Adoption FAQs.

How Adoption Works

Paws of Promise is a foster-based rescue with fosters located in Lamoille & Washington County Vermont, which means our pets live in foster homes; not a public shelter. Because of this, our adoption process is a little different, and we appreciate your patience as we work to make the best matches possible.

Step 1: Submit an Adoption Application

If a pet catches your eye, the first step is to complete an adoption application. This helps us learn about your home, lifestyle, and what you’re looking for in a companion.

Submitting an application does not reserve or guarantee a specific pet.

Step 2: Application Review

Our team carefully reviews each application to ensure a thoughtful, well-matched placement. Response times can vary, but please allow up to 5–7 days for us to get back to you.

Because we are volunteer-run and foster-based, some pets may be adopted while applications are still under review.

Step 3: Status Updates & Next Steps

We recommend checking each pets profile regularly for updates. If a listing shows “Adoption Pending,” that pet is likely in the final stages of adoption, and we encourage you to consider applying for another that may be a great fit.

If you’ve already submitted an application and haven’t heard back, it’s possible the pet has been adopted. You’re welcome to reach out to us at pawsofpromisesanctuary@gmail.com if you have questions.

If your application has been approved, an adoption coordinator will reach out to you via email or phone call. You will get to chat with them about the pet you’ve applied for, and set up an adoption appointment that works for you and the foster home.

Step 4: Meet-and-Greets (When Possible)

As a shelterless rescue, we do not have a physical facility in Vermont, and meet-and-greet opportunities may be limited. While we do our best to accommodate introductions when feasible, we are not always able to arrange meetings with specific pets.

Step 5: Adoption

If your application has been approved, the adoption coordinator will reach out to you and set up the adoption appointment. At the adoption appointment for dogs, please come prepared with a leash and collar. For cats, please come prepared with a hard carrier.

A dog wrapped in a white, fluffy blanket with a hood, sitting on a brown couch.

  • Our minimum age to adopt is 18 years old.

  • Please note that we are a rescue that matches the pet with the best home to find them their forever, if we receive multiple applications, we match the best possible application. We are not a first-come, first-serve rescue. If you do not get approved for that pet, that may mean you're not the best fit and we will advise if another pet is better suited for your household.

  • You can adopt from us even if you’ve surrendered a pet in the past. We know life changes, and sometimes families have to make incredibly hard decisions. When circumstances improve, and you're ready to welcome an animal again, you’re absolutely still eligible to adopt from Paws of Promise—as long as our standard adoption requirements are met. Our only goal is to make the best match for each dog.