How to Adopt a Pet in South Carolina

Having a pet is a great way to add some fulfillment to your life. Pets can make reliable companions and are a good addition to any family or person living alone. If you are residing in South Carolina and are looking for places from which to adopt an animal, a variety of choices are available to you.

Things You'll Need

  • Adoption fee (if required)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use the "Petfinder" website. Petfinder is an Internet index that specializes in pet adoption, for cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, hamsters and a variety of other animals. In existence since 1996, Petfinder allows users to search by their location. Put your South Carolina zip code (for example, "29412" for the city of Charleston) in the search field, along with the type of animal that you are looking for, and hit "search." The website displays extended listings of available animals, including details regarding the animal's health, temperament, appearance and history. If you are interested in a specific pet, contact the number that is provided on the listing.

    • 2

      Visit an animal shelter. South Carolina is home to a large selection of animal shelters, which rescue animals from abandonment or violent home situations. In general, these shelters require a fee for animal adoption (usually between $100 and $350). Some well-known South Carolina animal shelters include "Animal Allies in Spartanburg, the "Animal Adoption League" of Rock Hill and "Bunny Haven" of Belvedere (rabbit adoptions only).

    • 3

      Use "Craigslist." Craigslist is a free website that allows users to browse through listings for everything (from animals to rental apartments) entirely free of charge. Many large South Carolina cities (such as Charleston and Columbia) have their own Craigslist pages, and you can also search in the surrounding areas. Search under the "community" section of the website within the subcategory of "pets." If you are looking for a specific breed of cat, dog or any other animal, type in the exact name. For example: dachshund as opposed to simply "dog."

    • 4

      Go to an animal rescue. South Carolina offers a variety of animal rescues that cater to specific breeds or specific groups of breeds only. Animal rescues can be helpful for those that already know exactly what type of animal they are seeking. One such example is Tucker's Way Rescue of Rock Hill, which rescues English and French bulldogs as well as pugs. However, in some cases they also find homes for dogs of other breeds, such as Basset Hounds.