarian's name and permission to review your records, and whether your current pets are current on rabies and other vaccines. It states that the sanctuary "is not responsible for preexisting medical conditions after adoption." The site lists no adoption fees and no adoption hours; call 610-944-8099.

Zoe's House, which the state's 2026 kennel list carries as Zoe's House Inc. of Sinking Spring, takes applications only for a specific dog, through the listing on its adopt page. Its FAQ says every dog stays in the rescue at least two weeks for health and temperament evaluation before applications open, that approvals usually take about a week, and that a completed application does not guarantee an adoption. Dogs over 6 months are spayed or neutered; a younger puppy goes home under a spay/neuter contract with a deposit returned when you show a veterinary receipt after the surgery at 6 months. Every dog is current on DHPP, Bordetella and, if over 12 weeks, rabies, and is microchipped and tested for heartworm and Lyme. Fees "vary for each dog based on age, breed, and health"; older and some special-needs dogs are donation only, and younger high-demand breeds carry a higher fee. The rescue adopts within about a two- to three-hour radius, decides fence requirements dog by dog, and lists a minimum child age with each dog. Mail: P.O. Box 2372, Reading, PA 19608; info@zoeshouserescue.com.

Berks Community Cats is the one small rescue with a posted fee table, though on Nov. 10 both of its cited pages also carried a banner reading "Adoption Special! $125 one cat $225 two cats Now - 8/15," with no year, so ask which price applies. Its adopt page lists $150 for one kitten or adult cat and $275 for two kittens adopted together, and says barn cats "do not have a set adoption fee," with donations welcome. The fee includes the spay or neuter, core vaccinations, a registered microchip, flea treatment and deworming; kittens are tested negative for feline leukemia and FIV. Its cats come from trap-neuter-return projects, it does not accept owner surrenders, and its four steps are to browse its cats on Facebook or Petfinder, submit the online application, wait for a volunteer to review it and contact you, then arrange a meet-and-greet, pickup or adoption-event handoff. The page asks renters to consider landlord approval before applying and reserves the right to deny any application. Its contact page gives 484-987-5926 for adoption and foster questions and lists no street address.

Brindle Buddies & Friends, a 501(c)(3) foster-based dog rescue, has no website of its own; its Adopt-a-Pet listing gives its location as Reading, PA 19605 and its service area as Berks, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties. Its dogs go home spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, dewormed, heartworm-tested and started on flea and tick prevention. The steps it lists are an online application, meeting the dog, approval, paying the fee, signing a contract and taking the dog home; it requires three personal references and, for anyone who has had a pet, a veterinary reference showing current vaccines, checkups and a spay or neuter. The listing posts no fee table, and the one dog listed on Nov. 10 carried no fee; its service area also takes in Connecticut.

What the law requires after you adopt

Three state rules apply to an adopted dog in Pennsylvania, and two of them to an adopted cat; the license rule covers dogs only.

The spay or neuter is required by law, not just shelter policy. Article IX-A of the Dog Law, added in 1996, says in section 902-A that no dog or cat may be adopted from a "releasing agency," which includes shelters, humane societies and rescue kennels, unless it has been sterilized by a licensed veterinarian or the new owner signs a sterilization agreement and leaves a deposit of at least $30 for a dog or $20 for a cat. The deposit comes back when a veterinarian certifies the surgery, but only if a mature animal is sterilized within 60 days of adoption, or a young one within 30 days after it turns six months old. Under section 908-A, an owner who does not follow through forfeits the deposit, and the agency "may reclaim the dog or cat." Section 911-A makes failure to comply with the sterilization article a summary offense. The ARL and Humane Pennsylvania sterilize before release, so the deposit rule matters mainly for a rescue puppy under six months, as at Zoe's House.

A dog license is due at adoption. Section 201 of the Dog Law requires the owner of any dog three months or older, "or upon transfer to a new owner, whichever comes first," to apply to the county treasurer for a license, and the Berks County Treasurer's dog license page puts it plainly: all dogs must be licensed "at the point of purchase or adoption (earliest is 8 weeks of age)." A 2026 annual license costs $10.80, or $8.80 for owners 65 and older or with a disability; a lifetime license, which the Treasurer says requires the dog to be microchipped and a Permanent Identification Verification form to be filed (the state's page accepts a microchip or tattoo), costs $52.80 or $36.80 and is sold only by the Treasurer. Buy an annual license online at padoglicense.com, by check or money order mailed to the Treasurer at 633 Court St., Reading, PA 19601, in person there Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or from an agent; the Treasurer's agent list starts with the Animal Rescue League, whose license page says it sells annual licenses during general business hours, with check-in on arrival; it adds that it cannot process lifetime licenses but can help with the forms and verify a microchip. That page lists $9.20, with $2 off for owners 65 and older and residents with disabilities, while the Treasurer and the state list $10.80, so ask the price before you pay. Every annual license expires Dec. 31 whatever month you bought it, and licenses for the coming year go on sale Dec. 1, so a dog adopted now needs a 2026 license and then a 2027 one by Jan. 1. The fine for an unlicensed dog is $100 to $500. Our dog license guide walks through each option.

