Adoption Application

Thank you for inquiring about our dogs that are available for adoption. Our goals are to educate pet owners about responsible dog ownership, particularly with Maltese and other small breeds, and to place homeless dogs in new, loving forever homes.

NOTE: You must be at least 21 years old to adopt a dog from Lil' Paws and you must reside in the Austin area

Adoption Process

We are grateful for every application we receive. Each one represents someone willing to give a small dog a loving home, and we truly appreciate that. Because we are a small, volunteer run rescue, our time away from caring for the dogs is limited, and it takes thoughtful attention to review each application.

1. Submit Your Application

Please complete the application below. We carefully review each one, but submitting an application does not guarantee adoption. We contact applicants only if the initial review suggests a possible match for the dog you’re interested in or another dog currently in our care.

We ask that every question on the application be fully completed. Applications with unanswered questions, partial responses, or missing information cannot be processed. While all fields are required, we most often see incomplete answers in the following areas:

• Ages of the adopter and all other people living in the home
• Complete information about current and previous dogs
• Clear details about what happened to previous dogs, including their age at the time of death and end of life condition/diagnosis.                

Providing full and accurate information in every section helps us determine whether a home may be a safe and appropriate match for one of our dogs. Many rescue dogs have come from situations that can require extra precautions to keep them safe. 

2. Phone Interview

If your application appears to be a good match for the particular dog you are interested in, we will reach out to schedule a phone interview to learn more about your home, lifestyle, and expectations.   

3. Reference and Veterinary Checks

Either before or after the phone interview, we perform the required veterinary and reference checks for several reasons: 

• to ensure the history of responsible pet care 
• to ensure the new dog will be safe and well cared for 
• to prevent repeat surrender or neglect
• to verify that current pets are healthy and protected, and, 
• above all, protect the dog’s welfare. 

The checks aren’t meant to be intrusive; they’re a protective measure for dogs who often come from difficult or uncertain backgrounds.

4. Home Visit

If the interview, reference and vet checks are successful, we arrange a customary home visit. Please understand that a safe, fenced yard is required if you have a backyard.

5. Trial Adoption

Once we’ve identified a match, the Lil Paws dog will join you for a oneweek (7day) trial adoption. The adoption fee is collected as a deposit at the start of the trial week. It is held and not released to the rescue until the adoption is finalized

Please note that this TRIAL placement is not a guarantee of permanent adoption, even though the deposit fee is paid at that time. At the end of the trial, if the match is confirmed by both parties (Lil’ Paws and the adopter/s), you will sign the final adoption paperwork, which officially releases the adoption fee deposit to the rescue and completes the adoption.

6. Finalizing the Adoption

If the trial week confirms that the dog is a great match for your home and you are a great match for the dog, we will finalize the adoption and complete the adoption contract. You will receive your dog’s full adoption file, including veterinary records and where and how to register the dog’s microchip information. The adoption fee deposit will be released to the rescue at that time.

The Lil Paws Pledge:

• I will provide a loving, humane and safe environment for the Lil' Paws, which includes keeping the dog as an indoor house pet for the remainder of his/her life.
• I will provide veterinary care including regular vaccinations, heart worm testing and preventative year round, and comply with all local laws regarding licensing.
• I will provide a safe, fenced in yard while the Lil' Paws dog is outside supervised by you or a family member.
• I agree to keep the Lil' Paws dog on a leash when outside a fenced area and not allow him/her to roam free at any time.
• I recognize that adopting  a dog is a commitment for the dog's life.
• I will contacl Lil' Paws Maltese Rescue if I am unable to keep him/her for any reason.