Adoption FAQs

Our dogs live in loving foster homes throughout the New York City area (and sometimes just beyond!). Because Badass is a foster-based rescue rather than a shelter, we don’t have a single physical location — but our community of fosters makes it possible for every dog to experience home life while they wait to meet their forever family.

All of our adoptable dogs are available here. We host adoption events multiple times a month as well as awareness and special events. We can also arrange private meetings with our pups and approved adopters on a case by case basis.

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 a vet check if applicable for currently or recently owned pets. The last step is a meet & greet where we can get to know each other and discuss what would be the best fit for your home and lifestyle.

Please apply by filling out the adoption application here.

The adoption fee is $550; 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.

When you submit your application you will receive an email confirming receipt and providing more information about our rescue and the process. Our team will review your application and respond ASAP (normally in 1-3 days) regarding next steps.

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!

While our standard foster program isn’t designed as a “trial” adoption period, we’re always thrilled when fosters choose to adopt and officially join the Badass family. It’s important to note that our foster and adoption programs are separate—fosters don’t receive priority over other approved adopters, as our goal is always to find the best match for each dog.

If you’re interested in fostering, please submit a foster application. If you’re hoping to adopt soon, complete an adoption application instead (and note if you’d also be open to fostering).

We do offer a limited foster-to-adopt option. Our hope is that by giving approved adopters the chance to foster for a defined period (usually two to four weeks) before deciding whether to finalize the adoption, it might encourage potential adopters to give these wonderful dogs a second look. During this time, participants follow standard foster guidelines and receive full support from the Badass team.

Dogs participating in the foster-to-adopt program are noted on their Petfinder profiles, and interested applicants should submit an adoption application noting their interest in the program.

We’re happy to provide more information to interested applicants!

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!