Adopting an animal can be an overwhelming process. So for anyone who is thinking about it, we decided to ask Christine, the co-founder of New Day Dog Rescue, about what to expect in order to successfully adopt a new joy bundle into your life.

“New Day Dog Rescue is foster-based, which means that we don’t have a shelter and rely on our wonderful foster families to care for our dogs while we search for their forever families.

If a family is interested in one of our dogs, the first step would be to fill out our adoption form, which asks a variety of different questions, to ensure that the family interested could potentially be the right fit. Because we are foster-based, our dogs are located in different cities, making it difficult for our two co-founders to drive out for home visits for every dog. Therefore, we require photos and videos of the candidate’s home. We then proceed to a phone call or FaceTime. If all goes well, we will then set up a visit (or sometimes a few visits with the same family) between the dog and the family interested. Although connections take a while to form, we can always get a good idea from that first visit. If we feel confident that it could be a good match, we will proceed to a trial adoption. Our trial adoptions last a minimum of two weeks, but we never set an exact timeline as it is different for every dog, and we want to make sure that everyone is happy before an adoption becomes official,” shared Christine.

The most important thing in any adoption is compatibility. In order for a new friendship to work, Christine shared what factors should be taken into consideration. “There are so many different factors we consider when determining compatibility between an animal and a potential adopter. It first starts with knowing that animal’s history, trauma, and what will be required in their day-to-day life to ensure that they feel at ease and that their needs are fully met. It’s so important for us to know our dogs’ personalities well before placing them up for adoption. Knowing their history and needs is key in ensuring that we find a family that will understand those needs.”

To inspire people not to give up and to choose to adopt a pet, Christine shared their success stories: “We have so many, it’s hard to choose! We are a tiny but mighty rescue. No matter the cost or whether or not we have the funds available, or how long the road to recovery is, we never leave a dog in need behind. So many of our dogs were suffering immensely when we rescued them, and many have special needs. I, Christine, co-founder, have three dogs with particular needs: a sassy and mischievous double amputee, an independent blind gal, and a determined former paralyzed spunky gal. My heart belongs to the dogs of the world who many would not be willing to adopt. And that is okay, I respect that taking in a dog with very different needs isn’t for everyone, but for me, that’s where my heart lies. Same for Barbara, who is also a co-founder. For this reason, we’ve always focused on street dogs who wouldn’t have a chance at surviving without us.”

Whether you already have another pet at home or this is your first pet and you feel more than ready for this adventure, here are some recommendations of how best to prepare for a smooth transition into the household: “It is best to prepare with love and patience. Oftentimes, people seem to think that if they rescue a former street dog, that dog will be so happy and thankful to have been removed from the streets that it will automatically adjust to its new life. That isn’t the reality of things, and we always make sure to prepare people by letting them know what they should actually expect. Many street dogs are quite happy, and if healthy, safe, and well-fed, they can go on to live long, happy lives as strays. That isn’t the case for all street dogs, however, and that’s where we come in. We focus on the dogs who are injured, sick, paralyzed, blind, and who are suffering. Even though it’s the best thing for them, it takes them a while to understand that they are safe and that we have their best interest at heart. We must gain their trust. It is our job to make sure that people are well aware of everything involved before bringing an animal into their home. We don’t only want to set our dogs up for success, we also want the people welcoming them to be just as happy. This takes time. This takes patience. And New Day is there every step of the way to ensure the smoothest transition possible.”

And lastly, Christine added: “New Day was started after I saw a video of a dog with paralyzed hind limbs crossing the road. I had never rescued a dog from Morocco and didn’t know a soul out there, but my determination led me to Charlotte. Once fully vetted and ready to travel, she made her way to Canada and a rehab plan was put into place. A few months later, she was walking and running again! She has been living with me ever since and I officially adopted her!

That was when I, along with Barbara, decided to co-found New Day Dog Rescue, so that we could help so many other dogs just like Charlotte.”

“Our mission is to rescue dogs from some of the toughest streets in the world. We believe that every animal deserves to feel safe and loved, and that every life matters. Fate chose us to make their dreams of a better life come true.”

Please consider donating to New Day Dog Rescue by PayPal or here so that they can continue to successfully save lives.