Adoption FAQs
Where Do Your Animals Come From?
The majority of our animals come from the streets of Memphis and West Memphis, Arkansas. These animals are sent to kill shelters and are at high risk for euthanasia.
What Happens When an Animal is Taken into ALIVE’s Program?
Upon intake, all of our animals are fully vetted (as age and health permit), including spay/neuter, rabies/DHLPP/Bordatella vaccines, microchipping, heartworm testing, and fecal testing. If necessary, they receive grooming and any medications or surgeries. They are then placed directly into a foster home until an adoption match is made. Adopters are responsible for the health care of the animal from the point of adoption forward, unless other arrangements have been previously discussed.
Can I Meet the Animal Before Applying?
The first time you will meet your dog in person is when they arrive on transport in UNLESS you choose to travel to Memphis before the adoption is final, to meet your potential family member. We do our best in the interview process to ask as many questions possible about your current animals, household, and general things you are looking for in a dog. We do this to ensure all parties are comfortable and happy with the adoption. It is our goal to give you a companion for 10-15 years. We want our dogs to be in forever homes! We understand this type of adoption is not for everyone and would encourage any applicant who is uncomfortable with not meeting one of our dogs beforehand, to refrain from submitting an application.
Additionally, we do have regular adoption events where we showcase our adoptable animals. Check our calendar of events for the next adoption event. We post the animals that will be attending each event on Facebook page the day prior to the event.
Please note, while we list breeds for the dogs available for adoption, visual breed identification in dogs is unreliable, so for most of our adoptable dogs, we are only guessing at predominant breed or breed mix. We get to know each dog as an individual and will do our best to describe each of our dogs based on personality, not by breed label.
What Does the Adoption Donation Cover?
The adoption donation for one animal allows us to rescue another animal in his/her place. Often just the cost of providing full veterinary care for an animal upon intake exceeds the cost of adoption. By adopting, you are actually saving two lives – that of your new four-legged family member and the animal taking his/her place.
WILL You Take My Dog/Cat?
Our first priority is to the abundance of adoptable animals in local shelters, so we have made a commitment to these animals first. We encourage you to honor the commitment you made to your animal when getting a pet and try to keep your animal. We can suggest resources to assist you. If you are unable to keep you animal, we suggest you re-home him/her yourself to minimize his/her stress level. We are happy to suggest tips for screening potential adopters to make sure your pet finds a great home.