Find your new best friend.
Make a furry friend. Save a life.
Our dogs and cats live in homes, foster families, and home-style spaces — not kennels — so we know who they really are before you meet them. Our job is to match you with the right one, and to stay in your corner after they come home.
Keys to adoption success
The first few weeks set the tone for your whole life together. These four habits prevent most of the setbacks we see, so please read them before you apply.
Four habits that make the first month go right.
- Kennel your new dog at night for at least the first 7 days. It keeps everyone safe while you learn your dog — and while your dog learns you.
- Crate your dog when you leave the house. Every time, regardless of how trustworthy they seem. A dog who seems fine on day three can panic on day four, and an unsupervised new dog in an unfamiliar home is how tragedies happen.
- No dog-to-dog introductions during the first 7 days unless the introduction was already completed at an A&F facility.
- Tell us early when something is going wrong. Growling, guarding, house-training trouble, a cat who won’t come out from hiding or stops eating, or you being at the end of your rope — early is fixable, late is a crisis.
Most approvals take 1–2 weeks
Every adopter completes a virtual home check, reference check, background check, and vet check. We don't skip steps, even when we're full.
You are never doing this alone
Adoption day isn't goodbye. You'll have our adopter support groups, our training team, and the New Pet Library behind you. Questions anytime: adopt@alwaysandfurever.org.
Pets looking for their forever home
Every one of these dogs and cats is ready for a family of their own. Tap a pet to see their full profile.
See someone you connect with? Apply to adopt, and our adoption team will help make sure their needs and your home are a good match.
The dog adopter toolkit
The keys above are the short version. When you're ready for the how-to, each topic below opens a step-by-step guide from our trainers in the Behavior & Training Library — free, no login, and easy to read on your phone.
Adopting a cat? Cats decompress more slowly — and more quietly — than dogs. Start with the 3-3-3 rule for new cats, then browse the Cats library.
How to adopt from Always & Furever
Thank you for thinking about opening your home to one of our pets. We want every animal to go to the right family, so our adoption process has 5 steps, or 6 if the pet has medical needs. Most applications take 1–2 weeks. You'll get an email after each step so you always know where you stand.
- Apply and say hello. Submit your adoption application. A member of our Welcome Team will call to confirm we received it, then email you a walkthrough of the process and the timeline. If there is anything you want our placement coordinator to know, tell them on this call. Check your spam folder, since our emails sometimes land there.
- Reference checks. We call your veterinarian to confirm that the pets in your home are vaccinated and spayed or neutered. We then call your personal references. Please let your references know to expect a call from us.
- Medical conversation (if needed). If the pet you're interested in has special needs or a medical condition, our Medical Team will call you. They'll explain the pet's health and expected costs, and answer your questions before you go further.
- Virtual home check. We set up a video visit to see where your new pet would live. You don't need a fence. We look at what suits the specific animal, such as how a tiny dog would be kept safe or how a dog who jumps would be contained. We'll ask questions, and you're welcome to ask us questions too.
- Meet your match. We hold adoption meetings on set days and times. You'll meet the pet with our placement coordinator, plus the foster, boarding, or pound coordinator or staff, depending on where the pet is staying. If you're adopting a dog and have a dog at home, our trainers will manage a dog-to-dog introduction. For cats, we'll talk through how to introduce your new cat to any resident pets at home. Sometimes we'll ask for one or two more meet-and-greets to make sure it's a good fit.
- Final approval. Our placement coordinator makes the final decision for each adopter. They'll contact you directly by phone or email.
Good to know
- Each approval is specific to you and the pet you applied for.
- If we find a step isn't the right fit, our placement coordinator will speak with you directly.
- Questions at any point? Email us at adopt@alwaysandfurever.org.
Everything else lives in the Behavior & Training Library
This page is the quick tour. The New Pet section of our Behavior & Training Library is the full playbook for your first days, weeks, and months together — and the rest of the Library is there for every stage after. It’s free, and it’s worth bookmarking before adoption day.
Adoption isn't the finish line. It's the first day of the rest of their life.
Ready to meet your new best friend?
Browse the pets, apply for the one who caught your eye, and we'll walk you through every step. Not sure who the right fit is? Ask us — matching people and pets is what we do.
With kindness, dignity, and respect.
Thank you for helping us say yes to those who need it most.
Always & Furever Midwest Animal Sanctuary • No Kill. No Kennel. All Love.
Each approval is specific to you and the pet you applied for. Step-by-step behavior and training guides live in the New Pet Library.