Porter County Animal Shelter, Adoption & Pets 2026
Porter County Animal Shelter is the county public shelter at 3355 Bertholet Boulevard, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383. The building is open every day from noon to 4 p.m., but adopting a dog or cat is not a simple walk-in kennel visit: current shelter rules use an application, phone interview, approval and appointment before you meet animals.
That extra step can feel slower when you have already fallen in love with a pet’s photo, but the shelter says it uses the process to match animals with households where the placement is more likely to last. If your need is a lost pet, stray animal, surrender or Animal Control call, use the separate routes below instead of starting with the adoption application.
Checked September 19, 2026
Shelter hours, current adoption workflow, adoption fees, surrender process, reclaim requirements, Animal Control phone, Portage jurisdiction exception and Porter County animal-bite contacts were checked against current official sources.
City of Portage is different
Porter County Animal Control serves Porter County except the City of Portage. Portage Animal Control uses 219-763-1825. Do not use county Animal Control rules automatically for an incident inside Portage city limits.
Do not trust Google Maps here
The shelter’s own directions page warns that Google Maps can send visitors to the wrong location for 3355 Bertholet Boulevard. Use the official shelter directions page before driving.
Porter County Animal Shelter Hours
The building is open every day, but public building hours should not be confused with a walk-in adoption process. Adoption interactions are scheduled after an application has been reviewed and approved.
| Need | Current timing | Before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Shelter public hours |
Daily 12:00–4:00 p.m. |
Closed to the public on holidays. |
| Dog / cat interaction | Appointment required | Complete the online adoption application first. Approved applicants receive an appointment. |
| Stray dog intake |
Daily 12:00–3:30 p.m. |
Call the shelter first to make sure quarantine space is available. |
| Reclaim | Normal shelter business hours | Bring ownership proof, ID, rabies documentation and required fees. |
How to Adopt From Porter County Animal Shelter
The current process is structured around matching the household and animal before the in-person meeting. Follow the order below instead of starting with an unscheduled visit.
Review current dogs or cats
Start with the official adoptable dog or cat listings. Note the animals that interest you, but keep an open mind: shelter staff may recommend another animal whose temperament fits your household better.
Submit the online adoption application
The current application asks for identity, address, household, housing and pet-history information. Applicants must agree that they are 21 or older and will provide ID showing their current address.
Wait for application review
There is no application fee. Approved applications are kept on file for up to six months.
Complete the phone interview
Staff review the application and ask what you want in a pet, your living situation and other details that may affect the match.
Schedule the shelter appointment
Only approved applicants are scheduled for dog/cat interaction. This is when you meet animals with shelter staff.
Complete the adoption contract
At the appointment, complete the final paperwork and, in most cases, take your new companion home.
Porter County Animal Shelter Adoption Fees
| Animal | Current listed fee | What the shelter says is included |
|---|---|---|
| Dog | $120 | Adoptable dogs leave spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. |
| Cat | $60 | Adoptable cats leave spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. |
| Rabbit | $25 | Ask the shelter what medical work applies to the specific rabbit. |
| Other animal | Varies | The ordinance allows the Shelter Director or designee to set fees for other animal types. |
Two Adoption Programs That Can Waive the Fee
Seniors for Seniors
If the adopter is 55 or older and adopts a qualifying senior dog or cat, Porter County Animal Shelter says the adoption fee is waived, subject to application approval.
Pets for Vets
The shelter says Veterans and Active Military who adopt an animal through the program have the adoption fee waived, again subject to the shelter’s adoption approval process.
Dogs, Cats, Puppies and Kittens
Pet availability changes quickly. The shelter posts current adoptable animals, but puppies and kittens can move especially fast.
Adoptable dogs
Current dog listings identify adoptable dogs and direct prospective adopters to the appointment-based application process.
Adoptable cats
Adoptable cats are also posted online. Shelter rules ask visitors not to enter community cat rooms without staff approval.
Puppies & kittens
The shelter sometimes receives puppies and regularly sees kittens during kitten season, but young animals may not be immediately adoptable while they grow old enough for required medical care.
Lost Pet & Reclaim Help in Porter County
A missing pet is one of the situations where waiting can make the search harder. Call the shelter, file the official lost-pet report and keep checking other local channels rather than making one report and assuming someone will automatically match it later.
If your pet is missing
- Call Porter County Animal Shelter at 219-465-3550 during business hours.
- Submit the shelter’s online Lost Pet Report.
- Search your home, yard and neighborhood carefully.
- Update the pet’s microchip company with your current phone number.