A rabies vaccination is required for dogs and cats. The Rabies Prevention and Control in Domestic Animals and Wildlife Act, Act 181 of 1986, says in section 8 that anyone owning or keeping a dog or cat "shall have the dog or cat vaccinated against rabies within four weeks after the date the dog or cat attains 12 weeks of age," with a booster 12 to 14 months after the first shot unless the vaccine's directions say otherwise, and revaccination on the manufacturer's schedule after that. The state's regulation, 7 Pa. Code section 16.41, states the same duty for any dog or cat over three months. You must produce proof of vaccination within 48 hours when a police officer, dog warden or animal control officer asks, so keep the certificate and tag the veterinarian issues. The penalty is a summary offense with a fine of up to $300 per violation, each day counting separately. Humane Pennsylvania's adoption package names a current rabies vaccination; the ARL says adopted pets leave with "all current vaccines." Ask for the rabies certificate and the due date for the booster at checkout. The Department of Agriculture's rabies page says state dog wardens enforce the vaccination requirement for dogs and domestic cats.

A microchip is not required by law, but both shelters implant one, and it is what moves a lost dog from the 48-hour stray hold to the five-day notice described in our guide to lost and found pets. Register the chip in your name before you leave.

Low-cost spay, neuter and vaccine clinics

Prices below were posted on Nov. 10, 2026, and every clinic says they can change.

The ARL Medical Center at 58 Kennel Road books owned-pet spay and neuter surgery for Tuesdays and Thursdays, with drop-off 7 to 8 a.m., through its veterinary services page. Cat spay $150, cat neuter $130; dog spay $250 under 35 pounds and $360 for 35 to 75 pounds; dog neuter $225 and $265 on the same weight split; no dogs over 75 pounds, and $50 extra for flat-faced breeds such as French bulldogs. Bring proof of a current rabies shot or pay $25 for one. Its Friday wellness clinics charge a $45 exam plus $25 for a rabies vaccine, $20 for a distemper/parvo combination and $25 for a microchip, and its mobile vaccine clinics charge the same vaccine and microchip prices without an exam. Deposits are not refunded for changes within 24 hours of the appointment.

Humane Pennsylvania's Affordable Spay/Neuter clinic runs on Tuesdays at the Freedom Center, drop-off 8 to 8:30 a.m., and is handled entirely by email at spay@humanepa.org. The package price includes the surgery, pain medication, a rabies vaccine, a distemper combination vaccine, a nail trim, a microchip with registration and parasite treatment: cat spay $229, cat neuter $145, dog spay under 50 pounds $315, dog neuter under 50 pounds $255 and 51 to 80 pounds $313, all for animals under 5 years. It does not take flat-faced dog breeds or exotic cat breeds.

Humane Pennsylvania's Walk-In Clinic sees pets without an appointment on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Freedom Center, first come, first served, with limited slots. The exam is $42, dog vaccines $20 to $30 each, cat vaccines $20 to $26 each, and a microchip is free with the exam. A notice on the page says the clinic is closed on all Fridays until further notice.

Its Pay-What-You-Can clinics offer rabies and distemper vaccines and microchips for whatever you can pay; the page puts the value of each at $15, $20 or more. Appointments open three weeks ahead and each pet needs its own; walk-ins are not guaranteed service. Upcoming Reading clinics, all 4 to 7 p.m.: Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Renewed Spirit Church, 449 N. 9th St.; Wednesday, Nov. 18, at the Community Resource Center, 1350 Schuylkill Ave.; and Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Antietam Valley Recreation and Community Center, 905 Byram St.

Zoe's House opened its own clinic to the public at 220 N. Park Road, Building 6, Wyomissing, 610-858-8115, by appointment Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., per its clinic page. Its price sheet, dated Oct. 1, 2026, lists a cat spay at $150 and neuter at $120, a dog spay from $250 (up to 25 pounds) to $425 (150 to 200 pounds), a dog neuter from $225 to $400 on the same weight bands, a rabies vaccine $30, DHPP $20, a microchip $10 and a wellness exam $50.

For full-service care, Humane Veterinary Hospitals Reading is at 1729 N. 11th St., 610-921-8387, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., by appointment.

Fostering and volunteering

Fostering is the way to try a pet without adopting, and both shelters supply the food, equipment and veterinary care. The ARL's foster page asks only that you be 18 and able to get to and from the shelter; stays run from days to months, the ARL takes any animal back early, and a foster who falls in love "will allow you to adopt your foster animal above others who may be interested, with few exceptions." For something shorter, its Reset Retreat sends a shelter dog home with you for two to seven days; ask at the shelter from 3 to 5 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of the month. Humane Pennsylvania's foster page says typical stays are two to six weeks, foster parents pay nothing, foster animals go back to the shelter to be adopted, and a foster family that wants to keep one goes through Humane Pennsylvania, where "all adoption policies and fees may apply." Zoe's House runs entirely on foster homes and covers all veterinary costs, food and a crate; its FAQ says, "You may not adopt your first foster through Zoe's House."

