Humane Animal Partners is Delaware's largest animal welfare nonprofit, formed in 2022 when the Delaware Humane Association and the Delaware SPCA merged. It runs three locations, in Wilmington, Newark, and Rehoboth Beach, and traces its lineage back to 1873. It is limited-admission and no-kill, not the state pound. Here is how adoption and its services work.
Humane Animal Partners launched in 2022 from the merger of two of Delaware's oldest animal groups, the Delaware Humane Association, founded in 1957, and the Delaware SPCA, founded in 1873. That gives it a lineage stretching back 150 years.
It is a limited-admission, no-kill organization, which means it takes animals by arrangement rather than open intake, and it is not the state pound. Delaware's open-intake animal-control and stray-sheltering contract is held by Brandywine Valley SPCA, a separate organization.
Adoption fees are published and tiered by size and age, and each adoption includes spay or neuter surgery, a wellness exam, age-appropriate vaccines, a microchip, deworming and flea prevention, a heartworm test and preventative for dogs, and a free follow-up exam voucher.
| Animal | Adoption fee |
|---|---|
| Puppy, 6 months or under | $475 |
| Small adult dog, under 30 lbs | $375 |
| Medium dog, 30 to 59 lbs | $275 |
| Large dog, 60 lbs and up | $235 |
| Kitten | $150 (or $225 for two) |
| Adult cat | $95 (or $140 for two) |
| Senior cat, 8 and older | $80 |
Adoption is walk-in on open-visitation days, with no appointment needed. The Wilmington and Newark locations are open Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. and Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., and the Rehoboth Beach location is open Tuesday through Saturday.
Humane Animal Partners runs low-cost spay and neuter and vaccination clinics at its Wilmington and Newark sites, plus a community wellness clinic and a pet food pantry. Owner surrender is handled by arrangement rather than open intake.
Volunteers must be 16 or older, and foster homes need an adult lead with reliable transportation and landlord permission if renting; the organization provides food, litter, and medical care. Its EIN for tax-deductible gifts is 51-0082499.
Dogs, cats, and small animals at Wilmington, Newark, and Rehoboth Beach.
Surgery and vaccine clinics at the Wilmington and Newark sites.
Affordable veterinary care for the public.
Food assistance for owners in need.
Homes supported with food, litter, and medical care.
By arrangement, with alternatives offered first.
Sources: Humane Animal Partners (humaneanimalpartners.org) merger, locations, fees, and services pages; Delaware business press on the 2022 merger; Charity Navigator (EIN 51-0082499, listed under Delaware Humane Association). Retrieved June 2026. We are not affiliated with Humane Animal Partners and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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