Ahhh, the meat of the issue - how to acquire for yourself one of these animals! The details below are what is listed in our Adoption Policy, which (like all rescues), we require you to sign and return for us.

If you've found "your pet", please contact us - we'd be thrilled to discuss it with you!

Adoption Fee
Adoption fee is $95. per pet. It includes first year shots and spay/neuter. Also the pet will have a clean bill of heath from a vet. As much as we'd like to just give you the animal, you can generally bet that ARF has spent a lot more than $95 on it's care - this is the smallest adoption fee we could come up with, while still trying to recover a portion of our costs, so that we can continue to care for our other animals.

Environment
We require for dogs that their new family have fenced back yard, even if it is a small or indoor dog, the adopter must agree to keep it an indoor dog and either leashed or in a fenced yard when outside for short durations. This is very important to us - not only do we not want this animal to become a stray again, but we never want to imagine this animal in anything less than an optimum environment - have you ever seen a pitiful, lonely dog, chained to a tree outside, with no human interaction?

Vetrinary Care and Reference
You must agree to take your animal to the vet for regular checkups proper vaccinations and any other time the animal appears to be either ill or in distress. We require a vet reference to show that you are capable to provide vet care and will/have provided good vet care in the past and future. If you've never owned an animal and as such had need for a vet, contact us via email and we'll talk.

If The Adoption Isn't Working Out
If this animal does not seem to be working in your home, you must agree to return it to ARF. No questions asked, but it's imperative to us that the animal does not wind up back on the streets or in a shelter. Simply bring it back - we won't hassle you and will go right back to finding the right home.

And the rest...
"The Rest" is so important!
* Animal will be trained with love rather than submission and spanking/hitting.
* Animals actions may be unpredictable to people
* Animals and children should be closely supervised when together. And animals only defense at times when children play too rough is to snap at the child.
* ARF makes no claims or representations as to the temperament, health or mental disposition of any animal put up for adoption. We can only go by the animal's behavior while in our care. The manner in which you treat and train your adopted pet will result in its reactions. * No animal in my care will be used in dog fighting or as bait for dogs or hunting or training. Or any other manner with is unlawful or places the animal in pain or danger.

Why should you consider adopting an animal?

Easy - there is a severe overpopulation problem of cats and dogs in our country. According to the Human Society of the United States, six to eight million dogs and cats enter shelters each year, and out of those, three to four million are euthanized. View source

There are simply too many animals. Why? Unwanted litters due to a failure to spay or neuter, backyard breeders, and puppy mills.

Why are so many of these animals unwanted? People get old or ill, face financial difficulties, or simply wind up with an animal they were not prepared for. These animals are abandoned or surrendered to shelters in the millions. Quite simply, if people had to get a license to avoid spay / neuter in order to properly breed dogs, and if people needed a license proving they were sound pet owners before they were allowed to acquire one, we would not have this problem.

Unfortunately, that's not how it works.

When you adopt an animal and then spay or neuter, you are removing one factor of the problem. Additionally, when you adopt, you make room for another rescue to come in off the streets. being a no-kill shelter means if a dog or cat is not adopted then that space is not available for the next companion animal out there needing our help. Wouldn't you rather be a part of helping the homeless population rather than purpetuate the business of breeding for profit. Why support an industry of producing more animals when there are thousands of unhomed, unloved, confused strays out there just hoping and dreaming of having a chance at a safe - loving home.

When you acquire a dog or cat you have not researched and are not 100% committed to for the duration of that animal's life, or purchase from a pet shop or a disreputable breeder, you are adding to the problem (this is why most rescue groups require you to sign a document stating that if, for any reason, you must give up this animal - you return it to them).This is a rule of ARF's and a part of our CONTRACT. If you are not willing to agree to this term of our CONTRACT,then, please don't try to adopt from us. Additionally, if the animal is not spayed or neutered prior to adoption (this only happens if the companion animal is not old enough at time of adoption) you must agree to have the animal spayed/neutered when it comes of age. Again, if you are not willing to agree with this term of the CONTRACT, do not apply to adopt from us.