Adoption FAQs

  • Badass is not a shelter, so we do not have a physical location. We are a network of fosters in and around the New York City area.

  • All of our adoptable dogs are available here. We host adoption events, and during the COVID-19 pandemic arrange private meetings with our pups and approved adopters.

  • Dogs that are up north are either in foster homes or in boarding with our partner, Eva's Countryside Dog Camp. All dogs must be out of the shelter for at least two weeks and healthy before they can transport from the south.

  • The first step is to fill the application out online. Please fill it out in its entirety and tell us as much about yourself as possible—the more information we get the easier it is to match you with the right dog. We do three reference checks (only 1 can be a family member and partners/spouses do not count) and a vet check if applicable for currently or recently owned pets. The last step is a home visit. Your application is not approved until the home visit has been done.

  • Please apply by filling out the adoption application here. [LINK TO APPLICATION PAGE]

  • The adoption fee is $500; it is non-negotiable and non-refundable. The adoption fee covers only a portion of what it costs us to rescue a dog, which includes basic vetting, transport, food, training and addition medical care as needed.

    All Badass dogs are spayed/neutered (age appropriate), microchipped and have received all required vaccinations and general vetting before adoption. They also receive monthly flea/tick & heartgard preventatives. In addition, we treat every dog for known medical conditions before adoption. Any illnesses or injuries we are not aware of before adoption or that arise after adoption are solely the responsibility of the adopter.

  • Once we get your application we begin processing it. All of our staff are volunteers with full-time jobs so we ask that you give us 14-21 days to process your application. Please notify your references that we will be contacting them so they can look out for our email. We will also connect you to a volunteer to do your home visit. Once you're approved, you're ready to adopt and we work with you to find the right match.

  • We try and make the best choice for each dog based on the applications we have. We are committed to making our applicants part of the Badass family so if you don't get the dog you want at first, we will work with you to make a match with another dog that you will love!

  • Fostering is an integral part of the rescue process and a big commitment as well. Fostering is, in many ways, harder than adopting. Our foster program does not have a foster-to-adopt track and is not designed for potential adopters to 'test' out dogs.

    If you feel like fostering is the right path for you, we are always looking for foster homes to help save more dogs. If you are interested in fostering please fill out a Foster Application [LINK TO APP].

  • Picking a dog is a big deal! This is a lifelong commitment, and you are adding a new family member. First, consider the financial and time commitment involved in having a dog before taking one into your life. You might meet several dogs before making a decision. We work with you to make the right match and are happy to talk through what dogs might be right for your lifestyle. Keep in mind that we have many applications and do not reserve dogs, so if there is a dog that you are thinking about but haven't committed to, there is a chance the dog may get adopted by someone else.

  • Unfortunately we can't. Since our dogs are kept in foster homes, keeping one for an extended period of time means we can't rescue another dog.

  • We are a volunteer-run organization, and we all have full time jobs so we are not reachable by phone. However, we are readily accessible by email and do our best to get back to everyone in a timely manner.

  • Badass works hard to create a sense of family and community. We stay in touch with many of our adopters (and the pups!). We also have a closed Facebook group for adopters to share tips on training, vet and other dog care recommendations, and general advice and support on the particular challenges of owning a dog in NYC. We love making people part of the Badass team! And the true testament is the number of happy adopters who refer their friends and family to us!