Our dogs’ profiles are listed online on our website, adopt a pet, and our Facebook page. We do not have a public shelter or facility, as we are 100% foster-based – all of our foster dogs are in private homes with our dedicated volunteer fosters.

In order to be considered as an adopter you must:

• Be an adult, 21 years* or older, in a stable single or family situation;
• Have the knowledge and signed consent of your landlord, if you rent; 
• Be able to demonstrate that you’re willing to spend the time and money necessary to provide training, annual and emergency medical treatment, and proper care for the lifetime of a dog.

Step 1
When you have found an animal you are interested in adopting, you need to complete an application on our website. The application asks you questions about your family’s situation, lifestyle and expectations. This questionnaire helps us see if your lifestyle and expectations are a good match with the dog you are applying for.

Step 2
Once we have read through the application and we feel like it may be a match, an adoption coordinator will have a conversation with you to find out a little more about your lifestyle and what you are looking for in a companion animal. We do not respond to every application. We will also provide advice about care and behavior training at this time, as well as detailed information about the companion you are interested in. This conversation is a good opportunity for us to get a sense of whether the animal is a good match for you and to ensure that both yourself and the animal will be happy together. This conversation may take place over the phone or through e-mail.

Step 3
If the adoption coordinator feels that you are a good match, we will introduce you to them. Dogs can be taken for walks in order to allow the potential adopter to see how they are on a leash and for the adoption coordinator to observe the potential adopter’s handling of the dog. The meet and greet will involve all members of the potential adopter’s household, as well as any currently owned dogs if applying for a second dog. It is important that everyone in the household is a good match for the animal, as well as any other current animals living in the home, to ensure that the adoption goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. Please note: Paws It Forward only holds “Meet & Greets” by appointment only.

Step 4
If everything goes well at the meet and greet and both you and the adoption coordinator feel that the animal is a good match for your home, we will begin a trial adoption for seven days. A ‘trial adoption’ is your opportunity to introduce your new addition to your life style. Before starting the adoption trial you will need to complete an adoption contract and pay the fee that applies to your dog. If during these 7 days we discover that it is not a match, we will refund the fee and place the dog back into our program.

After 7 days, if it is a great match, we finalize the adoption. Congratulations!

All medical records are released after the trial adoption*

*Medical records for puppies under 8 months are released after their spay or neuter procedure.

Each potential adopter must undergo 4 stages of screening:

1. Interview with adoption coordinator
2. Meet and Greet
3. Home Visit
4. Reference check

Having every interested person coming to the home of our volunteer foster homes to meet a dog is just not feasible.

We require all interested adopters to complete our adoption application and start the process first. Only those who seem like a good match will be invited to visit with the dog.

Occasionally our dogs are taken to special Adoption Events. In this case you can meet them prior to submitting an application. 

Dogs in our program are listed on our website with various statuses.

𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄: We are in the process of learning more about the dog and it’s health. We will not be accepting any applications for a dog with this status⁠⁠.

NOT AVAILABLE – MEDICAL HOLD: This dog is currently on a medical hold until we know more about their medical condition. The timeframe for when this dog will be available is unknown at this time. We will not be accepting any applications or inquiries for a dog with this status⁠⁠.
⁠⁠
𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄: Accepting applications to find the best home.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃: We are so excited that we’ve received SO many applications – time to review.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Our paws are crossed the dog has found their furever home!⁠

Adopting a dog should be a well-thought-out decision by all members of the household. Is it the right time? Do you understand the years of emotional and financial commitment?

Our best suggestion is to really think hard about what qualities in a dog are important to you, which may help you figure out what breed, age, size, activity level and temperament will work for your family.

Here are some other things to consider:

How will the dog fit into my family/lifestyle? Please take time to thoroughly read the dog’s bio/profile.

I have children; what should I take into consideration? If you are looking for a dog that will be good with children, it will be noted in the dog’s bio. Please remember that young children need to be taught how to interact positively with dogs of all types and sizes BEFORE you bring one into your home. We can provide you with some links and tips on this crucial topic.

