Interested in adopting a dog from PAWS? You’ve come to the right spot!

• Our Dogs on Petfinder

Below, you’ll find information about our adoption process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Getting Started

The first step in the process is completing an adoption form.

• Adoption Form

After your application has been reviewed by our adoption coordinator, one of our volunteers will contact you to discuss your decision to adopt and tell you about the dog you’re interested in.

Unfortunately, you may not be the only one interested in adopting a particular dog. If you don’t get your first choice, don’t worry! PAWS has plenty of great animals in need of loving homes.

You’ve been accepted. What next?

After you’ve been accepted, your dog’s foster parent will coordinate with you to get your new dog to you. Depending on where you and your new dog are located, your dog may get to you in a variety of ways.

(Click here for more information on how we transport our dogs.)

PAWS requires a mandatory donation for all of our adoptions.

Why does my rescue dog cost so much?

A young, healthy dog might cost us $150 to $400 in (discounted) vet care, and many people will want to adopt it. An older one with health issues can easily cost upwards of $1,500 in veterinary expenses, and it may require months of foster care for rehabilitation, yet we can only ask a minimal adoption fee, and it may be a long time until anyone comes forward to adopt it.

Fees from the younger, more adoptable dogs help offset the cost of caring for the others.

Most of our dogs have a sad story to tell, and some have suffered through years of neglect or abuse. We hope that you too are willing to give an opportunity for a better life to all of our dogs by supporting them through adoption fees.

Without these funds, our rescue efforts would not be possible.

Resources for Adopters

You don’t have to take your adoption journey alone. PAWS is here to help!

We has a growing library of resources for new adopters.

• PAWS Resource Library