Dog Star Rescue Adoption Process

Considering adding a rescue dog to your home? Dog Star Rescue is looking for forever homes for our deserving pups. Our first priority is to ensure that we are making the best decision we can on behalf of each dog as they do not have a voice of their own and we are their only advocates. In an effort to make matches that last a lifetime, we require that both the adopter and the rescue agree on the suitability of a placement.

The first step is to complete and submit the Adoption Application as soon as you are ready to bring a dog into your home. By doing so, you can start the process of becoming “pre-qualified” while we work together to find your perfect match.

What to expect

After your Adoption Application has been submitted, the screening process begins. Our screening process is broken into 2 parts. Please note that we will first try to reach you via the email you provided on your application so please check that email frequently (including your spam folder). We will then send a follow-up text if we do not hear from you. Applicants who aren’t responsive will have their applications closed.

1. Verifying Eligibility

Once we have received an all-clear notification by email to call your vet, personal references, landlord, etc, we will start to verify whether or not your family meets our minimum criteria to adopt a dog from Dog Star Rescue. If we have questions during this phase of the process, we follow up via email. This part of the process can take anywhere from 1-7 days and is highly dependent on the responsiveness of the contacts you’ve given us. For this reason, we highly recommend you tell your vet and your references to expect a call from us.

When we are able to successfully complete an applicant’s eligibility, their application is considered pre-qualified. Please keep in mind that being prequalified does not guarantee you an adoption. You still need to be screened and matched to a dog in the next step.

2. Match Making

This part of the process requires an interview and can be completed in one of two ways:

1. Attending an Adoption Event
   Adoption events (which we hold weekly) are a great way to meet a wide variety of our available dogs! Your family is welcome to attend an adoption event and inquire about adopting a dog during the event. You will be interviewed for the dog on-site by a member of our Screening Team. In conjunction with the interview, they will also facilitate a meet and greet with your family and the dog. Families interested in adopting at an event should ensure they bring all household members and resident dogs.
2. Scheduling a Phone Interview for a specific dog
   Outside of adoption events, pre-qualified families can be considered for a specific dog’s adoption. You may only be considered for one dog’s adoption at a time so will need to prioritize your interest. After we receive your interest, it will be forwarded to the volunteer responsible for screening homes for the dog. They will review your application and be in touch to schedule a phone interview if they feel your family is a potential match. If they are able to verify your family is the best match for the dog, they will offer to schedule a meet and greet. A meet and greet includes all household members (including all dogs) and typically takes place at our Bloomfield, CT headquarters.

Both Dog Star and your family must agree to the adoption at the end of the meet and greet. At the conclusion of a successful meet and greet, the family is expected to finalize the adoption and bring the dog home with them.

Remember each dog has individual physical, behavioral, and emotional needs. Our number one priority is balancing a potential adopter’s preferences, expectations, and requirements for a dog with what we know about a dog in rescue to make the best match possible. If we find the pup a family selects to not be a good fit, we will continue working with the family to find the right match.

Have more questions? Visit our Adoption FAQ.