The Cherryland Humane Society extends to you a very cordial welcome. Thank you for your willingness to provide a home for one of the multitudes of homeless pets received by the shelter. Please take a moment to review this Statement of Understanding prior to adopting a pet.

The Plight of Dogs and Cats, Puppies and Kittens

Although the future is positive for our own pets and perhaps for those of our neighbors, relatives and acquaintances, the future for so many pets is not very bright. There are many reasons why this unfortunate fact is true.

Pet Overpopulation

Nationally, there are approximately 10 times more pets than there are homes for pets. Because of the serious overpopulation problem, 50,000 animals have to be put to death every day in shelters throughout the United States.

Stability of a Pet's Life

Sadly, fewer than 2 out of every 10 pets who find homes today will live out their lives in that home. The rest are either given away, sold, lost, abandoned, or taken to animal shelters. Many of the pets taken to shelters will eventually become victims of the overpopulation problem and will lose their lives.

Pet Abuse - Non-Purposeful

Non-purposeful pet abuse often occurs because pet owners are unaware of basic pet care responsibilities. We see animals that are suffering from lack of nutrition, and animals that are suffering from serious, chronic and even life-threatening health problems due to lack of medical attention. We see pets who possess behavior problems that have not been remedied, and pets who have not been properly socialized. Other animals have become hopelessly lost because they do not have an identification tag or other means of identification. We observe animals suffering from frostbite and other extreme weather related problems. We also receive animals that suffer in various other ways. Sadly, many of the problems we see render the pets unlikely to be adopted when they come to the shelter.

Pet Abuse - Purposeful

Unfortunately, we also see animals that have been purposefully maimed or abused in various ways. We have observed pets who have been abandoned and left to fend for themselves. We have seen animals who have been cut, burned and even stoned. We have received animals who suffer from purposeful abuse in other ways, also.

Responsibilities of Humane Societies

Rather than perpetuate the problems that dogs, cats, puppies and kittens experience, responsible humane societies work to end these problems by seeking responsible, humane, and life-long homes for the animals entrusted to them. That is why humane societies serve as adoption agencies (much like adoption agencies for children), rather than pet shops. Pet shops are retail stores where any pet can normally be selected and purchased without any further obligation on the part of the purchaser. Most humane societies serve as pet adoption agencies where legally binding contracts are executed. According to the terms of the adoption contract with Cherryland Humane Society, the adopter agrees to care for their pet in a responsible and humane manner. Adoptions are governed by adoption policies designed to assure responsible and humane treatment of shelter pets based upon recognized humane principles.

The Cherryland Humane Society:

• Is a 501 c3 nonprofit, private, independent corporation not affiliated with any other humane society or any other organization, either private or governmental in nature
• Seeks compatible homes for adopters and pets
• Reserves the right to deny an adoption
• Will strive to find an alternative animal in cases where a denial of adoption takes place
• Reserves the right to stop the adoption process if the potential adopter knowingly provides false information to the CHS or in any way attempts to adopt a pet under false pretenses