Our Adoption Process

step 1- Submit an adoption appLICATION

The first step is to submit an adoption application on our website. If there is an animal you have your eye on you can put their name on the app, but you can also leave the name blank, and we will let you know if we have any matches. It is important to give as much detail as possible and fill it out to the best of your ability as this is how we get to know you and your lifestyle! The more detail you put down, the more we get to know you.

Step 3- Schedule Meet & Greet

If your application is approved the next step is for us to contact you and schedule a time to meet your new best friend in person! If you are meeting a dog and have other dogs in the home, this is also when they all get to meet and make sure they get along as well. If there are multiple animals that might be a good fit this is when you will get to meet all of them one at a time.

Step 4- Foster Trial

In most cases after your meet & greet, if all goes well, you will get to take your new friend home as a foster. This is your time to let your new pet settle in, decompress, and learn about their new home. We require all potential adopters to foster for a minimum of a week to spend time and make sure it’s a good fit. And if you find out this isn’t the one for you, no worries just let us know and we will work to find someone that is a better fit for you!

At Homeward Bound Waggin our number one goal is to make sure every adoption is a perfect match for you AND the animal! We strive to play match maker and learn as much about your lifestyle and wants to pair you with the animal that will complete your family. This is where out Foster to Adopt Program comes in…

Step 2- Background Check and waiting period

This is the step that often feels like the longest wait, but is one of the most important for setting everyone up for success. In this step our small team reviews your application, checks references, and does a background check. This is also where we discuss who will be the best fit for your household. We always consider the animal you put the name down of first, but we do not work on a first come, first served basis. This means if there are multiple apps for the same animal, we will place the animal based on who is the best fit. This also means we may suggest different animals if we think they are a better fit for your lifestyle. Again, our goal is to play match maker and great the perfect pairing! Because we are 100% volunteer and all of us work full time jobs, this step may take 3-4wks, please be patient and we will reach out to you as soon as possible.

step 5- Officially adopt

When you decide this is the new pet for you and you have found the perfect match, let us know and we will make it official! This is where you sign the paperwork, pay the adoption fee, and celebrate your bestie’s gotcha day!