To volunteer at the ARL, complete the profile on its volunteer page, attend an orientation and commit to six hours a month; you must be 18 to handle animals, and children 7 to 14 can join Book Buddies with a parent. Humane Pennsylvania recruits its 400-plus volunteers as needed, with separate tracks for the adoption center, events, kid volunteers 13 and under and Rescue Readers.

FAQ

How much does it cost to adopt a dog in Berks County?

At the ARL, $425 for a puppy 6 months or younger, $250 to $275 for a dog 7 months to 2 years, $150 to $175 for 3 to 7 years and $25 to $75 for 8 and older, depending on weight, plus a 3.5% fee if you pay by card. At Humane Pennsylvania, $375 for a puppy 2 to 6 months, $225 for 6 months to 2 years, $150 for 2 to 8 years and $75 for a senior. Both include the spay or neuter, vaccines and a microchip; neither includes the dog license.

Can I adopt a pet the same day in Berks County?

Yes at both shelters, if you arrive early enough. The ARL says most adopters go home the same day after a visit of at least an hour; its waitlist opens at 9 a.m. and you must be present when called. Humane Pennsylvania says an adoption not started by 4 p.m. may not finish that day. Safety Net Sanctuary and Zoe's House review applications first; Zoe's House says approval usually takes about a week.

Is the Humane Society of Berks County the same as Humane Pennsylvania?

The shelter at 1801 N. 11th St. in Reading operates as Humane Pennsylvania's Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving, and the state's 2026 kennel list carries that address and license number 1259 as "Humane Society of Berks Co." The ARL in Cumru Township is a separate organization.

Does an adopted dog need a license right away in Pennsylvania?

Yes. The Dog Law requires a license when a dog is transferred to a new owner or reaches three months, whichever comes first, and the Berks County Treasurer says the license is due at adoption, with 8 weeks as the earliest age. A 2026 annual license is $10.80, or $8.80 for owners 65 and older or with a disability, and it expires Dec. 31.

Are adopted cats and dogs already spayed or neutered?

At the ARL and Humane Pennsylvania, yes, including kittens and puppies. State law requires it: Article IX-A of the Dog Law bars a shelter or rescue from releasing an unsterilized dog or cat unless the adopter signs a sterilization agreement and leaves a deposit of at least $30 for a dog or $20 for a cat, refunded after the surgery.

Sources

• Animal Rescue League of Berks County: Adoption Info and Fees, the check-in page, Contact Us, Seniors for Seniors, Patriotic Paws, Working Cats, Available Offsite, Pets Being Rehomed, Sponsored Adoptions, Veterinary Services, Foster Program, Volunteer and Dog Licenses.
• Humane Pennsylvania: Adoption Process, Adoption Resources, Pets Being Rehomed, Contact Info and Locations, Affordable Spay/Neuter, Walk-In Clinic, Pay-What-You-Can Clinics, Foster Care and Volunteer.
• Safety Net Sanctuary: home page, Adoptable Pets and the Dog and Puppy Application 2025.
• Berks Community Cats: Adopt and Contact Us. Brindle Buddies & Friends: Adopt-a-Pet rescue listing.
• Zoe's House Rescue: Adopt, FAQs, the clinic page and the price sheet dated Oct. 1, 2026.
• Search tools: Adopt-a-Pet and Petfinder.
• State law: the Dog Law (Act 225 of 1982), section 201 and Article IX-A; the Rabies Prevention and Control in Domestic Animals and Wildlife Act (Act 181 of 1986, 3 P.S. sections 455.1 to 455.15), sections 455.8 and 455.11, as reproduced by the Michigan State University Animal Legal and Historical Center; 7 Pa. Code Chapter 16, sections 16.41 and 16.43.
• Pa. Department of Agriculture: Rabies Info, Dog Licenses and the 2026 list of kennels approved to accept dogs running at large.
• Berks County Treasurer: Dog License and the Treasurer's page. Our guides to the Berks County dog license, lost and found pets and the Area Agency on Aging.

Animal Rescue League of Berks County: 58 Kennel Road, Birdsboro, PA 19508 (Cumru Township); 610-373-8830; adoption@berksarl.org; adoption hours Monday and Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Tuesday, per its contact page; its check-in page instead lists weekday adoption waitlist hours of 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the list closing at 6 p.m., and weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the list closing at 4:30 p.m., so arrive well before 6. Humane Pennsylvania, Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving: 1801 N. 11th St., Reading, PA 19604; 610-921-2348; adoptreading@humanepa.org; adoption hours 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Safety Net Sanctuary: 187 Houck Road, Fleetwood, PA 19522; 610-944-8099; allaboutus0909@gmail.com. Berks Community Cats: 484-987-5926 for adoption and foster questions; stephanie@berkscommunitycats.org. Zoe's House Rescue: P.O. Box 2372, Reading, PA 19608; info@zoeshouserescue.com; clinic at 220 N. Park Road, Building 6, Wyomissing, PA 19610, 610-858-8115, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment. Berks County Treasurer: 633 Court St., Reading, PA 19601; 610-478-6640; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.