You must be at least 18, own your home or have landlord approval, have a good reference from your current vet (all current pets spayed/neutered, vaccinated and on prevention), and have two good references from non-immediate family members. See the full list of requirements.

The first step is to fill out our online adoption application. We have a thorough process that makes sure our dogs go to the best homes possible. You can also see every available dog on our Adoptable Dogs page.

You must first apply and be pre-approved. We’ll contact you once you’re approved to set up a meet and greet. Here’s how adoption works.

We do our best to process applications in a timely fashion, but please keep in mind that we are a small, mostly volunteer team. To help things along, give your vet permission to speak with us, and let your references know they’ll be getting phone calls so they know to answer. The calls will come from (918) 518-1167. You can always email us at helplesshounds@gmail.com, or text us to ask about your application.

Please don’t reach out about your application’s status unless it has been more than 5 days since you submitted it.

Adoption fees are $350 for dogs over a year old and $395 for puppies under a year, plus a $100 refundable deposit until the puppy is spayed or neutered. The fee covers vaccines, microchip, prevention, spay/neuter and more. See the full details.

Yes! Most of our dogs are spayed or neutered before adoption. Puppies too young for the procedure (and dogs with special medical needs) go home on a Foster to Adopt Agreement, and the adoption becomes official once the procedure is done. Read the Foster to Adopt terms.

Yes. We know it takes time to make sure everyone is a good fit, so we offer a 4-week trial where your adoption fee is refundable. After that, we will always take a dog back, and we ask that you never rehome the dog yourself.

Absolutely! Tell us the type of dog you’re looking for and get pre-approved, and you’ll be at the top of our list when a dog comes to us that we think might be a good match.

Yes, we have several in place to set you and our dogs up for success:

1. We can’t adopt to anyone who has a dog under 1 year old that has not been in the home at least 6 months. If a puppy meets this criterion, we also won’t adopt unless the puppy has had ALL of its boosters/vaccines and is 30 days out from the last round of vaccinations.
2. Under no circumstances will we adopt out littermates. Littermate syndrome is worth researching if you have questions about this policy.
3. Ideally, adopters will have had each of their dogs at home for at least 6 months before adding another, which gives time to get to know each dog. However, if dogs are over 1 year old, FULLY vaccinated and spayed/neutered, we handle these applications case by case.
4. If an exception is made and another dog was recently adopted from another rescue, that dog must complete at least a 14-day quarantine in your home before one of our dogs is introduced to the home.

Yes! We adopt all over the country, and our adopted hounds live in 44 states and Canada. Once you’re approved, our transport team will help get your hound home. See transport options.

Fill out our foster application. Once you’re approved, our foster team will reach out and add you to our foster group. We provide all the supplies and cover all vet care. All we ask is that you give your foster hound care, love and support until they find their forever home.

We do. Fostering costs you nothing. Learn more about fostering.

Please read our surrender page and fill out the Intake Request Form at the bottom. Once it’s completed, we’ll discuss whether we have room for the dog and whether it fits our mission. Filling out the form does NOT guarantee we will take your dog, but we’ll do our best to help and will point you to other resources if we’re unable.

If you can, post the dog online and take it to a local vet to check for a microchip. Legally, we can’t put any dog into our program until its owners have been actively searched for over 10 days. More about found dogs.

We’re a hound-specific rescue, but our Community Resources page lists other local rescues, low-cost clinics and animal control contacts.

There are lots of ways! Volunteer with us, donate or shop our wish lists, buy some merch, or come say hi at an event.