Adoption Process

**You must reside in the state of California to adopt a German Shepherd Safe Haven rescue dog.**

Our adoption process helps us match each dog’s temperament and personality to the adoptive family’s needs. Our goal is to place our dogs in permanent, loving homes where the dog is a valued member of the family.

If you are interested in adopting a dog, the first step is to fill out an Adoption Application. The application can be completed online or you can download the application in PDF format. Completed hard copy applications can be scanned & emailed to adoptions@gssafehaven.org.

After receiving your application, we will review it and follow up with a phone call. If your family is a good fit for our dogs, we will arrange a meet and greet with the dog(s) you are interested in. Following a successful meet and greet, a reference check as well as a home inspection will be done to ensure your home is ready for a dog. Please note that if you are renting, your landlord must complete and sign the Landlord Consent form. Once your home is approved, you need to sign our Adoption Agreement and pay the associated adoption fee prior to welcoming the dog into your home.

Note: The Adoption Process from start to finish could take from 1 to 4 weeks.

Our adoption fees are:

$485 for dogs less than 1 year old
$385 for dogs age 1 to age 6
$285 for dogs age 7 and over

The adoption fee only partially reimburses the rescue for the investment we make in each dog’s care.

All dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations prior to being adopted.

If you have any questions regarding our adoption process, please contact us at adoptions@gssafehaven.org or 949.363.5254.