Happy Life is committed to placing dogs and cats into their forever home. In order to do so we have an application process to try and make sure the animals end up in a good home.

Step 1: The Application

The First step in adopting for anyone is the adoption application. The adoption application is a straight forward process that collects basic information about potential adopters. Along with this we also ask for at least two personal references as well as a veterinary reference if the applying family has had or has any other pets in the home. We also will require to talk to your landlord if you do rent your home.

Step 2: Application Review

After submitting an application it will be sent to our application team. From here our application team will review your application and reach out if their is any missing info in your application. The Review period on average takes approximately 24-72 hours but can take longer during periods of high demand, our team is made up of volunteers and we try our best to get to everyone as fast as possible.

Step 3: Landlord Approval

If you do not own your own home we will need to check with your landlord that you are allowed to have a pet. This will be the first call made after your application has been submitted. We will also accept a lease agreement saying you can have pets emailed to your adoption coordinator after they reach out.

Step 4: Vet Check

Please Send us your pets current medical records. It is important to us to know that if you have or had any animals in the past that they were taken care of medically. For the new pet and your old pet we want to be sure that everyone is up to date on their shots we will not be able to move on with your application without this information.

Step 5: Personal Reference Check

At this point in the application we will be reaching out to your personal references to ask if they think you would be a responsible pet owner. Please let them know to expect a call from us as this is the part where most applications end up taking a long time.

Step 6: Approval and Attending an Event

If all checks out on your application your coordinator will send you an approval email inviting you to come meet the dogs available for adoption.

*During Current Covid Times* Everyone will need to have received a time slot. We will not be able to accommodate anybody without a time slot at this given time. To receive at time slot please sign up for the weekly emails in the adoption application.

Adoption Events are where we do a vast majority of our adoptions. In order to adopt one must first fill out an adoption application. All Adoption Events work in the same fashion. Adoptions are done on a first come first serve basis for pre-approved adopters. Sign in usually starts an hour before the end of the event. Any walk-ins will be given an application on arrival. Applications will be checked if time allows for it after all pre-approved adopters have been assisted.

Private appointments are available during weeknights for dogs that did not find their forever home at time of adoption. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to find out where and when these private appointments will be.

Happy Life Animal Rescue is a 501c(3) Foster based animal rescue. While we try to help with as many dogs as we can we do not have a facility as to where people can come and drop off their animals. Most of the time we have back lists of dogs waiting to be rescued from Puerto Rico and kill shelters and only so many fosters available to help. That said if we do have an available spot we are happy to help after an inquiry and the filing out of a surrender questionnaire.

Happy Life Animal Rescue is a foster based rescue. without our foster base we cannot rescue as many animals as we do. If interested in fostering please fill out our foster application. We also have many other ways to volunteer your time. Please check here for a inquiry of other ways to help.

Our Adoption Fee is $525 for dogs and $200 for cats plus a processing fee if a credit card is used. The Adoption Fee exists to cover the medical costs of rescuing animals. All animals come with age-appropriate shots and spay/neuter if old enough. The adoption fee covers the spay or neutering of the animal after adoption as long as it is done at one of our participating vets. The Adoption fee is a Non-Refundable Donation. Depending on current tax laws, the adoption fee can potentially be used as a tax write-off.

While you may have fallen in love with a picture it does not necessarily mean you’ll love the animal. Happy Life tries its best to make sure the animal will be in its forever home, therefore we do not hold any animal. Once approved you are invited to come meet all of our available animals to make sure you find the right fit for your family.

When coming to adopt please be prepared to take the animal home with you that day. Our fosters cannot hold on to the pup after the adoption as many of them are committed to taking a new pup in so we can save more animals.

When Happy Life Animal Rescue takes in an animal it goes into foster care and is put on medical hold for approximately 14 days. During this period of time the animal is vetted and is allowed to decompress so the foster can get to know some of its personality. Once this period is up the animal will go to its first event. During this time the animal is not available for meeting. If an animal is around after its first event than a private meeting can be made for the animal for preapproved adopters only.

Due to privacy concerns Happy Life Animal Rescue cannot give out the contact information of the fosters. The only and best time to talk to the foster family is to talk to them while at an event if they stuck around for it.

Happy Life Animal Rescue is a foster based rescue. This means there is no shelter. We rely on vetted volunteers to help us take care of the puppies prior to their adoption. Due to not having a physical location Happy Life Animal Rescue Relies upon events at partnering locations to host Adoptions. If interested in fostering make sure to check out our foster application