Dog Adoption Policies at Save The Animals Foundation
Our adoption process is designed to help you find the perfect dog match for your family and lifestyle. Please read through our policies before submitting your application.
The Application & Interview Process
Our application and interview process is designed to help us find the best dog-match for your family and lifestyle. Start by completing our online application, which will be reviewed by the STAF Adoption Team. We often experience a high volume of inquiries — thank you for your patience as our volunteers respond and schedule appointments in the order they are received.
Appointments & Scheduling
If we feel you’re a good match for STAF, we’ll reach out to schedule an appointment. Adoption appointments are held on Saturdays between 11:00am and 2:00pm. This helps us accommodate as many families as possible while giving each family the personal attention they deserve. There are no walk-in appointments during this time.
After Your First Visit
After selecting a dog, you can expect 2–3 return visits before the adoption is finalized. These may include meeting family members not present at the first appointment, introducing resident dog(s), a fence check, and a trial home visit. Our volunteers will work with your schedule to arrange each visit.
No Same-Day Adoptions
STAF does not offer same-day adoptions. If you’re looking to bring a dog home today, consider visiting your local shelter or browsing the many rescue groups on Petfinder.com that offer same-day adoption.
No Walk-Through Visits
Due to insurance restrictions, we’re unable to allow visitors to walk through the shelter to meet our dogs. We’ve also found that dogs make a much better impression during one-on-one time in our yards or adoption rooms. If you’d like to see the facility, please consider attending a volunteer orientation or one of our Open House dates.
A Note on Our Adoption Philosophy
We will do our very best to help you find your perfect furever friend. As a private shelter, we reserve the right not to adopt to homes that we feel are not in line with our policies and philosophies. When multiple families are interested in the same dog, we’ll give precedence to the home we believe is the best match for that dog.
Other Details to Know
- Adoption appointments are Saturdays 11am–2pm at 4011 Red Bank Rd., Cincinnati
- You must be 21 years of age or older to adopt a dog from STAF.
- Please complete our online application to get started.
- A personal visit to the shelter is required.
- Our adoption fee is $275.
- We can facilitate adoptions within a 30-mile radius of our Cincinnati shelter.
- We may require a physical fence for specific dogs depending on their behavior and exercise needs.
- Due to increasing coyote activity in the area, we cannot adopt to homes with invisible fences.
- STAF does not encourage the use of doggy doors and may ask that a doggy door not be used depending on the dog.
- For questions, please email our adoption team.
Thank You for Considering a STAF Dog
Above all else, thank you for considering a STAF dog as part of your search for the perfect family member. We take extra care to ensure every adoption is the right fit — for both you and the dog.