Adoption Information
If you are interested in adopting, the first step is submitting an adoption application and reading through the below adoption information. We HIGHLY recommend getting fully approved to adopt before looking at specific dogs since many tend to get adopted quickly, especially puppies and small dogs.
Our goal is to make sure we find the perfect match for you, your family, and each of our dogs. To help with this process, we carefully screen all of our potential adopters to ensure we are placing our dogs into the right homes.
Applying does not mean you are required to adopt, it just lets us know you that are seriously considering adopting a dog. Please only fill out an application if you are serious about adopting! Our team of volunteers spend hours processing an average of 140+ applications each week. Please note that if you have already filled out an application and have been approved, you do not need to fill out a second application, you can email adoptions@lasthopek9.org.
Remember, many of our dogs receive multiple applications and interest from already approved adopters, so we are not able to guarantee a dog’s availability until your application is fully approved. We work through applications in the order they are received until we find the right fit.
Application & Adoption Process Overview
We are currently able to adopt to all New England states except Maine.
Application Process
Once you submit your adoption application, our volunteers review your application and process it in two parts: Reference Checks and Home Visit.
When submitting your application, please ensure that the information you are giving is as complete and accurate as possible. This allows our volunteers to process your application efficiently and avoid delays with follow-up.
Please let all references know that we will be calling and/or emailing them (sometimes our emails go to spam.)
REFERENCE CHECKS
Personal References
We will reach out to two personal references to help us further understand what type of dog will best fit into your family.
Veterinary Reference
If you have a pet living in your home – whether it’s your pet or it belongs to someone you live with – or have had a pet within the last five years, we will need to complete a vet reference*.
Landlord Reference
If you rent your house or apartment, we will reach out to your landlord to confirm you can have a pet and, if so, if there are any restrictions.
*We cannot approve an application if the following is not confirmed by a vet:
ALL CATS & DOGS must be:
- Current on rabies and distemper vaccinations unless the vet confirms it was his/her recommendation to forego vaccinations.
- Spayed/neutered unless the vet confirms it was his/her recommendation to forego the procedure.
ALL DOGS must have:
- Record of regular heartworm tests and preventatives. If you purchase your preventatives somewhere besides the vet, you may be asked for proof of purchase.
HOME VISIT
Once we have all the information we need to begin the reference check, your information will be sent to our Home Visit team so they can assign a volunteer in your area to come complete the home visit. The application approval process takes approximately two weeks from start to finish.
QUESTIONS? Please email homevisits@lasthopek9.org
Adoption Process
Once your application is fully approved, you will be connected to an adoptions coordinator. As an approved adopter, you are able to email the adoptions coordinators at adoptions@lasthopek9.org any time you see a dog(s) you are interested in meeting.
If you are first in line and a good fit for a particular dog, the adoptions team will send a contract to put you in touch with the dog’s foster family. You can then arrange a meet-and-greet. Everyone living in your home must meet the dog prior to the adoption being finalized – this includes all adults, children, and other pets.
The adoption process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to upwards of a month. For dogs that have received a number of applications, it can take a little time for our adoption coordinators to sort through them all. Please remember that we are completely volunteer-run so all of this work is being done after the workday and on the weekends. We hope that you will be patient with us as we help you find the perfect match!
If the dog(s) you originally applied for is adopted by a family that applied or noted their interest prior to you, we would love to help you find another great pup. We transport approximately 25-30 dogs each week, so there’s no shortage of dogs looking for families!
To check out our available dogs, please visit our Facebook page or visit our Adoptable Dogs tab on our website to filter by age, breed, etc.
QUESTIONS? Please check out our Adoptions FAQs or email adoptions@lasthopek9.org
Adoption Fees
The fee collected upon a dog’s adoption goes toward offsetting the costs involved in providing care for our dogs and preparing them for placement into a new home.
Our adoption fee* varies based on the dog’s age, as follows:
$550
for dogs under 1 year old
$500
for dogs 1-6 years old
$450
for dogs 7 years and older
OUR ADOPTION FEE INCLUDES:
Vaccinations [Rabies, Bordatella, DAPP (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus)], de-worming & vetting
Transport from Arkansas to New England
Per MA law, a minimum 48 hours of quarantine after transport
Spay/Neuter
Microchip
Our adoption fee barely covers the cost of a young healthy dog, let alone the cost of saving those who need more medical care or training.
Fees from the younger, more adoptable dogs help offset the cost of caring for the others. In any given year, our adoption fees only cover approximately 80% of our program costs. Additional expenses may include, medical treatments and procedures, training programs, and boarding costs.
*Please note: our fee is non-refundable. This is also noted in our Adoption Contract. Adoption fees as of June 2023.