OUR ADOPTION PROCESS HAS CHANGED

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

​For the safety of our volunteers, fosters and adopter families we have suspended all public adoption events. 
All adoptions are now by private appointment. 
  • All attendees must wear face masks
  • Practice social distancing
  • No more than 2 persons per application will be allowed to attend a private event
  • Be PRE-QUALIFIED by Dogma
Before attending a private adoption event and meeting Dogma dogs please consider the following:
We are being overwhelmed with applications to foster and adopt and can't keep up.
​Here are some tips that will help us and you.

​1. Emails with questions about specific dogs without an application will not be answered.
2. If you send an email saying you submitted an application a while back or were pre-qualified and you are interested in a dog we currently have for adoption, reattach a copy of the application. It just saves time and the people checking emails will think you're awesome for doing it.
3. Please do not send follow up emails within 72 hours of sending an application asking for the status of your application. It takes time to review applications. We have limited volunteers and they have families jobs and a pandemic to deal with and a surge in applications.
4. Make sure your application is complete. We ask these questions for a reason. If you leave unanswered questions we cannot make a reasonable decision on your request to adopt a dog. Remember, we don't know you, so when you're trying to adopt a puppy that will grow to 100 pounds, you are darned right we want to know your age. If you live with another person in the home, and you write that they will be helping to care for the puppy, put their information down as the co-applicant. A detailed application speaks volumes and tells us you have a plan in place for the dog. We get plenty of complete applications and incomplete applications will no be considered.
5. If you live in a family member's home, guess what? They are your landlord. It is not your home. Please complete the area provided for landlord contact info.
6. Provide correct information on your application. Our directors have been doing this for a really long time. We check the details of each application. Use your real address, you will have to provide proof of residency before completing the adoption. We check your identification when you adopt a dog. Things have to match up. Remember, we are the advocates for these dogs. We take this responsibility seriously.

WHEN THE SHELTER IN PLACE IS LIFTED

Our Adoption Process

Our animals are available to meet at adoption events throughout Sonoma and Marin counties. 

Please bring your pet and come on down. We highly encourage applicants to bring the whole family when choosing a new pet. We're always happy to meet new friends and enjoy supporting local businesses such as Sebastopol Hardware Center. 
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In certain circumstances we may be able to schedule private meet and greets with an adoptable dog or puppy and a potential adopter. For more information on a private meeting, please email us. Please be patient we are a 100% volunteer organization.
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Dogma Animal Rescue will review each adoption application and will interview each applicant, by phone, email, or in person.  If the prospective adopter is a likely fit for a particular dog or puppy, we will arrange for a meeting with the animal. Usually this will take place during our regularly scheduled adoption event.  

​Our goal is to place each dog with the adopter who is the best fit.  At times, we have more than one qualified applicant interested in adopting a particular dog.  To determine the best placement, we consider a number of factors. If, after meeting the dog or puppy, the prospective adopter wants to proceed, our foster coordinator and the foster parents will consult to determine next steps. ​
Please note:

We do not approve any applicants under 25 years of age under any circumstances.
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We require interested adopters to provide proof of residency.

For renters this requirement is met by (1) providing a rental agreement, and if the rental agreement doesn't allow for a pet, a letter from your landlord stating that pets are allowed; (2) a utility statement that matches the rental address; and (3) a phone call with your landlord verifying the above information; and (4) a photo ID.

For home owners this requirement if met by (1) providing a title statement or property tax statement for the home address; (2) a utility statement that matches the home address; (3) a photo ID. 

If you live outside Sonoma, Marin or Napa counties do not make the drive to Sonoma county if you have not been pre-approve by one of our officers. We absolutely WILL NOT approve a walk up out of area adoption the day of an event under any circumstances.
Our general adoption area is Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties.  In rare situations we will approve an adoption within the greater Bay Area, but not without being interviewed and approved prior to the adoption event.  We do not approve out of state adoptions and we do not ship dogs under any circumstances.

In order to prevent unnecessary delays all family members must attend the meeting to determine how the animal interacts with each individual. Dogma Animal Rescue reserves the right to conduct a home inspection before approving any adoption.

Adopted animals come with spay/neuter certificates, proof of micro-chipping, vaccination record, rabies certificate (over four months), and often shelter information. Our goal is to provide you with as much information and background about your new pet as possible.

Adoption fees

Our adoption fees range from $200 to $500 per dog and are based on several factors:  (i) characteristics of the dog (age, breed, breed mix, etc.); (ii) input costs (e.g. special medical treatments); (iii) special circumstances of the adopter; (iv) special circumstances of the dog (special needs, length of time in foster care, etc.); and (v) if a dog is being adopted along with another dog. All fees are applied to the purposes of rescuing, caring for, and placing dogs.