I have or I've found a cat or dog I can't keep...help!!!
Because of our limited number of foster homes, we cannot accept every animal that needs assistance into our program. However, we do offer space on our website to list animals that for one reason or another need to find a new home.
Email a description of the pet (include size, age, temperment, markings, etc), and how potential adopters can contact you to placement@aarfatlanta.org. Also, include information on vet care the animal has received. AARF requires that all animals on our website have an up-to-date rabies vaccination and are spayed/neutered, with exceptions for age or health condition when appropriate. We can provide information on low-cost veterinary services if requested.
Please also send a picture if you can. Pictures definitely increase the chances that the animal will be adopted. We prefer to receive digital pictures via e-mail, but we can also scan photos. Remember that if you have a conventional (non-digital) camera, you can take pictures and have them developed and saved on a CD-ROM, allowing you to e-mail them to us.
AARF asks for a donation of $10 per animal per month. You can send a check to AARF, or pay online through PayPal. Once we receive your donation, we will list the animal for one month. If you would like the listing to continue beyond one month, please notify us at least 3 days in advance of the expiration of your listing.
For further assistance, see our resources page.
To mail pictures or your donation: AARF • P.O. Box 5336 • Atlanta, GA 31107

Questions about adopting an AARF cat or dog?
Our goal is to place every pet in a loving permanent home. The best interest of the pet is always our top priority. Please read the following questions and answers to learn more about adopting a pet from AARF.

1) How do I adopt a pet from AARF?
We are always excited when people are interested in meeting one of the pets currently available for adoption! The first thing we ask of ANY potential adopter is to fill out the online adoption application. This helps us keep track of the interest in our animals.

2) If I fill out the application, can I change my mind?
Absolutely! You are not obligated to adopt a pet if you fill out the application. The application helps us determine if the pet you are interested in is a good match. It also helps us keep track of who meets our pets. And finally, it is required documentation for our shelter license.

3) What happens after I fill out the application?
After we receive and review your application, we will schedule a time to bring the pet to your house. This first visit gives you a chance to see how the pet will behave in your house. And it also gives us a chance to meet you and see where the pet would live.

4) Can I keep the pet on the first visit?
AARF never does same-day adoptions. This is for the benefit of both the pet and the adopter. We want adoptions to be good matches, so the pet will have a "forever home". Hasty decisions sometimes lead to regrets. So, we always give the prospective adopter a day to think about how well the pet will fit in the family, and to make sure that this is the right pet. We want all of our pets to be adopted, but we want the adoption to be a carefully made choice, not an emotional decision. A delayed adoption also gives the new family a chance to buy supplies and get the house ready for the new family member.

5) How much does AARF charge?
Remember, rescued pets are not “for sale.” But all pets, even rescued ones, have veterinary expenses. AARF requires a minimum adoption donation of $200 for dogs and $125 for cats, to help us cover the medical costs for the pet. Often, expenses exceed the $125 and $200 costs, and adopters are welcome to contribute more. AARF runs solely on adoption fees and other donations, without government or private agency support. At the time of adoption, adopters will be given copies of all of the pet’s medical records, including the invoices showing the costs incurred.

6) What happens if I change my mind?
AARF will ALWAYS take back any pet we have placed for adoption. In fact, by adopting an AARF pet, adopters agree to return the pet to us if they should decide they cannot keep it for any reason. Adopters must return the animal to us so that it may be re-adopted into a new home. Adopters may not give the pet away without contacting AARF. Within the first two weeks of a finalized adoption, the adoption donation will be refunded.

Questions about becoming an AARF foster?
Thank you so much for inquiring about AARF’s foster care program. Our foster care volunteers are the heart of our organization and allow us to do the rescue work that we do. We’re glad that you would like to join us!

1) What does being a “foster home” mean?
Because Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends does not operate a shelter, we rely on individuals and families to provide shelter in their homes for the animals that we rescue (usually cats and dogs). Foster families provide the day-to-day care for our animals, who remain with their temporary families until a permanent home is found. Adopters are carefully screened and must pay an adoption fee to help offset the cost of caring for the animal while in his/her foster home.

2) How is AARF different from a shelter or pound?
AARF is a non-profit, no-kill rescue group. We are considered a “shelter” with regards to our state licensing, but we do not have a central facility. All of our “employees” are actually volunteers and we receive money only from donations, adoption fees and charitable grants. We are a “no-kill” group because we do not euthanize any animal who comes into our program unless it is a medical necessity of last resort. PAWS Atlanta is also a non-profit, no-kill shelter, but they have a central facility, unlike AARF. AARF is also very different from the pound, or animal control. The pound is run by a city or county and usually has a central facility that houses stray and unwanted animals. Most animal controls in the area have euthanasia rates between 50-85%. Some adopters may question why AARF charges between $125 and $200 for an adoption fee, while they could go to the pound and get an animal for little or no money. However, they forget that that animal will then need shots, medical care, and probably to be spayed or neutered. Most pounds do not provide these services, and they easily exceed $200. In addition, AARF animals have been in foster homes, where their behavior can be observed and assessed. Finally, if there is ever a problem with an adoption, an animal can and should always be returned to AARF, where it is assured a safe place. Kill shelters cannot do this.

