Every dog deserves a home.

Sharing your life and love with a dog is an experience unlike any other. They are our friends, our teachers, our adventure buddies, our companions. Dogs also thrive when in close connection with people, and each one deserves a caring home to call their own.

Adopting from the Dumb Friends League is a wonderful way to give a vulnerable dog the companionship they need and deserve. Right now, shelters like ours are often at or near their maximum capacity to house dogs and other animals, with fewer homes available for thousands of pets in need. When you adopt from the League, you are not only enriching one dog’s future – you are also creating opportunities and much-needed space for many others in our community. Plus, you are giving yourself the gift of pure, once-in-a-lifetime love.

Here, you’ll discover all the pawsome perks of adopting a dog from one of our three shelters, including the expert care we provide, the post-adoption resources you’ll receive, and the bond you’re sure to share.

Your best friend is waiting for you!

Make a difference by adopting from the League today.

A friendship unlike any other

For thousands of years, dogs have been by our side more than any other animal species, providing us with safety, social outlets, wellness, and support. As our companions, they give their all to us, including a love so pure it can turn our whole world around. Research indicates that bonding with a pet dog can lower our stress and blood pressure levels, decrease our risk for heart disease, improve our mood, encourage mindfulness and physical activity, offer renewed hope, and increase feelings of connectedness.

After being adopted from the League in March 2024, Luna, a sweet black Lab with energy to spare, brought much-needed laughter and purpose to her new family, especially Venessa. Coping with the painful losses of her beloved dachshund of 17 years, Rufio, and her grandmother the year before, Venessa felt her days begin to brighten once Luna came home. With Luna in her life, she was motivated to spend more active time outdoors, providing joy and comfort to her new friend (and herself). Says Venessa, 

All the love and grief I had for Rufio and my grandma really had nowhere to go. But with Luna, all of that went away. She has brought us so much happiness. Now that I have somewhere to place that love, it feels like a weight is off my shoulders…I needed her and she needed us.

Fostering hope and love

At the League, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of every animal we care for – including providing time away from the shelter environment. Whether an animal needs behavioral support, hands-on attention like bottle feeding or post-surgery care, or simply a calm and quiet place to relax, our team of caring foster staff and volunteers is always there!

Additionally, living in a foster home makes it easier for some dogs and other animals to shine. Here, they may feel more comfortable to be their authentic selves, revealing who they are, what they know, and where they still need to grow. This information is vital to the adoption process and helps further strengthen how we match pets with families. We are also proud to offer our Pet Assist program, which provides temporary foster care for pets whose owners are experiencing housing insecurity and other hardships.

From healed wounds to mended hearts, dogs in our foster care programs receive the loving support they need to prepare them for a happy and fulfilled life at home.

We support dogs—every step of the way

Sadly, over the past few years, many dogs have had to wait longer in shelters before meeting their adoptive families. At the League, our dedicated behavior and animal care teams work together to ensure each dog’s stay is filled with individualized attention, love, and the daily enrichment they need to thrive.

Active time outside is a crucial way we enrich the lives of dogs in our care. From volunteer-led walks in our Friendship Circle to off-leash frolics and training sessions in our specialty play yards, we make sure dogs can be dogs. In addition to their physical benefits, walks provide dogs with essential mental, sensory, and social stimulation in the form of sniffs and human connection. Plus, these experiences help prepare them for taking their next big step—coming home, at long last, with someone like you.

Everything we do, we do with care

The League is committed to thoughtfully addressing each animal’s medical and behavioral needs so they can be comfortable in our care and successful in their adoptive homes. Our shelter veterinary professionals support the health and well-being of each animal we serve, while our behavior care experts provide enrichment, opportunities to engage in species-typical behaviors, play therapy, and positive reinforcement training for those in need. Moreover, every pet adopted from the League has been spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, treated for injury and illness, and supported individually by our team of caregivers.

League staff and volunteers also ensure that dogs have access to clean and cozy living environments with heated floors and natural light; calming music, quiet time, and designated areas for privacy; nutritious meals, courtesy of Hill’s® Pet Nutrition®; safe items to sniff, chew, and shred; daily walks and human connection; opportunities to learn, make choices, and play off-leash; and respite in foster care when needed. This vital enrichment helps prepare dogs to live happily in their ideal environment—a loving home, just like yours.

Friends furever, support whenever!

When you adopt from the League, you’ll receive true love AND access to helpful resources designed to support you and your dog for years to come! Our team wants all families to start off on the right paw, and that’s why League adopters go home with tips and tools to help their new pet thrive. From connections to local veterinarians and pet insurance providers to a free “doggy bag” of food from Hill’s® Pet Nutrition®, we’ve got you covered!

We’re also here for you long after adoption day! Consider our online Pet Resource Center, including our FREE Behavior Helpline, your home base for any question you may have, whether you adopted two hours or two years ago. Here you can find dozens of useful articles, as well as a link to make a Helpline appointment with a member of our dedicated Behavior Team.

Dogs are among our best teachers

The League provides community humane education to foster kindness and respect for animals, people, and the world we share. In so doing, our educators encourage students to seek safe and humane ways of being in connection with animals of all species. With children and youth, we offer an array of learning programs and volunteer opportunities, many of which are boosted by interactions with shelter animals and our humane education “Ambassapets.”

But did you know that caring for a personal pet, such as a dog adopted from one of our shelters, is a great way to continue these important lessons at home? Research suggests that dogs can help young people learn responsibility and create routines, gain self-confidence, develop empathy and share affection, practice social skills, and be physically active through play. Learning and love … what could be better?