The Adoption APplication Process

Interested in learning more about our adoption process and what happens after you hit submit? Read more here.

If you have already read The Foster Application Process the steps are mostly the same. 

Step 1: Browse Our Selection of Dogs

The first step in the adoption process is to figure out which dog you're interested in adopting. If you haven't already, check out our Available Dogs.

Please note that you are not guaranteed to get the dog you applied for. If you are approved but do not get the dog you wanted, volunteers will work with you to find another pup that fits your home and lifestyle. 

Step 2: Submit an Adoption Application

The next step in the adoption process is to fill out an adoption application. The adoption application contains questions specifically chosen so that we can ensure that you and your home is a good fit for the dog. The application should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes if you have all of your information ready. 

What you will need:

1 vet reference  or 1 professional reference 

2 personal references who are NOT related to you

Landlord contact information (if applicable)

4 - 6 images of your home

Step 3: Application Review

After you submit an adoption application one of our volunteers will begin reviewing it within 72 hours. Once a volunteer begins the review process they will reach out to you via your preferred contact method. During this time the volunteer may ask for additional context to some of the information and, if necessary, ask that another application be submitted if a significant amount of information is missing.

If you haven't received a notification that someone has begun reviewing your application within 72 hours, please contact us via our Contact Us page or email us directly at RaddRescue1@gmail.com

Step 4: Contacting the Landlord

Once our volunteers finish reviewing your application, we will contact your landlord to confirm that dogs are allowed on the property and if there are any restrictions. 

If the landlord indicates that dogs are not allowed then the application will be denied immediately.

If you own your home then this step is skipped.

Step 5: Contacting the Veterinary Reference

Next, our volunteers will contact your veterinary clinic to ensure that all current pets are up to date on their necessary vaccines and have been fixed. To ensure everything moves forward smoothly please call your veterinary clinic as soon as possible to confirm with them that they are allowed to release information to RADD and its volunteers. Failure to do this in a timely manner may delay the approval process.

If you do not have any current pets, then the volunteer will inquire about past pets and the care they received. If the applicant has never owned a pet, then the applicant will instead provide a professional reference and a proof of residence.

Step 6: Contacting Personal References

Once a volunteer has spoken with the vet they will contact your personal references. This is often one of the most time consuming parts as we must coordinate with your references to find a good time to speak. The talk itself should last somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes. We recommend that you inform your references that they should be expecting a call from one of our volunteers to ensure that the vetting process progresses smoothly.

Step 7: Interview with Applicant

As soon as we have finished contacting your references a volunteer will schedule a time to talk to you. During this meeting we will further discuss your needs, preferences, and lifestyle to ensure you and your chosen dog are a good match. During this conversation we will also go over the 3|3|3 rule and answer any additional questions you may have.

Step 8: A Decision is Made 

After all the aforementioned steps are completed the volunteer will confer with other members of the adoption team and a decision will be made regarding your application. 

Please note that RADD reserves the right to deny any application for any reason. 

Step 9: Finalizing the Adoption & Transportation

If you have been approved, all that is left is to finalize the adoption and organize transportation. To begin finalizing the adoption you will need to pay the $100 dollar non-refundable deposit adoption fee in full. 

Our fees are as follows: 

Puppies 6 months and younger: $400 - $450

Dogs older than 6 months: $300 

Tagging any dogs from ACS: $600  

We will organize transportation as soon as the dog deemed healthy enough to travel. Please keep in mind that due to logistical issues it may take an additional week or two after approval before we can transport your dog even if they are healthy and approved to travel. Additionally, while we will work with the transport to get them to stop as close to your home as possible, you may need to drive up to 40 minutes away to pick up your dog.