FAQs

What is your adoption process?

• Our process begins with the application, which you can access here.  We will select the applicant we believe to be the best match for the dog and schedule a meet and greet with that applicant, their household members, and any dogs living in the household.  We often get many applications for the same dog and do not operate on a first come, first served basis. 

•  Meet and greets are scheduled for Saturday mornings.  If meeting on a Saturday morning will be a problem (for example, you work every Saturday morning), please contact us before you apply and/or note this on your application to see if we may be able to accommodate another time.  Please be advised we are all volunteers and may not be able to accommodate your request. 

• Applicants must be at least 21 years old

• If you have any questions about any of the above, please email orphanannierescue@gmail.com before you spend time completing an application.  

Do you adopt out of state?

• Unless otherwise noted in the description posted for the dog, we adopt throughout Georgia and neighboring states (AL, FL, NC, SC, TN).  We do require adopters to live within metro Atlanta for some dogs, such as dogs who are skittish and considered to be a "flight risk" or puppies who need additional vetting. We do not transport dogs; all meet and greets are held in metro Atlanta.

What are the adoption fees?

• The adoption fee for each dog is listed in his or her online description.  The fee includes the shots up-to-date, spay/neuter, heartworm test (for dogs 6 months and older), microchipping, deworming, and treatment of any known medical conditions. All of our dogs are kept on heartworm, flea, and tick preventative. 

Do you have a physical shelter?

• No, all of our animals live in loving foster homes in metro Atlanta until they are adopted.   

How can I meet your dogs?  

• The only way to meet one of our dogs is to go through our adoption process.  We do not have a facility or hold regular adoption events.  We advertise any scheduled adoption events on our social media.  Please note that even when we have an adoption event, our adoption process does remain the same, and we do not offer same day adoptions.

I am not ready to adopt now, but I am interested in a particular dog. Will you hold that dog for me until I am ready? 

• We are unable to do this for a few reasons.  First, it is in the dog's best interest to get into his or her forever home as quickly as possible.  Also, we have a limited amount of space. When a dog gets adopted, that opens up a space in a foster home for us to save another dog in need. We recommend waiting to look for your new family member until you are ready to welcome one into your home and ask that you not apply until you are ready to adopt. 

If I have completed an application in the past, do I need to apply again?

•  You do not need to complete multiple applications unless your last application was submitted over 1 year ago or you have moved or acquired a new pet since you last applied.  If you have applied within the last year and see a new dog of interest to you, please email us at orphanannierescue@gmail.com, so we can locate and review your application for that dog.  It is helpful if you include the name and email address the application would be under.

Where do you get your dogs?

• We get our dogs from animal control facilities or from owners who can no longer care for their dogs. 

Can I surrender my dog to you?

•  If you are the legal owner of a dog that you cannot keep, you may email us at info@orphanannierescue.org.  Please include photos and information about the dog.  Helpful information includes temperament; weight; age; breed; any behavioral or medical concerns; how the dog gets along with kids, cats, and other dogs; if the dog is spayed/neutered, current on shots, etc.  Think of what you may want to know if you were asked to take a dog into your home.  Because we don't have a facility, all of our dogs must go to foster homes, and we are limited by space and what our volunteers are willing and able to take into their homes. While we would love to help save every dog, please understand that we are not able to help everyone who contacts us.

I found a stray or abandoned dog; can you take it?

• Rescue groups cannot accept stray or abandoned animals.  All stray or abandoned animals must be taken to the animal control facility in the county in which the animal was found.  This is to give the owner an opportunity to reclaim their lost pet.  If you would like to try and find rescue for the dog while s/he is at animal control, we recommend getting the shelter intake number when you drop him/her off and also ensuring you get a few photos. That way, you can try marketing the dog to rescue groups while the dog is at animal control, in case s/he is not reclaimed.  Please do know that animal control facilities are not the enemy and do play a vital role. There are many kind employees and volunteers who dedicate their time to getting dogs adopted or to rescue.