Adopt a Dog

Every dog in our program has been rescued from Detroit's streets, rehabilitated, and is waiting for their forever home. Find your match below.

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Browse Dogs

Filter by age & gender below

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Apply to Adopt

Fill out application form for addoption

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Phone Interview

We'll contact you within 7–10 days

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Home Check

DDR visits your home to complete homecheck

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Meet & Greet

Dog comes to check out your home

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Adopt!

Sign your adoption contract

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Adoption Fees

What does it cost to adopt?

Small Dogs

$375

All small breed dogs regardless of age.

Puppies

$300

Puppies under 12 months. Puppies under 12 weeks include a spay/neuter contract.

Medium to Large Adult

$250

Medium to large adult dogs(1-7 years).

Senior Dogs

$200

Senior medium to large dogs (8+ years).

The average dog costs Detroit Dog Rescue $753 or more in basic care — including spay/neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, heartworm testing, training, and full medical clearance. Your adoption fee helps us save the next dog. Contact an adoption coordinator for more information.

Common Questions

Adoption FAQ

What is your adoption process?

Browse dogs, apply online, phone interview, home check, meet & greet, adoption contract. We contact you within 7–10 days of application. Dogs are not placed first come, first served — we carefully match dogs to the right families.

How long does the process take?

We will contact you within 7–10 days of your application. Due to holidays, weekend adoption events, and unforeseen circumstances, some applications may take up to 10 days to receive a response.

Can I come to the shelter to see dogs?

Unfortunately we are not set up for in-house adoptions. Many dogs ready for adoption are in our foster program. Please browse available dogs here or on Petfinder and submit an application to set up a home visit and meet & greet.

Can I apply for more than one dog?

Yes. The adoption application allows you to list up to three dogs you are interested in. You can also indicate whether you are open to suggestions from our adoption coordinators, who may identify a better match for your home.

Do you adopt out of state?

For some dogs and special arrangements, yes. We urge everyone to apply. Due to BSL laws in Canada, we are unable to adopt Pitbull-type dogs across the border.

What does DDR provide before adoption?

Every dog is spayed or neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations, heartworm tested, and fully medically cleared before adoption.