Adoption Process

Canadian adopters – please read below for the Important Transport Notice

Adopting a dog is a commitment that lasts for as long as the dog is alive. The people who rescue these dogs from the streets and rehabilitate do so with utmost care and concern for the animal. It takes patience, love, time, and money. For that reason, we work hard to find the right home for each dog so that it never needs to be displaced again. When you complete the application and initiate the adoption process, please carefully consider the commitment you are making. We prefer not to adopt a dog out to a family that might be traveling and boarding the dog for the initial two months of its adoption. This is because that first and second month are critical for bonding, training, and helping the dog settle in. We want a successful adoption and we know you do too!

Most of the dogs listed on our website live in a foster home – generally with the person who rescued them from the streets. This means these are not shelter dogs – but instead know how to live in a home with other people, animals, etc. There is a tremendous investment of love, time, and money that goes into turning these dogs from frightened, abused, starving, abandoned creatures to the beauties your see on our website.

We are very careful to screen each applicant because we want the match to be right for both the family in the home and the dog being adopted. If you adopt a dog from Baja Dogs, we give you the opportunity to communicate with its rescuer (rescatistas in Spanish) and allow you the opportunity to find out as many details as you need. You can also remain in contact with the rescatista as long as you like so that you can share the dog’s story with the person who rescued and rehabilitated it and ask any questions you might have in the future about the dog’s history. We do this through a Secret Facebook group we have set up that allow rescuers, adopters, and volunteers to share information, stories, photos, ask questions, etc. in a safe non-public environment. We also require adopters review Pet’s first 30 days document so you know exactly how to get your dog off to a great start in its new home.

The logistics of adopting a dog are this:

1. Complete and submit an online Adoption Application giving us as much information as possible.
2. Telephone interview followed by a home visit or Skype call so we can see your home, your other animals, and get any questions cleared up. Sometimes we do this Skype call so you can see the dog you want to adopt in action and meet its rescuer.
3. Once approved, you will be asked to pay a partially refundable adoption fee depending on where the dog is going which includes up to $100 in transport fees.
4. Once the fee is paid, we at Baja Dogs establish transport for your dog (unless you are here in La Paz). Depending on where you live, this can vary greatly. If there are direct flights from San Jose del Cabo airport here in Mexico to a city near you and there are no embargos in place – it is often as simple as going to your local airport. For this reason, knowing the city you live in from the get-go helps us to answer your questions about adopting a dog. If you live in Canada, please read the important notice below below:
5. You agree to the Adoption Agreement and send that back to us.
6. You get your dog and begin a wonderful adventure together!
7. We hope you will send us photos and updates for our Happy Tails page!

If you have any other questions, you can contact a member of our Adoption Team at adoptions@bajadogslapaz.org and we’ll get right back to you.