- Contact nearby veterinary hospitals, shelters and rescue groups.
- If the animal may have crossed county or city boundaries, use this broader animal-shelter search guide to identify other official shelters that may have received the pet.
What to bring for reclaim
- Proof that the animal belongs to you.
- Valid Indiana driver’s license or state-issued ID.
- Proof of current rabies vaccination.
- Proof the animal is spayed/neutered if you want the altered-animal reclaim rate.
- Payment for reclaim, daily boarding, medical and other applicable charges.
Found a Stray Dog in Porter County
A well-intentioned pickup can become unsafe if the dog’s vaccination, behavior or ownership history is unknown. Porter County tells residents to call before bringing a stray dog to the shelter because quarantine space can fill.
Confirm the location
Porter County Animal Shelter says it does not accept animals from outside Porter County. If the dog is inside City of Portage, use Portage Animal Control.
Call before capturing or transporting
Call 219-465-3550 first to confirm space. The shelter says dog quarantine capacity may be limited, especially during busy months.
Do not take an unsafe risk
The shelter specifically warns residents not to put an unconfined unknown stray dog in a vehicle, especially with children present.
Use the stray intake window
Current stray-dog intake hours are 12:00–3:30 p.m., seven days a week. Bring your driver’s license.
Owner Surrender: Application and Waitlist First
Surrender can be emotional, and the shelter is currently explicit that space is often limited. Completing the application does not guarantee that the animal will be accepted.
Contact the original source first when possible
Porter County encourages owners to contact the breeder, rescue or organization the pet originally came from to see whether they can take the animal back.
Complete the dog or cat surrender application
Submit the correct owner-surrender form with honest medical, behavior and household information.
Wait for staff review
Shelter staff review the application and contact the owner. Space availability determines whether intake can move forward.
Attend the scheduled evaluation
If the process advances, staff schedule a time to bring the animal for evaluation. Bring an Indiana driver’s license or state ID.
Porter County Animal Control: Which Number to Use
Non-emergency Animal Control
Call 219-477-3110 for stray domestic animals, neglect, abuse and other non-emergency Animal Control concerns.
If you reach voicemail, leave your name, address and phone number.
Dangerous animal emergency
If a dangerous animal poses immediate and imminent danger to the public, the official Animal Control FAQ says to call 911.
Wildlife / nuisance animals
Porter County Animal Control says it handles domestic animals and livestock—not ordinary nuisance wildlife such as raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks and similar wildlife.
Emergency & Important Porter County Contacts
| Contact | Number | Use this for |
|---|---|---|
| Porter County Animal Shelter | 219-465-3550 | Shelter questions, adoption, lost-pet reporting, reclaim and stray intake guidance. |
| Porter County Animal Control | 219-477-3110 | Non-emergency stray domestic animals, abuse, neglect and Animal Control reports outside City of Portage. |
| Immediate dangerous-animal emergency | 911 | A dangerous animal posing immediate and imminent danger to the public. |
| City of Portage Animal Control | 219-763-1825 | Animal Control matters inside City of Portage limits. |
| Porter County Health Department — Nursing | 219-465-3525 | Official animal-bite / public-health reporting route and rabies-related health guidance. |
Animal Bite or Rabies Concern in Porter County
Clean the wound
Porter County Health Department advises washing the wound with plenty of soap and running water.
Seek medical care
For a severe or bleeding bite, the county health page advises going to a physician or emergency room immediately.
Report the bite
Animal Bite Reports can be sent to Porter County Animal Control at 219-477-3110 or Porter County Health Department Nursing Division at 219-465-3525.
Veterinary Services: What the Shelter Does and Does Not Offer
Porter County Animal Shelter provides medical care to animals in its custody, but that does not make it a public veterinary clinic.
Adopted pets leave prepared
Current shelter pages say adoptable dogs and cats leave spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
No public low-cost clinic
The shelter FAQ says it does not currently provide low-cost vaccination or spay/neuter services directly to the public.
Low-cost options directory
The shelter maintains a separate official list of regional low-cost spay/neuter resources. Use that page to contact the provider directly for current appointments and prices.
Current Porter County Animal Shelter Leadership
Jen Schaafsma — Shelter Director
The shelter’s current staff page lists Jen Schaafsma as Shelter Director. It says she joined Animal Control in 2019 and was promoted to Shelter Director in November 2023.
Maxine Spencer — Assistant Director
The current staff page lists Maxine Spencer as Assistant Director and describes earlier work as a dog handler and medical technician.
