Our adoption application is thorough but enjoyable to complete. This effort is for a potential new member of your family, and it is a hopeful and celebratory act. Savor the process, and please be thoughtful with your answers.
How to apply: Please download the form below and print it out. Then, fill in the form the old-fashioned way with pen to paper. We find that questions are more carefully answered when they are handwritten. This better guides us to finding the ideal match for the Animal Saints in our care. When you are finished filling out the adoption application, scan it or take clear and crisp photographs of each page and email them back to us along with the photographs requested in the application.
A friendly reminder about the application process: We spend significant time and carefully go over every detail of the application, so please only apply if you are truly serious about adopting. Animal Saints is 100% volunteer run by dedicated animal advocates. Time spent on applicants who aren’t truly all in takes time away from the Animal Saints who need our help. But if you feel it to your core that this is what you are supposed to do, and your beliefs about animals reflect those of Animal Saints Rescue Society, then we welcome you to apply and look forward to hearing from you!
Application timeframe: We oftentimes receive multiple applications for the same animal, and it might take several days to contact all of the references in our screening process. We appreciate your patience while this happens. A filled application does not mean automatic approval. We take the process so very seriously and view each Animal Saint as a part of our rescue group family. With this in mind, we strive to not just find a home but an ideal home for these dear dogs and cats. They have all been through so much before coming into our care. We want to make certain this second chance that has been given to them by our rescue efforts is one with a family who is devoted and committed for life to their care.
Adoption process: If we believe you are an ideal family and match for one of the Animal Saints in our care, we will contact you with an approval. The next step is setting up a time to meet and officially adopt them. We prefer local adoptions, but we welcome out-of-state adopters if it means an ideal match. You will need to travel to New York to adopt in person. We do not allow animal transports to be part of the adoption process. You need to be the one to meet and adopt in person. Once the adoption is official, we ask for a $400 adoption fee per Animal Saint you adopt, though you are welcome to donate more if it is financially feasible for you. The adoption fee does not completely cover expenses put into saving their lives, but it partly offsets the costs of pulling them from animal control and their initial veterinary care. All of our Animal Saints have been given a veterinary evaluation at the animal control facility from which they were pulled and are spayed/neutered before they are adopted. If there are any health challenges they see in their screening, their complete evaluation will be given to you beforehand. Sometimes, our Animal Saints are screened and helped by an additional veterinarian who partners with us (if they need additional surgeries like neuter/spay, dental, or eye surgery) , giving you two health overviews before adoption.
After the Adoption : Despite the initial health assessment prior to adoption, we still require that you take your new member of your family to your own veterinarian for a wellness exam within 3 weeks of adoption day to begin the best health plan moving forward. We also require that you take basic training classes with a local professional dog trainer to ensure you are setting up the Animal Saint for the best possible transition into your family. This minimal time commitment will surprisingly give you essential skills needed to be the best parent you can be.
Gilbert and Harry encourage you to have the time and patience to adopt a formerly neglected and abused Animal Saint. It will be one of the most rewarding things you’ve ever decided to do in your life.
