It is very hard to get approved to adopt a dog because there are thousands of animals across the United States that need homes. Dog shelters and rescue groups have limited space, so they have to balance who gets a new home with who stays in their shelter or foster home.
That being said, there are ways you can improve your chances of getting a pup, such as volunteering at an animal shelter or working with a rescue organization. Some great organizations include The Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA especially if you have animal control partner agencies that will refer dogs into our adoption program for you to save, Animal Awareness Inc., Best Friends Animal Society, For Paw’s Sake Rescue & So Much More Adoptions LLC The Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department, Rescue Bank, etc. You can also search for local rescues or shelters in your area to see if there are any dogs you could foster until they find a permanent home. Please keep in mind that finding an organization near you is not an instant approval to adopt!
If volunteering isn’t an option right now, you can check out websites like Petfinder, Adopt-a-Pet.com, or Just Shelter Dogs to see what you can find in your area.
You should always ask an organization how they decide whom to adopt their dogs too! Many rescues that require an application process will have very specific criteria for who they approve—and that’s because the rescue has decided that’s the best way to select homes for their animals.
You can also apply directly to an animal shelter; most shelters will tell you exactly what they’re looking for in terms of an application or adoption process, and you can decide whether it matches your lifestyle.