Arizona Shih Tzu AND Small Breed Rescue
Adoption Info & Application
A wagging tail, a warm lap, a second chance — every dog deserves all three. They have so much love to give and are just waiting for the right family. If you're ready to give a deserving dog a life full of love, start your application below. 💜
A quick note: we're a nonprofit rescue based in Phoenix, Arizona. We adopt statewide, but in the best interest of our dogs, preference is given to adopters in the greater Phoenix area, and we do not adopt out of state. We're not open to the public; dogs are met by appointment only, once your application has been approved and selected for a specific pup. For all other inquiries, please don't hesitate to contact us!
Adoption process
01. Submit Application
Fill out our online adoption application with details about your home, lifestyle, work schedule, and what you're looking for in a dog. The more we know, the better we can match you with the right dog — we want to get to know you too!
02. Approve Application
Our team reviews your application carefully and makes sure it's a good match for the dog and your household before moving forward.
03. Meet the Pet
If selected, we'll reach out to schedule a meet-and-greet at our location. Bring the whole family, including any other dogs in the home, to see if it's the perfect match. We're unable to reach out if you're not selected for a dog you applied for, but we may follow up in the future if another dog seems like a good fit.
04. Sign the Adoption Contract
If the meeting goes well, you'll review and sign our adoption contract, which outlines your commitment to the pet's care, health, and well-being for the rest of their life.
05. Pay Fee
After a successful meeting, the adoption fee is paid by check, cash, card, or Zelle. It helps cover vetting, food, and care costs for our rescues.
06. Take the Pet Home
Congratulations! You'll bring your new family member home and start the next chapter together — goody bag, paperwork, and all. 💜
What's included: a veterinarian wellness check, spay/neuter, all age-appropriate vaccinations (including Rabies and Bordetella), de-worming, dental work if needed, a professional groom, and a microchip with lifetime registration — plus any other care specific to that dog. Each pup also goes home with a goody bag: current food, leash, collar, harness, and everything you need to get started.
Good to know
Applications: we receive many applications for each dog and review every one carefully to find the best fit. All information must be accurate and complete — incomplete or misrepresented applications will be disqualified. Approval means you're in the running, not a guarantee of placement with a specific dog.
Meet-and-greets: held at our location, by appointment only, for approved and selected applicants. Bring everyone in the household — two- and four-legged. 🐾
Timing: we don't do same-day adoptions at events or on the day you submit your application. Every dog goes through our full process — application, approval, and a meet-and-greet — before going home with anyone.
Staying in the loop: we don't notify applicants when a dog has been adopted, so check our website and social media often — we always have more dogs than are listed. Don't see your match? Send us a note or submit a general application describing what you're looking for.
Requirements: every household member or caretaker must be listed on the application, and applicants must be 18 or older. Some dogs have specific home or lifestyle requirements based on their history.
Please be patient with us — we're a volunteer-based nonprofit, and our first priority is always the care of our dogs. 💜
Copyright © 2018 - 2021 Saving One Life At A Time - All Rights Reserved.