Finding FUR-ever Homes

In fifth grade, my twin brother and I took a choir trip to Carowinds, an amusement park in North Carolina. After a day of singing, fair food, and roller coasters, the real excitement came later that evening when we walked into our living room. My parents had been searching for the right pet, and that day, they found Lexi—a puppy whose previous owners could no longer keep her due to apartment restrictions. They posted on Facebook Marketplace in a last effort to rehome her before turning to a shelter.

I remember the piles of dog food, toys, and pee pads scattered around the room, but what stuck with me most was the little head that peeked out from between my dad and the couch. Eleven years later, Lexi is still with us, and I know she found her forever home.

As someone passionate about helping other pets find that same sense of belonging, I wanted to explore how others can support this mission. This piece focuses on the adoption process at Petworks and how adopters can help pets find their FUR-ever homes!

The adoption process at Petworks is simple and only requires a few steps:

Step One: Walk-in & view the animals

Thinking about adoption? Stop by Petworks during their hours of operation (1pm-5:30pm everyday except Wednesday and Sunday) and check out their animals! You can PUR-use the cat room and the dog adoption floor at your leisure. Petworks also has a kitten and a cat colony, in which a select group of feline friends are available for social interaction.

Step Two: Meet & greet rooms

A unique feature at Petworks is their meet and greet rooms which allow interested candidates to interact with the dogs at the shelter. This allows them to see how a dog will behave around them and outside of the confines of a kennel.

Step Three: Talk to an adoption coordinator

Located at the front desk are adoption coordinators or Petwork’s employees who help you determine if an animal is a good fit for your home. They will ask a couple of questions such as do you have kids to see if the dog’s behavioral traits would be well suited for you before moving onto adoption.

Step Four: Fill out an application

The application itself is straight to the point. It asks basic questions to develop a better understanding of the owner’s lifestyle and

Step Five: Go home with your new furry friend!!

Petwork’s animals are vaccinated upon entry. Additionally, eighty-five percent of the animals are already spayed and neutered, so adopters can typically go home with their animal upon completing their application. If this isn’t the case, adopters can expect to take their animal home within the week. The cost to adopt a puppy (one year old or younger) is around $125, the cost to adopt a dog (one year old or older) is around $100, and the cost to adopt a kitten or cat is around $60. These fees cover the spay/neuter surgery, particular vaccines (listed on the Petworks website), and a microchip.

Petworks mission is to “shelter, care for, and re-home adoptable animals” says Petwork’s Animal Control officer, Bri Melin. “Heartwarming adoption stories and follow-ups make the bad that you see, especially in animal control, worth it. I enjoy seeing animals happy and being taken care of.”

For more information, visit petworkstn.com. To see the most up to date animals available for adoption, go to Petwork’s official Facebook page,  or stop by the shelter at 3101 E Stone Dr, Kingsport, TN 37660.