Adoption Eligibility

We are looking for adopters over the age of 23 who are local to the Atlanta area. NOTE: Adoptions are restricted to the Metro Atlanta area only.

Just like people, dogs have distinctly individual personalities - likes, dislikes, needs, etc. At RMG, we take the time to get to know each individual dog prior to posting them for adoption and set their adoption requirements accordingly. Requirements listed in the individual profiles are not arbitrary but are listed because our volunteers learned each dog’s needs for a full, happy, healthy life. As such, exceptions to these requirements are not allowed.

Potential adopters who have existing animals in their homes must have a history of maintaining up-to-date vetting on their pet(s). For dogs, this includes DHPP and Rabies vaccines, HW testing, and use of heart worm and flea/tick preventative. All current pets in the home MUST be spay/neutered.

We require that potential adopters be committed to regular veterinary care of their future pet, including heartworm and flea/tick preventation, and must be willing to verify that their pet will be an indoor dog! Adopters who plan to tie or tether their dog or otherwise house outside of the family home will not be considered.

For adopters interested in adopting young puppies, we do require another dog in the home for ALL PUPPY ADOPTIONS. Proper socialization is key to puppy development and there are important lessons puppies can only learn from other dogs. This is a strict requirement and no exceptions will be made. Our Board has a combined total of over 20 years rescuing dogs and have seen too many puppies returned as young adults with behavioral issues due to improper socialization. Additionally, raising a puppy is quite difficult and not always for an inexperienced dog owner. As such, we do require previous first hand dog ownership (as an adult, childhood/family pets are not acceptable) in order to adopt a puppy even with other dogs in the home due to roommates, etc. We highly encourage first time dog owners to look at some of our wonderful adult dogs available for adoption.

Additionally, please do not complete an application for one or our dogs with the intention of gifting it to someone. The gesture is nice, but we believe it’s best that the dog’s potential parent meet the dog in person to ensure a special connection is made. We consider adopting a pet to be a lifetime commitment and want to make sure our adopters feel the same way!

Lastly, if you aren't ready for an immediate adoption, please wait until you are. We are unable to "hold" dogs. Because we are such a small, all-volunteer group, we can't accommodate "shoppers" who aren't ready to move forward with an adoption. Because our list of available dogs changes almost daily, we do ask that adopters be prepared to bring a dog home within 48-72 hours of submitting an adoption application.

Please note: We strive to insure the best possible fit for each of our dogs. Therefore, we do not do “blanket approvals”. Our applications and approval process are dog specific. Because each dog has individual personality and needs, an approved application does not necessarily transfer to any other dog. In the event a potential adopter is not a good fit for the dog they selected, another dog may be suggested as a better fit (if applicable).

Finding your forever dog

To begin the process of adopting a RMG dog, please click the button below. You may also submit an application by clicking the ADOPT button in the dog’s profile under the AVAILABLE DOGS section of our website. Once your application has been successfully transmitted, you will receive an automated confirmation email.

Our adoption fees vary and are based upon age and breed. For detailed information about the adoption fee for a dog you are considering, please review their individual profile under our "Available Dogs" tab.  

What happens after the adoption application has been submitted?

  1. Once received, all adoption applications are screened for overall adoption eligibility to insure all basic adoption requirements are met.

  2. If the applicant meets basic eligibility requirements, the application is then forwarded to the foster of the dog of interest. Our fosters take a great deal of time getting to know the individual dogs and are our best resource for determining compatibility between their foster dog and the potential adopter.

  3. Once the foster determines a potential match between the dog in question and the potential adopter, both personal and veterinary references are contacted.

  4. Upon the completion of reference checks, the foster will then contact the potential adopter to discuss the dog in greater detail

  5. After this discussion, if all parties are in agreement, a meet and greet is scheduled

  6. At the meet and greet, it will be determined if there is potential for a good long term fit that could result in a forever home. However, at RMG, we do not believe that a brief meeting is sufficient to establish whether or not a dog will fit well with a family. Therefore, all dogs are sent home directly from the meet and greet on a one week trial adoption. Please do not schedule a meet and greet if you are not prepared to take a dog home at that time. In the unfortunate event the initial meeting is not successful, RMG can work with the potential adopter to identify other available dogs who might be a better fit.

  7. During the trial adoption period, RMG representatives will remain in close contact with the potential adopter to provide assistance in with the transition

  8. At the end of the trial adoption period, the adoption fee will become due and must be paid as the final step in finalizing an adoption