Process & policies

Is your home and lifestyle pug-friendly?

Thinking about bringing a pug into your home? These lovable, snuggly companions have big personalities and specific needs, from playful energy to breathing sensitivities. They thrive with plenty of attention, proper care, and a comfortable place to lounge. Before welcoming one into your family, consider whether your home and lifestyle are the right fit. Rescue pugs often experience significant change and can be sensitive, so we’re selective about where they go. We want every forever home to be prepared, patient, and committed to giving our dogs the love and care they deserve.

Adoption process

Apply

To start your adoption journey, submit an application. While we encourage you to apply for the pup that steals your heart, keep an open mind…some dogs receive multiple applications and get adopted by the time you have your interview. Staying flexible will help you find the perfect match!

Interview

Once we accept your application, a team member will reach out to schedule a video interview to kick off your adoption journey. We will discuss your lifestyle, preferences, and readiness to adopt. During this call, we will ask to see the main living space and/or yard of your home to verify they meet our requirements. All adults in the home must be present.

Meet & Greet

Once approved and determined a good match, we’ll connect you with the foster family of the dog you're interested in. The foster family will share insights about the dog's personality and needs, and if it feels like a great match on both sides, we’ll set up a meet and greet…either in person or virtually, depending on your location. If you already have a dog, please bring them to the meetup.

Adopt

If everything goes well at the meet and greet, let's make it official! We will send over the paperwork to sign and pay, and you can take the dog home right then and there. If you need a few more days to prepare your home, you can schedule an official "gotcha day" with the foster within the week or so (depending if you're traveling to come pick them up). We will not hold a dog you’re interested in for more than a week for you.

Please review the following policies before applying to adopt:

  • Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.

  • You are not required to have a yard to adopt. If you do have one, we require there to be a fence that is at least 4' high. Gates must be latched up high and/or locked. We will need to see a video of the fence line and any gates during the interview process.

    If your yard has a pool, we will discuss safety measures and may require modifications before approving your adoption or foster application. Because pugs are curious but not strong swimmers, ensuring the pool area is secure is especially important to keep them safe.

  • All resident dogs in the home or on the property must be spayed/neutered and up to date on all core vaccinations.

  • For dogs under 6 months old, adopters must be home to feed the puppy the recommended 3 times a day. The puppy must not be left alone or crated for more than 4 hours at a time. Adopters are required to sign a spay/neuter contract as well as complete their final set of puppy vaccines.

  • Adopters must have a care plan in place for the dog if they will be away for more than six hours. Be ready to discuss this during the interview!

  • Adopters must be able to travel to pick up their dog from their foster area in Northern California. We do not ship dogs nor do we allow transportation services to bring the dog to you (flight nannies). Depending on where the foster lives, the nearest airports may include: Sacramento, Oakland, and San Francisco International. We do not hold dogs, so if you cannot travel to pick the dog up within the week or so of your virtual meet and greet, we will move on to the next adopter. If for some reason you need to return the dog, you will be required to travel to give them back to us.

  • Pugs are indoor dogs who thrive in a comfortable, climate-controlled environment. Due to their short snouts, they are highly sensitive to heat, cold, and humidity, making extended time outdoors unsafe. We do not approve adopters who keep their dogs outdoors.

  • We understand that sometimes, despite the best intentions, an adoption may not work out. Our priority is always the well-being of the dog, and we are here to support them during the adjustment period. Please review our return and refund policy below:

    Refund Policy

    • Returns within 3 months of adoption:

      • All refunds are reviewed and approved at the discretion of the Board of Directors. In some cases, your original adoption fee may be applied toward adopting another dog.

    • Returns after 3 months of adoption:

      • No refund will be issued for any returns made after the three-month period, as adoption fees support our ongoing rescue efforts and the care of all dogs in our program.

    Return Process

    • Dogs must be returned to our rescue.
      As stated in the adoption agreement, adopters are required to return the dog to us if they are unable to keep them for any reason. Dogs may not be rehomed privately, given to another party, or surrendered to an animal shelter or another rescue. This ensures the dog’s safety and allows us to provide continuity of care.

    • Returns are subject to available foster space.
      Because we do not operate a shelter facility, dogs can only be returned when we have a suitable foster home available. We will make every effort to take the dog back into our rescue as quickly as possible.

    We’re committed to supporting both our dogs and adopters long-term. If you’re experiencing challenges, please reach out.