MAC is open Tuesday through Friday, 12 PM to 6 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM. Please refer to our website and Facebook page for special announcements regarding hours – i.e. holidays.

You do not need an appointment to adopt. All adoptions are conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Anyone 18 years of age or older with a valid photo ID is welcome to adopt from MAC. You do not have to live in Chattanooga, or even Tennessee to adopt with us! All adopters must fill out an adoption application, be counseled and approved to adopt by the MAC Adoptions Team.

Adoption fees cover the cost of an animal being spayed or neutered, microchipped, up to date on age-appropriate vaccines, given parasite prevention, daily care and enrichment, and other life-saving care as needed.

Our range of adoption fees helps to support our mission and offset the cost of housing some pets for extended periods of time in addition to those who need life-saving medical care. 

If you have met a pet you’re thinking might be right for you but you’re not 100% sure, that’s ok! Certain animals are eligible for a 24 hour Adoption Hold (puppies, kittens and highly desirable pets are generally not eligible for holds, please ask!). Adoption Holds for animals ready to leave the shelter require a non-refundable ‘Hold Fee’ of half the regular adoption price of the animal at the time the hold is placed or $50, whichever is greater. Hold fees for animals ready to leave the shelter are administrative and are therefore non-refundable, not tax-deductible donations, and cannot be applied towards the adoption fee.

We do not put animals on hold over the phone, or email. You must meet the animal in person first.

McKamey Animal Center has made the decision to remove breed labels from all of the dogs in our care. This may seem like a small change, but it is actually a significant step towards creating a more inclusive and fair environment for all of the animals that will walk through our doors. Breed labels can often be inaccurate and misleading. Many dogs that are labeled as a specific breed may actually be a mix of several different breeds, and it is often difficult to determine a dog’s true breed with certainty. 

By removing breed labels, we hope to focus more on the individual characteristics and personalities of each dog, rather than relying on preconceived notions based on breed. This will allow potential adopters to make more informed and objective decisions about which dog is the best fit for their home and family.

All adoptions are done on a first come, first serve basis. We do not have a waitlist for certain breeds or ages. We do get highly-desirable breeds from time to time such as Great Danes, Doodle mixes, Retrievers, Siamese, etc.  Our website is the best resource to see who is available for adoption as it is updated real-time.

MAC cares for and shelters nearly 5,000 animals every year. While some animals come to us as strays, from owners who can no longer care for them, or are part of cruelty cases, each is loved and cared for equally. Adoption fees help to offset the cost of care each day, as well as support the costs of critical life-saving medical treatments, behavior rehabilitation, food and surgeries that some animals in our care may need.

We often host adoption specials and events where adoption fees are discounted, or even free. Check out our Adoption Specials here.

MAC offers a range of adoption fees on what would be considered a ‘sliding scale’ system. While most of the animals we adopt out fall within our ‘normal’ range, sometimes we get pets that are not in that range. These pets may have special medical needs, are a ‘high-demand’ type of pet, or have received more extensive care from us than most.

While these are rare occurrences, they do happen! The pure-bred Great Dane or Yorkie puppy is going to be adopted much quicker than the typical mixed-breed dog with a blocky head. Their adoption fees help to off-set the cost of the other animals in our care.

MAC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that relies heavily on donations and support from the community. We are a small, local shelter that does not receive support from a national overhead. Sliding scale adoption fees are one of the few ways we can help to keep our doors open every day.