
1. Take a look at all of our adoptables.
2. Read through the most common questions below.
3. Complete an Adoption Application.
4. Once approved, you will be invited to make an appointment with us to meet your chosen pet. We do ask that all members of the family come meet the new pet, including any resident dogs when adopting a new dog.
5. Head home with your new friend.
We only work with one family at a time per dog. Once we send out an invitation to make an appointment for your chosen dog, we will wait 24 hours to hear back from you and set the meet before we start working with the next family.
- Yes. We do allow out of state adoptions but we do generally limit it to the tri-state area or 75 mile radius from 19425 zip-code. We do not ship dogs – you need to be able to come meet the dog prior to finalizing the adoption. On rare occasions, we are able to make an exception for dogs that may need more specific homes or may be long term residents with us. For dogs that have qualified, local adoption applications, our preference will be to adopt them out locally.
- Over the years we noticed that even though the distance was not an issue at adoption time, in the rare circumstances that the dog needs to be retuned to us, the distance suddenly becomes a big problem. We know that everyone adopts planning for their new friend to stay with them forever, but sadly returns do sometimes happen. We do not permit private rehoming or surrendering to other rescues and as a small, all volunteer group, we do not have the resources or ability to drive long distance to pick the dogs up.
On rare occasions, we are able to make an exception for dogs that may need more specific homes or may be long term residents with us. For dogs that have qualified, local adoption applications, our preference will be to adopt them out locally.
- Every dog has specific needs and as such we do not pre-approve for dogs. You may be a wonderful family for one dog but not the right fit for another. However, if you applied previously and now see another animal you are interested in, you do not have to apply again. Just send us an email at info@phoenixanimalrescue.com and we can look up your application.
- If you applied prior to August 18, 2021, please re-apply.
- All of our adoptables are always listed on Petfinder. While certain breeds are often characterized as hypoallergenic, the fact is that many still have allergic reactions to them. We also do not always know exactly what the breed is as so many of our dogs come in with no background information. We can’t guarantee that any of our dogs are hypoallergenic. Your best bet is to stop by and assess whether a dog could be a match for your family after you have been approved. Our breed descriptions are based on our best guess from looks of the animal, any medical or owner surrender records.
- No, we do not. Cat tests in a kennel setting are unreliable at best, and extremely stressful to the cats. We always describe any history of dogs living with cats as reported by owners, but any new family should do very slow introductions with resident animals, after the initial 2 week shut down protocol (all of which we explain in our adoption materials).
- Due to recent changes in terms of use of our shelter management system, we currently can only take debit / credit. Using cash at check out, will significantly increase our software costs which means less of your donation would go towards the care of our animals and more towards administrative and nobody wants that. We appreciate your help keeping those administrative costs down to the minimum and using your credit/debit when finalizing the adoption.
- We love saving animals but it always comes at a cost. From basic care like vaccines, deworming, spay/neuter and wellness exam to dogs needing medication for kennel cough, heartworm protocol, dentals, eye surgeries and more, our fees rarely cover the true cost of saving a dog. Our rescues come from many backgrounds – owner surrenders, puppy mills, local shelters and as such come with varying degrees of care. The adoption fee helps cover some of the expenses we incur and allows us to pay our veterinary bills as well as provide food and housing.
- No. All the animals in our rescue deserve to find themselves in loving homes as quickly as responsible placement allows for it. We do not hold animals. If you are unable to adopt during your meet and greet, please do not fill out an application. Please come back and apply when you are ready to bring the animal home.
- Maybe. Most of our dogs come as strays from the local shelters so we do not have any history on them or from puppy mills where they never lived in a home. While we take them all for regular potty breaks and majority of them keep clean kennels, when adopting, we always recommend that you treat the dog as if he or she was not housetrained. That way, if they are, they will quickly catch on the routine. And if they are not, there will be no surprises and accidents in the house.
- No, we do not.
No. For some of the more popular dogs, we can get upwards of few dozen applications and we have no doubt, many of those homes would be wonderful. If you see another dog you like, please just send us an email and we will be happy to look up your application. We always try to help and work with prior applicants. info@phoenixanimalrescue.com
- Yes. We understand that it is sometimes hard to pick a dog from a picture, especially if you already have resident dogs. You will be able to meet other dogs that may be a better fit. The only ones you will be unable to meet will be ones that already have scheduled pre-approved adopters or dogs that require specific homes that are different from yours (for example – no kids and you have littles at homes).
It really depends. As we may need to get in touch with landlords, vets, personal references – it takes time. Sometimes adoption meets do not work out and we go back to reviewing applications which then are already a few days old. It can all take from a day to a week or more. You can always email us for an update on your application.
Every dog that comes into our care is seen by a licensed veterinarian.
At intake, every dog receives:
- Canine Intra-Trac Oral Bb
- Aids in the prevention of kennel cough in dogs caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica
- 1-DAPPvL2 7-in-1 Dog Vaccine
- prevents Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 1, Adenovirus Type 2, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus – Modified live virus
- Leptospira Bacterin (L. canicola & L. icterohaemorrhagiae) – Killed bacteria
- Rabies Vaccine
- If age appropriate (young puppies cannot get it)
- Capstar
- Flea treatment
- Pyrantal
- used to treat a number of parasitic worm infections This includes ascariasis, hookworm infections, enterobiasis (pinworm infection), trichostrongyliasis, and trichinellosis
Additionally, we provide:
- Spay / neuter
- 4dx test for dogs over 6 months (heartworm and tick-borne disease test)
- Dentals (with or without extractions) for dogs over 5 years old, or younger if recommended by the vet
- As needed, hernia repair, enucleations, mass removals and other specialty surgeries.
- Additional treatment as needed – heartworm injections, additional dewormers for symptomatic dogs, antibiotics for kennel cough, wound care etc.

To finalize the adoption, make sure to bring your ID (such as driver's license) with current address, necessary fees for adoption (all fees are always provided in the pet's bio in the Adoptables section) and appropriate handling items for the animal you are adopting (carrier for cats or small exotics, leash and collar for a dog - no extendable leashes).
Not sure exactly who is the best fit? No worries! We can help make a match. Just let us know what type of an animal you are looking for and little bit more about your household and we will be happy to make suggestions.