Public Assistance

Due to an unanticipated increase in the number of foster cats in our cat program, we have temporarily stopped our public assistance program for CATS ONLY.  We hope to restart it in the future so please check back for updates. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and recommend that you contact other animal rescue groups for assistance. Our dog public program will continue as usual. 

If you have a pet you can no longer keep, or are providing temporary care for a stray animal, CAAWS operates a Public Assistance Program for you.

By registering in our program, CAAWS provides high exposure adoption opportunities for the animal. You, as the primary care giver, bring the animal between 10:20 am and 11:00 am on Saturday mornings to the CAAWS adoption center at 6357 Quinn Dr. and CAAWS will attempt to place the animal during our adoption hours of 11:00am to 3:00pm. You are responsible for picking up the animal at 3:00pm if it is not adopted that day.

CAAWS cannot receive every animal into our Foster program. Our Foster program works directly with Animal Control to decrease the number of animals that are euthanized. CAAWS will work with you, the caring pet owner of an animal in need, to ensure a suitable permanent home can be found.

Adoption Information and Forms
Below

To register an animal for the Public Assistance Program

• Arrive between 10:20am and 11:00an on Saturday morning at the 6357 Quinn Dr. facility. CAAWS recommends making a reservation to ensure space availability and provide us with a list of the animals available prior to the day.
• For our Dog Adoption Program there are no reservations, kennel space is limited to a first come first serve basis. No one will be accepted before 10:20 am.
• Pay a one-time service charge (cage fee) of $10.
• Leave a $50 deposit ($100 for litters of five or less pups; $175 for litters of six or more).
• Provide the basic vet care as described below.
• Provide complete information on the animal's behavior and temperament.
• Pick up any un-adopted animals at 3:00pm.

CAAWS Will:

• Provide a well publicized forum for adopting the animal.
• Interview prospective owners to ensure a good person/animal bond.
• Offer advice on caring for the animal and other options for finding a home.
• OPTIONAL: CAAWS will place the animal's photo and profile on our website for greater exposure at your request for a one time $20 fee. The photo will run indefinitely until the animal is adopted. The photo will also be placed on petfinder.com. For complete instructions, please visit the Public Animals for Adoption page on our website.

Basic Vet Care

To ensure a healthy adoptable animal, and to decrease the transmission of disease, CAAWS requires a vet check of all animals registered in the Public Assistance Program.

Kittens (<3 months)

• one of the litter tested negative for FIV/FeLV.
• one dose of de-worming medicine to everyone in the litter.
• prefer, but don't require, first vaccination of each kitten (CAAWS strongly recommends that kittens participating in the public assistance program have their first set of vaccinations before attending an adoption day. A kitten that has not been vaccinated may be susceptible to transmittable diseases.).

Cats

• FIV/FeLV negative.
• Current on rabies vaccination.
• Current on regular yearly vaccinations.

Puppies (<3 months)

• note from a vet stating they are free from contagious skin diseases.
• one dose of de-worming medicine to everyone in the litter.
• prefer, but don't require, first vaccination of each puppy.

Dogs

• Current on rabies vaccination.
• Current on yearly vaccinations
• Recommend a heartworm test (positive result is not reason to lose hope).

Our volunteers are dedicated to animals. Their goal is to make the adoption process a special family event. We also provide information on the responsibility a new pet will bring to the household.
CAAWS has several general requirements for adopting a pet:

• You must be at least 21 years old to adopt as the adoption contract is a legal document.
• CAAWS reserves the right to refuse any adoption

CAAWS is dedicated to ending the homeless animal problem in the Baton Rouge area. By adopting out animals into forever homes, we decrease the burden on Animal Control and ensure another animal lives in peace and security. Through our adoption program, and our spay/neuter and education programs, CAAWS has the goal to place every adoptable animal in a loving home.

Now that you have decided to become a pet owner, visit our Cats or our Dogs

Download The CAT Adoption Form PDF

Our adoption center is at 6357 Quinn Dr. Use the map to find us, right at the Old Jefferson and Tiger Bend intersection, close to Airline at Siegen/Sherwood Forest area. Normal adoption hours are from 11:00am to 3:00pm every Saturday. We hold special adoption events throughout the Baton Rouge area (see Special Events). The adoption fee for our animals start at $75.

Cat TV

Dog FAQ

Q: How big will the puppy be when it grows up?
A: A puppy generally reaches half its ideal adult weight at 4 months of age. Based on our experience, the CAAWS Counselors will have an educated guess on the final size of most puppies up for adoption. Most puppies we see end up weighing 35 to 55 pounds.

Q: Should my dog stay outside?
A: We recommend that a dog be housed inside if at all possible. A dog wishes to be maintained as part of the family unit, therefore it enjoys sleeping in the house. A dog does require at least 1-2 hours of play time outside each day.

Q: How should I potty train my dog?
A: We recommend crate training.
Q: Will I know if the dog I adopt has heartworms?
A: We will disclose all medical information we have on the adopted dog that we have. We will also provide general information on the treatment of heartworms if the dog you wish to adopt is heartworm positive.

Q: Why does my dog dig?
A: Chances are your dog is bored. Give your dog plenty of supervised play time to work off his energy without getting into trouble. If the dog can not be supervised, we recommend crate training the dog.

Q: How important is breed?
A: Most all dog breeds are good family pets that love children. Mixed breeds, such as most of our adoptees, have no in-bred characteristics, but display their nature readily. If you are looking for a pure bred dog, you should learn the behavioral traits of the breed.