VeterinaryCare schema or invented doctor information
is added.
Directions to Porter County Animal Shelter
3355 Bertholet Boulevard, Valparaiso, IN 46383
The shelter describes its location as just off State Road 49, about a quarter mile south of U.S. Highway 30, between the Porter County Jail and the Porter County Expo Center.
Important local warning: the shelter itself says not to rely on Google Maps for this address because it may show the wrong location. That is why this page intentionally does not embed a Google map.
Open the official Porter County Animal Shelter directions page
Official Porter County Resources
Use these official pages for live pets, forms and final confirmation. Shelter capacity and animal availability can change quickly.
Porter County Animal Shelter FAQs
Where is Porter County Animal Shelter?
The shelter is at 3355 Bertholet Boulevard, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383. The shelter’s directions page warns that Google Maps may show the wrong location, so use its official directions before driving.
What is the Porter County Animal Shelter phone number?
The shelter phone is 219-465-3550. Porter County Animal Control’s non-emergency number is 219-477-3110.
What are Porter County Animal Shelter hours?
The shelter lists public hours of 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. seven days a week and says it is closed to the public on holidays.
Can I walk in and adopt a dog or cat?
Dog and cat interactions are appointment-based. Complete the online adoption application first. If approved, shelter staff conduct a phone interview and schedule an appointment to meet animals.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog?
The current official adoption fee is $120 for a dog. Adoptable dogs leave spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
How much does it cost to adopt a cat?
The current official adoption fee is $60 for a cat. Adoptable cats leave spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
How much does it cost to adopt a rabbit?
The shelter’s current fee page lists rabbit adoption at $25.
Is the adoption application free?
Yes. The shelter says there is no application fee. Approved applications remain on file for up to six months.
Does Porter County Animal Control serve the City of Portage?
No. The county shelter states repeatedly that Porter County Animal Control serves Porter County except for the City of Portage. Portage Animal Control is listed at 219-763-1825.
What should I do about a dangerous animal?
If a dangerous animal poses immediate and imminent danger to the public, the official Porter County Animal Control guidance says to call 911. For non-emergency Animal Control issues, call 219-477-3110.
Can I surrender a pet without contacting the shelter first?
No. Submit the appropriate surrender application first. Shelter staff review it and schedule an evaluation if space and circumstances allow. Completing the form does not guarantee acceptance.
Is there an owner surrender fee?
The shelter says no surrender fee is required. It mentions a voluntary $50 donation to help offset care costs.
Does Porter County Animal Shelter offer low-cost veterinary services?
Not directly to the public at this time. The shelter FAQ says it does not currently offer public low-cost vaccination or spay/neuter services, but its website maintains a list of outside low-cost spay/neuter resources.
Who is the Porter County Animal Shelter Director?
The current official staff page lists Jen Schaafsma as Porter County Animal Shelter Director.
Is Animal-Shelter.org the official Porter County Animal Shelter website?
No. Animal-Shelter.org is an independent informational guide. Use Porter County Animal Shelter and Porter County Health Department sources for live animals, current forms, same-day instructions and public-health guidance.
Animal Shelter Action Planner: Lost Pet, Found Pet, Adoption, Reclaim & Surrender Helper
Use this free tool to create a practical next-step plan before visiting or contacting an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or animal control agency. It does not search a live shelter database, but it helps you prepare the right documents, questions, safety steps, and official-source searches.
Build a USA-wide shelter action plan
Select your situation and location. The tool will create a general action plan, search links, call questions, and a copyable checklist.
Lost pet recovery checklist
Check the steps you have completed. This helps you stay organized during the first urgent hours and days.
Found pet safety decision helper
Use this when you find a stray or loose pet and need a safe next step.
Adoption readiness checker
This helps adopters prepare before visiting a shelter or rescue. It is not a guarantee of approval.
Pet reclaim document checklist
If your pet may be at a shelter, prepare proof before visiting. Exact requirements and fees vary by agency.
Owner surrender preparation helper
Surrender rules vary. Many shelters require appointments, proof of residence, behavior/medical information, and may offer alternatives.
Animal control contact decision helper
Choose the situation and get a general USA-wide contact path. Local rules may differ.
Adoption and first-month budget planner
This is a planning guide, not a shelter fee database. Always confirm adoption fees and included services with the shelter.
Your generated shelter plan
Your action plan, search links, call script, checklist, or budget guide will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Select your state, city/county/ZIP, pet type, and goal. The tool will create a practical USA-wide shelter action plan.
Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. It does not send your entries to animal-shelter.org.