Wyandot County Humane Society

General Adoption Policies

Horses and other equines are available for adoption only to approved homes as determined by the WCHS Board of Directors, and only after the prospective adopter has proved to the Board’s satisfaction that they will not only agree to all adoption contract terms and conditions but that they understand the basic care needs of the animal being adopted and can demonstrate that they can handle and work with the adopted animal safely.
Adopted animals remain the property of WCHS for the rest of their lives – should the adopter ever be unable or unwilling to keep the animal, it must be returned to WCHS. This means that an animal can never be sold, traded or given away, nor can it be sent to auction or slaughter. Animals who become seriously ill or suffer in advanced age must be returned to WCHS or humanely euthanized by a licensed veterinarian or a WCHS certified euthanasia technician.
No animal adopted out may ever be used for breeding under any circumstances.
All adoptions come with a 30 day “trial period”, meaning that the animal can be returned by the adopter (for a full refund of the adoption fee) for any reason within that time, and WCHS can demand the return of the animal for any reason (with a full refund of the adoption fee).
All adopters are required to provide the adopted animal with adequate care (i.e. feeding, housing, shelter, exercise, vaccinations, worming, farrier care, medical attention, etc.)
All adopters must demonstrate that they have an adequate facility in which to house the adopted animal (with adequate shelter from the elements, availability of a stall in case of illness or injury, minimum acreage for grazing/exercise, etc.).
Animals arrive at WCHS/EPP for various reasons, some having suffered mild to severe emotional and/or physical abuse. Therefore, some animals will have very special needs in terms of the care they require and the uses to which they can be put. WCHS expects adopters to abide by the limitations set on the animal adopted and to provide it with whatever special care needs it requires, if any. This also means that WCHS cannot make any guarantees about any animal’s health, soundness, training, disposition, experience, suitability for any discipline, etc.
The most important element of the adoption process is that the right animal be matched up with the right home, so as to ensure the long-term health and happiness of both the animal and the adopter. Therefore, while you may be interested in a particular animal, WCHS will only approve the adoption if that animal is right for you. Please understand that this is not a negative reflection on your or your abilities, it is the result of the long hours of time we have spent getting to know the animal’s personality and quirks; we will do our best to match you up with an animal that is more suited to you.