Frequently Asked Questions
What is AARF?
AARF is a local 501c3 Non-profit dog rescue. We have been around for about 10 years. We help dogs find homes from rural villages, owner surrenders and even some high kill shelters in the lower 48. We are currently based out of Anchorage but sometimes hold clinics in Eagle River and the valley during the summer time. We are always looking at opportunities to show at new venues.
Where are you located?
We are located at 521 W 41st Ave Unit G/H. AARF is only open on adoption clinic days (usually Sunday).
Where do the dogs come from? Are these puppy mill dogs?
AARF partners with many of the rural villages in the state of Alaska to help place dogs into loving homes. We also help animal control in case of hoarding situations as well as accept owner surrenders if appropriate. On occasion we also partner with high kill shelters in the lower 48.
How does the application process work? I submitted my application online, what now?
That is a great question. Most often you will get a generic reply asking for additional information or a reply letting you know your application is in the first step of the review process (check your spam folder).
If you do not hear back on the status of your application, we encourage you to attend an adoption event and speak to someone in person about the status of your application. You must have completed the application at least 72 hours before attending an event. If you are from out of town we encourage you to email in rescueadogtoday@gmail.com for more information before making a trip.
Can I come see dogs any time?
Unfortunately not. AARF is 100% foster based. All of our dogs are in loving foster homes and are brought to the weekend adoption events.
How much is the adoption fee?
The adoption fee for large adult dogs is $350, the adoption fee for small breeds is $400, and the adoption fee for puppies under 6 months is $450. The adoption fee includes spay/neuter, medical care, and age-appropriate vaccinations.
Ask about our Seniors for Seniors discounted adoption fee of $200!
Why does it cost so much for a rescue dog? Don’t you want to just find them any home?
AARF prides themselves on being able to place dogs into loving homes for the long haul. Sometimes the matching placement can take a little longer but that also give the dog time to settle in and get some good training.
If you think about it the adoption fee is very reasonable. The adoption fee covers the spay/neuter, age appropriate shots, and a microchip. Mainstream Vet care can range anywhere from $400-$1200 for all of the things listed above. Additionally this fee does not cover the flight costs, the fosters time, donations and the full Veterinarian fees. Most rescues are not in this for profit. We do not make money but we can help change dogs and people’s lives one step at a time.
Can I put down a deposit and have you hold the dog for me?
Unfortunately we do not hold dogs for people. It is not fair to the dogs, or the fosters.
Can I meet multiple dogs at one time?
Yes and no. Some dogs have specific adopters in mind coming to meet them that have been waiting for a while that we have already determined to be a good fit. In addition, some are puppies and are not fully vaccinated so cannot be handled by multiple people or meet multiple dogs for their safety.
I keep calling and no one answers the phone, why?
The AARF phone gets inundated with calls especially during times where there is a high volume of puppies. A lot of time our mailbox fills up by the afternoon. As we are a skeleton crew of small but mighty volunteers that work full time. Often we cannot get to all the calls or answer the phone until we are off work.
I sent an application in and have not gotten a response, why?
Step one, check your junk mail. For applications being sent in, you will often get an automated response. Again we have small but mighty crew that reviews these. It is also done on weekends and after our normal work days. It can take time to get a reply. We often encourage people to attend the adoption events to speak to someone in person.
I submitted an application online first, does that mean I get preference on the dog I want?
No, we do not do first come first serve for applicants. We match applicants with who we feel the dog will do best with. This is based of breed, size, and temperament as well as the future adopters’ activity level.
I sent an email in and did not get a reply, why?
There are a handful of volunteers that do different things. Some check the email, some check the applications and some man the phones. The person who checks the email typically gets back to people within 1-2 days. If you are just sending in photos of your home or yard, updating adoption or application preferences and asking about multiple dogs, you most likely will not get a reply. These types of things are moved to respective folders for additional review. All other questions are typically answered. I would encourage you to check your junk mail first and if you still haven’t heard back I would plan to attend a Sunday event to speak to someone in person.
When should I submit a new application?
If anything has changed on your application you must submit a new one before attending an event. This includes address changes, changes in members of the household, and changes to the pets in the home.
What if I am having trouble registering with your website? How do I get help?
Our site is managed by RescueGroups.org. Any technical difficulty you are having you will need to open a support ticket at https://rescuegroups.org/support/ for assistance. We apologize for the inconvenience.
If I rent a home does that disqualify me from adopting?
Absolutely not. You may still be eligible for most dogs as long as there are no other issues on your application and the dogs are not on the breed restriction list for where you rent.
I don’t have a fence does that disqualify me from adopting?
Not Necessarily. While we typically do require a fence for homes outside of the municipality due to safety, the only other reason would be if the dog is a known runner or has additional restrictions.
I want to adopt, but I want to get the dog fixed and vaccinated at a later time because I heard it was best.
This is not an option. All of the dogs in our program will be fixed upon placement. Many Vets will have differing opinions on “pediatric spay/neuter”. Our vet has been practicing for over 20 years and will assess the puppies thoroughly before fixing to determine if it is safe to do so.
I have family that live out of area. Can I just adopt the dog and send it to them?
No! We do require all members of the home to meet the dog or puppy they are interested in after approval. There are cases where once people see a photo online and meet the dog, it is not what they are expecting or no bond is formed. We are then able to offer other options and find a good match for people.
I heard you don’t adopt to military is that true?
This is NOT true! We place many dogs with happy military homes every year. There may be some restriction for certain scenarios but in general we adopt to military families on a regular basis. Military members are subject to the same vigorous screening process as other adopters.
Do you send dogs out of area?
Not sight unseen. We are now requiring local adopters to provide photos of the home and yard the dog will be staying in. This was also the process for out of area adoptions as well. If they made all the correct arrangements to do that and fly/drive up from out of state or country then we would work with them on adoption. Due to the new Covid restrictions however, we are encouraging people to stay in their own communities to reduce the spread of the virus. Currently we have a contact in Juneau that that we are partnering with that has allowed us to place a few successful adoptions there in our new puppy program.
Do you make lots of money off the dogs?
Anyone that is involved in rescue will tell you that it is hard work. Often times we barely break even and are forced to do fundraisers to get dogs the food and care they need to keep the rescue going. So no, we do not make a profit in rescue. We are also 100% volunteer based. So all of the people at the events come and spend their free time without being paid to help these dogs find good homes. So if you see a volunteer at your local rescue, please thank them because it isn’t easy.
We want to adopt two puppies at the same time, why won’t you let us?
AARF wants all of the dogs to have successful placement. We try to do the best we can to mitigate certain circumstances that may cause poor outcomes. If you research littermate syndrome (can also be applied to multiple puppies not from the same litter) you can see why this may be a barrier to successful placement. As always, case by case exceptions can be made.
Why don’t you adopt puppies 6 months and younger into homes with children 4 years and younger? I can understand why for other people’s kids, but mine are great.
For the care and safety of both the dogs and children, our organization has decided to stick to this rule. Exceptions can be given on a case by case basis but are reserved for exceptional circumstances.