3) What do I have to provide to my foster animal?
Because the animals are the responsibility of AARF, we will provide you with everything that you need to care for your foster pet. For example, if you foster a dog, we will provide you with a collar, leash, ID tag, crate, bed, food, food and water bowls, toys, treats, etc. We ask that you provide a safe and healthy space for the animals to grow, heal, or become more socialized. We require cats to be indoor-only and for dogs to be kept indoors when you are not at home. We provide a crate for the protection of the animal as well as your home while he or she gets used to being a part of your family.
If you are willing to provide things such as food, a collar to borrow, or a spare crate, we always appreciate the assistance! Rest assured that if you are providing these things for your foster animal, we are using the resources that we have saved to help other animals in need! Many foster care providers who have their own companion animals also find that it is easier to feed them the same food, to avoid any potential jealousy.

4) What about medical care?
AARF also pays for all medical expenses. All animals are given routine preventative medications, such as heartworm, flea, and tick treatments, as well as all necessary shots. All foster animals are spayed or neutered and treated for any special medical problems that they might have. We will authorize and arrange all appointments at a local veterinarian to avoid any confusion. We ask that foster care providers do not make veterinary appointments for foster pets unless it is a medical emergency. We can meet you at the clinic or pick up and return the animal to your home. It is always preferred if you can do the transportation. We have so many animals at once, it really saves us time! Most vets we use have evening and weekend hours to accommodate most schedules. AARF will cover all of the expenses.
We also ask that you keep track of veterinary appointments that have been scheduled and medicines that are due, just as you would with your own companion animal. Please mark on your calendar scheduled doses of heartworm medication, flea preventative, etc. We will provide you with these things at the start and, if you run out, just contact us and we can get you more. Please give us a few days notice if you are running out of medication.

5) How long will my foster animal be staying with me?
This is always the hardest question to answer! It depends on the time of the year and the type, health, and age of the animal. For example, summer is a hard time to find permanent homes because people are traveling and don’t like to take on a new commitment (it is also the time that we’re most in need of foster homes!). Younger animals tend to be adopted more quickly, particularly kittens, puppies and small dogs. Also, animals with no health issues are more likely to be adopted quickly. We have had animals in foster care for as little as a few days and for as long as 6 months. Whatever the length of time, we promise that we are diligently trying to place your foster animal into the best permanent home as possible. The one thing that we don’t want to happen is to hastily place an animal, only to have it returned to us! If you have a set time period that you can foster, please let us know that up front. We will need time to arrange for another foster situation if the animal has not been adopted. Also, if you change your mind and find that you can no longer keep the foster animal, please give us as much notice as possible. The scarcest resource in animal rescue is foster homes, so it is never easy to find one on short notice. We try not to board animals (if possible), both to avoid the expense and to save the animal the emotional difficulty of being moved around frequently.

6) What if I have to go out of town?
We recognize that everyone has a busy schedule that sometimes require time away from home. Except for emergencies, we ask that you please give us enough notice to find temporary care for your foster animal. If you have a relative or neighbor who can pet sit, this is fine, as long as we have their contact information and they have ours. Friends or neighbors who petsit must agree to AARF’s foster rules and sign a foster care contract. This saves us the cost of boarding as well, which can run between $15 and $25 per day, depending on the type and size of the companion animal! You can imagine the cost of boarding all of our animals over a holiday weekend! We also have facilities that will board our animals, but we do need enough time to make reservations. This is especially important around major holidays, as some facilities can fill up as much as 6 weeks in advance.

7) What do I do if someone is interested in adopting my foster pet?
Great! This is what we want for all of the foster animals in our program. Because we carefully screen applicants and do home visits before approving an adoption, it is important that you neither allow someone to take the animal “just for a visit” nor promise the animal to anyone. If you have someone whom you think would be a good adopter, have him/her fill out an adoption application. It does not obligate the potential adopter to anything and it is the first step in our adoption process. The adoption application can be accessed on our homepage at www.aarf30021.org. We can also fax or mail an application. We will contact the interested adopter after receiving a completed application. There is an adoption fee for the animal, which ranges between $100-$175, depending on the animal’s age. This includes the cost of spaying or neutering. If an animal is too young to be spayed/neutered at the time of adoption, a pre-paid spay/neuter certificate is provided to the adopter. Potential adopters can read the “Adoption FAQ” on our website and contact us if they have additional questions.

8) What if I want to adopt my foster animal?
It sometimes happens that, in the course of providing foster care, you fall in love with your foster animal! While we’re sad to lose a foster home, we believe that it is often worth it for the companion animal to have a loving permanent home. If you would like to adopt your foster animal, the process is the same as if a “stranger” wanted to adopt him or her. Simply fill out an adoption application and then we can talk about it! While this may seem like a formality for those who have already been providing foster care, it is important for our record keeping. There is still an adoption fee to cover the medical expenses that we have incurred.

9) Why do I have to sign a foster care contract?
Foster care contracts are a requirement for licensed shelters by the state of Georgia Department of Agriculture. In addition, the foster care contract indicates that you are familiar with the stipulations regarding fostering an AARF animal and that you agree to comply with them. It provides a measure of safety for both the AARF organization and the foster companion animal and it gives the foster care provider the assurance that AARF will take full medical and financial responsibility for that animal.

10) How can I become a foster parent?
Are you still interested in joining the AARF foster care program? Great! To become a foster parent, simply fill out our foster home application. This allows us to match animals with the most appropriate foster families. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions!