Program Sponsored By:
Are you looking for a specific type or breed of pet? Is time a factor in your search for the pet that is right for you? Is this your first time looking for a pet? Is it an overwhelming experience for you to visit our adoption centers?
Answered yes to any of the above? Then welcome to FIRST CONTACT, a Lexington Humane Society (LHS) concierge-type service designed to help you find your perfect pet! Every year, hundreds of animals and adopters are matched through First Contact. Here’s how it works:
Submit your registration form:
Decide which service option, Tier-1 or Tier-2, best suits your desire to adopt, then complete and submit your registration form.
Get pre-approved for adoption:
LHS will review your information and notify you about your pre-approval status.
Pay your service fee:
Notice of pre-approval will include instructions for paying your First Contact service fee.
We search:
After LHS receives your First Contact service fee payment, your pet specifications (breed, age, sex, temperament, etc.) will be entered into our database and we will go to work finding potential matches for you to consider! When we think we have an animal you would be interested in, we will send you an email identifying the basic animal information and inviting you to attend a meet-and-greet during the window dates/times listed in the email.
You meet and you decide:
If you are interested in a potential match, you will have your meet-and-greet session (potentially including your family and other pet(s)) during the window reserved for that specific animal. You will then decide whether you want to adopt or continue onward with your First Contact search.
For your part, by submitting your Registration form, you acknowledge that you:
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- Will respond to our communications to you in a timely matter. Communications will primarily be through emails to you (by phone if no email address was provided).
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- We reserve the right to void your application if your responses are not timely.
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- Will respond to our communications to you in a timely matter. Communications will primarily be through emails to you (by phone if no email address was provided).
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- Have read, understand, and agree with these conditions.
While our goal is to help you find just the right pet for you, we also need to place animals as quickly as possible to make room for even more animals who are ready to find their forever homes. Thank you for understanding!
Want to register for First Contact?
Before you register
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- We ask that you first think about (do a little research on) what you’re looking for in a pet. You may have a lifestyle that works with certain breed characteristics (such as energy level or grooming) or you may want to know which breeds are good with active children.
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- Decide if you are committed to or just considering adopting then select which of the 2 service options (Tier 1 or Tier 2) is right for you.
Tier 1, “I’m committed to adopting” (Service fee of $50.00 plus tax):
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- You are absolutely sure you want to adopt.
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- You will be individually notified of potential matches and invited to come in for the meet-and-greet session.
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- If you are interested, no response is necessary. We will see you at LHS during the meet-and-greet window.
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- You will be individually notified of potential matches and invited to come in for the meet-and-greet session.
Tier 2, “I’m considering adopting” (Service fee of $30.00 plus tax):
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- You are not quite sure about adopting—you might not be in any rush to adopt or you might be unsure about a breed, a specific animal’s needs, family considerations, timing, etc.
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- You will receive a group notification (in groups of 4 First Contact registrants) of potential matches and invited to come in for a group meet-and-greet session during the window specified in the invitation.
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- If the animal gets adopted by another registrant during the meet-and-greet window, you will be notified.
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- You will receive a group notification (in groups of 4 First Contact registrants) of potential matches and invited to come in for a group meet-and-greet session during the window specified in the invitation.
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- The group notification/invitation continues until a forever home is found for the animal.
Info regarding both Tiers:
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- Potential match notifications and meet-and-greet invitations will be sent based on seniority in the First Contact database.
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- Email will be the primary means of contacting registrants of notifications/invitations (by phone if no email address was provided).
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- Registrants should notify us immediately if they are not interested in a meet-and-greet.
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- The First Contact service fee is non-refundable and will not be deducted from the adoption fee.
