Adoption Process:
We want to help you find the perfect pet for your home, so we strive to make our adoption process simple and enjoyable for all of our potential adopters!
When visiting our facility, you can take any available pet out of their cages and spend time with them in a cuddle room or take them outside for a nice walk (dogs)! Our staff will be around to answer any questions you may have, explain our trial adoption process to you (explained below) and help you decide if this pet is the perfect fit for your family! If all goes well, you’ll sign our adoption contract, we’ll look it over and as long as your application is approved, you can take your new pet home that same day!
If you are adopting a dog and there is another dog in your home, we ask you to come back for an assisted meet and greet with your current pet, or you can bring your furry friend along for your first visit! Meet and greets are typically a requirement to ensure the safety of all pets involved, but there are a few cases in which a meet and greet is not required. Example: You have an older dog that is not fit enough for a long car ride. We are understanding of all potential situations and just want the best outcome for you and your pets!
Are All Applications Accepted?
The simple answer is no.
When we adopt out any of our AWL pets, we want to ensure they are going to a home that will meet all of their needs. For most pets, a loving family is all they need. For others though, we may have to look deeper than just your initial application.
Depending on the breed of the dog, landlord restrictions, the adopters age, etc., we may have to deny some applicants. Some properties do not allow certain dog breeds, and may decline the dog from living in the home. Others have weight limits on the pets allowed, the number of animals that can occupy the home, and some do not allow any pets altogether. These are all things that we have to take into consideration when adopting out an animal. We also require the adopter to be 18 years of age and older, and cannot have any animal neglect/abuse convictions. For some pets, they may need a fenced in yard, or lots of mental stimulation, exercise, etc. The layout of a home can affect this.
All of our pets are indoor only, with the exception of “rodent ranger” cats. Always consider what is best for the pet you are interested in adopting, and what kind of pet will best suit your lifestyle.
Our Trial Adoption
We offer a beloved trial adoption program where you can take your new pet home for a trial week to make sure the adoptee fits into your schedule, gets along with other pets and/or kids and is the right fit for you! We understand that it typically takes a shelter animal three months to fully adjust into a new home, but the first week is crucial in determining whether there will be any immediate issues within the home. Our trial adoption period is also flexible, so if you need another week to decide whether you want to finalize the adoption, we can make that happen!
There is no extra fee for the trial, but you do pay the adoption fee of the pet up front like you would if you were fully adopting. If you decide that you want to keep your new pet, all you have to do is call and let us know, and we can arrange for you to come in to pick up the pet’s medical records. We will also register their microchip in your name at that time. If the trial didn’t work out and you need to bring the pet back, you will be fully refunded.
Nursery Nanny
Nursery Nanny is a program we have created to allow our young pets to find their forever homes, even if they are still in need of spay/neuter, microchipping, preventatives, etc. We believe that all of our pets deserve a chance and that is where the idea was born. When pets are in our care they receive their initial vaccines for the year, are spay/neutered, microchipped and receive flea/tick and heartworm preventative. For young kittens or puppies, this could mean months in our shelter until they have completed all of the medical requirements. We would prefer for them to be raised in a home, opposed to our shelter while they are waiting for their set medical appointments. When you take a pet in our nursery Nanny program, you are agreeing to foster said pet until they are ready for a full adoption and are taking on the responsibility for bringing the pet back and forth for scheduled visits for the above stated medical requirements.