Am I willing to commit to obedience classes with my dog? Please do – we advise even experienced dog parents to take their new dog to classes. It helps both of you establish a solid relationship in a positive, public environment.

You may pay by cash, cheque, or e-transfer

E-transfers can be sent to [bark@pawsitforward.org] for both adoption fees and additional donations.
Cheques are to be made out to: Paws It Forward

No. All fees must be paid in full on the day of adoption. Because any dog can require unexpected veterinary care, it is important that adopters are able to pay for these expenses as they happen. We do encourage our adopters to consider pet insurance, as the monthly premium can be eased into a budget more easily than a sudden expense. Sadly, and without prejudice, if a family/individual can’t afford the adoption fee, they very likely cannot afford the ongoing care of the dog.

The time it takes varies. We are all un paid volunteers, who all have full-time jobs outside of rescue, and we appreciate your patience. We do respect the time that you have taken to apply for one of our foster dogs, and we try to process things as quickly as possible. Sometimes we receive several applications on the same dog and numerous applications/inquiries come in everyday, especially when we post information on new dogs. On average, we try to maintain a 7-14 day window. We only contact applicants who are suitable to the dog.  If you would like an update, please do not hesitate to reach out.

No, there is no guarantee that you will be able to adopt a specific dog. We typically process only one application at a time for each dog. Not every application is the right fit and we will move onto the next most appropriate application for that dog.

Once an application is determined to be ‘not a match’ for the dog you applied for, we will try to offer other dogs that are more suited or keep your application on file.

The number one priority is to ensure the safety of every dog in our care. The second priority is to ensure all adoptions are permanent. There are many preventable reasons that dogs are surrendered, re-homed or lost. New eyes can often see potential dangers for the dog or inconvenience for the family. Home visits are not a judgement of decorating or housekeeping – they are for safety of the dog and of the family’s belongings, in order to ensure that a happy, forever match is made.

The Adoption Coordinator reviews all reports associated with each phase of the application process and will match those with the needs of the dog for whom you’ve applied. The approval or denial of any application is not the responsibility of the foster home or the person conducting the home visit, but will be reviewed and finalized by the Board of Directors.

Many of us have our own specific breed preferences, which dictate the type of dog we prefer. We have rescued a few purebreds, including some breeds that are extremely rare. We are also happy to say that there is a rescue out there for almost every breed of dog. These are called “breed specific” rescues, and they can be found on PetFinder, adopt a pet,  or by doing a quick Google search. Most times finding a specific breed in rescue is a waiting game, but we take in dogs of all breeds, ages and sizes. We encourage potential adopters to get to know each dog through their biographies rather than their appearances.

Certainly it is easier to walk into a store or go to a breeder  and buy a puppy, but it is exactly this “instant gratification” mentality that has contributed to the hundreds of thousands of homeless (and subsequently euthanized) pets in Canada today. Adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment and not something to be done on a whim.

We consider invisible fencing as “no fence present” and do not recommend its use. Please be aware that there are a number of risks to dogs with this type of fencing. For example, dogs who get outside of the fence can be fearful of coming back over the fence line, and of course, it does not protect your dog from animals/people coming into your yard. We also do not promote the use of any collar/tool that uses shock, inflicts pains or causes fear as a training method.

Absolutely not. There are families who adopt from us who live on country properties, in suburban areas, and in condominiums / apartments who do not have fenced yards. Of course there are always certain dogs that must have a fenced yard, but we will specify this in the dog’s bio. Please read carefully before applying!

We have many great resources, so don’t be afraid to ask! We would be happy to provide you with handouts and fact sheets or direct you to a trainer who can help. Please contact us with any issues or concerns.

Yes – it is a legal requirement of our adoption contract. If, after extensive training, education and communication with us, an adopted dog does not work out in your home or you are suddenly unable to care for the dog, he/she must be returned to us.

At the time of adoption, you will be asked to sign a clause stating that you will return the dog to us – should you be unable to keep or care for the dog.