Happy Bark follows a foster home based model of rescue. This means we do not have a physical brick-and-mortar location. Instead, adoptable dogs live in volunteer foster homes all across our operational footprint. A Happy Bark foster home may be right in your neighborhood! If you find a dog on our website you want to meet, just fill out an adoption application and we will be in touch. Submitting an application isn't a commitment to adopt, but it does serve as the first step in meeting a dog in our foster home network.

Happy Bark dogs come from overcrowded shelters in other areas of the country. We are very blessed in our area to have several animal shelters and rescues that serve the needs of homeless dogs in our community. As a result, we are able to focus our time and resources on other areas where those dogs are less fortunate and are facing uncertain futures.

Happy Bark foster homes are positioned throughout Erie County, so a Happy Bark dog may be living right in your neighborhood! If you find a dog on the website you are interested in meeting, the best way to arrange that is to submit an adoption application. This does not commit you to adopt a dog, but it is always the first step in the adoption process. When we receive your application we will reach out to you to complete the approval and then set up a time for you to meet the dog of your dreams! Don't forget to also check our events calendar to see when Happy Bark foster homes will be coming together to showcase all the dogs Happy Bark has to offer!

We do our best to place great dogs into great homes. We think you will find our adoption process to be painless (and maybe even enjoyable!): Submit an application. Have you already met a dog you love or found a great dog on our website? If so, you can submit an application directly from that dog's profile. If you haven't found the right dog for you just yet, you can submit a general application and we can work with you to find the dog of your dreams. We will review your application to ensure both you and any dogs we adopt to you will live happily ever after. Home visit. We do virtual home visits, unless you prefer an in-person home visit. We only ask for a few pictures of the common areas of the home and the outside area to ensure the dog will live happily-ever-after. Send those over to us via email and we are good to go! This is an easy, non-intrusive process to ensure your new dog (and your household) will be happy with the new addition. This visit may not even be necessary if a member of the Happy Bark team has already been to your home, or if you are a previous adopter. Meet and greet. We partner with you to ease the transition of a new dog into your home. Depending on your individual need, we will schedule a time for your family and dog(s) to meet the Happy Bark dog, just to make sure everyone will be great friends. A quick adoption agreement is in place. You agree to provide appropriate care, housing, exercise, and love. We agree to always be there for you when you need us if questions or issues arise. Even if the adoption doesn't work out, we agree to take the dog back and find him/her another home.

Most Happy Bark dogs have an adoption fee of $275. From time to time, a dog may have a higher adoption fee to account for more popular breeds or puppies. We don't believe one dog is "worth" more than another, but if a higher adoption fee in those rare cases can help pay the higher expenses for our longer term residents, then we say that's cool! If a dog has an adoption fee other than $275, it will be noted on that dog's profile. Adoption fees help cover the costs of the various expenses an animal rescue organization incurs. Everyone at Happy Bark is a volunteer, so your adoption fees go directly to efforts to save more dogs. Our adoption fees are very low compared to the costs of buying a dog from a pet store or a breeder.

Adopters must be at least 18 years of age and be able to demonstrate the ability to provide responsibile ownership and complete care to a dog. Adopters must also agree to the terms of our Adoption Contract.

Emotional support status is not something that is assigned to a pet, but is instead a recommendation that must come from a health professional to you, the patient. All pets can serve as emotional support for their owners, but Happy Bark does not certify dogs to be good candidates for those who need an emotional support animal. In fact, most pets coming from animal rescues like Happy Bark need their own emotional support, leadership, and training.