Hey everyone! In my last blog post I went over some things to consider before you make the decision to adopt a dog. I highly recommend reading through that post first to make sure you have everything in order before adopting a dog. This week I’m going to go over what to expect during the adoption process and the different ways to adopt your new best friend.

Different Types Of Rescues

First, I want to go through the different types of rescues there are to help give you an idea of where some of the dogs come from.

There are a few different kinds of organizations that you can adopt from. One of them is a rescue that is dedicated to a specific breed of dog. If you decided you’re dead set on a specific breed, you may want to look into these. Most of the time, these are dogs that were bought as puppies and then surrendered for various reasons. They can also be dogs directly from a breeder, who for whatever reason decided they wouldn’t be able to sell them. The main thing to keep in mind with these kinds of rescues is they may not get new dogs in as often as other kinds of rescues. This means you may be waiting a little while for the right dog to come through to adopt. It also means you may have a lot more people applying for the the dog at the same time.

The next type of organization is what I like to call a “transport organization.” Basically, these organizations take dogs from high kill shelters, usually down south, and bring them to other states to be adopted. The good thing about these rescues is they frequently get new dogs. That
means if you don’t see a dog that’s right for you this week, make sure to check next week as the dog of your dreams may have just shown up!

Finally, there’s your local rescue groups and ASPCA. These usually deal with dogs that are found or surrendered locally, but can sometimes have dogs from transport as well. It also means there’s a chance the dogs are kept on premise and you can usually go see them.

The Adoption Process

If you’ve done your rescue group research and narrowed down which one(s) you’d like to adopt from, now is the time to start filling out applications…Even if they don’t have a dog you’re interested in yet.

By filling out the application ahead of time, you have a better chance of being “pre-approved.” This is super helpful because it shows the rescue group initiative and they can go through their screening process ahead of time to make sure you’re qualified to adopt from them. Then when a dog does come along that you want to adopt, because you’ve already done the legwork, your chances of being picked are higher.

Now with that being said, that particular dog you landed on is not guaranteed to be going home with you. The organization will still go through your application to make sure that dog is right for you.

What Happens After You’re Approved

When you’ve chosen a dog, contact the organization and let them know that’s the dog you’d like to adopt. They will then add you to the group of applicants for that dog. The rescue group then goes through a screening process to make sure the dog you want to adopt is the right fit for you and your family.

After the rescue picks you for the dog, they will call your references and your vet (if you have one, prospective first time pet owners need not worry!) to confirm all is in order. They will then either conduct and interview in person or over the phone (or both.) If your interview is in person, you will need to bring everyone that lives in your household, including your dog if you’re already a pet parent.

Once everything goes well with your interview, you can usually take the dog home that day! You will need to pay your adoption fee at this time. Rescues usually will not hold a dog for you, so make sure your home is prepared for the dog before you go.

Now it’s worth noting the time frame for this entire process will vary from rescue to rescue. Don’t be discouraged if it’s taking a little longer than you expected. If you go through the steps to be pre-approved you can likely go to one of their adoption events or your interview and walk away with a dog that day. If you haven’t been pre-approved the process may take a little longer. Usually it’s anywhere from three days to one week to get everything in order. Patience is key.

I hope this all helps explain the process a little better! You’ll be bringing home your new best friend in no time!!