After you’ve looked over the adoption application, it’s time to decide if you want to move forward, or if you want to turn down the applicant.

If you’re not interested in moving forward, it’s highly recommended that you send the applicant a quick note letting them know. This can be uncomfortable, we know, but it’s a really courteous thing to do. Also, it helps the person move on and find another pet who might need a home quickly!

If you are interested in moving forward, we recommend three steps before you set up an in-person meeting:

1. Do your own research. Google is your friend; try Googling the person’s name or email address and see what comes up.
2. If Google doesn’t bring back anything alarming, set up a phone meeting. Take another look at the application and make a list of any follow-up questions you’d like to ask. The phone meeting is a perfect time to talk specifically about your pet and his or her needs and quirks. For instance, if your pet is picky about other animals, if she will only eat an expensive brand of dog food, or if he tends to get really matted and requires frequent grooming, make sure the applicant is aware and able to accommodate all of your pet’s needs. Give the applicant the opportunity to ask you all of their questions as well.

If, after the phone meeting, you have any nagging doubts, trust your instincts! Better safe than sorry. If all signs point to “go”, it’s time to set up an in-person meeting!

After you’ve received and screened an application from a potential adopter, the next step is to set up a time to talk on the phone or via video chat, if you can. Once that step is complete, it’s time to set up a meeting!

It is very important that you put your safety first when setting up an in-person meeting. Make sure you ALWAYS meet in a public place and, if at all possible, bring a friend! A pet-friendly store is a perfect, safe place to meet. A veterinarian’s office can also be a good option, but make sure you make an appointment first.

If your pet is a dog, you may be tempted to hold your meeting at a dog park, but this isn’t recommended. Your dog will be so distracted by the sights, smells, and sounds of other dogs that he might not be able to concentrate on the potential adopter. It’s important for you to observe your dog’s body language around the adopter so you can tell if this is a good match, so keeping distractions to a minimum is a good idea.

If your pet is a cat, a pet-friendly store can also be a great place to meet. No matter what, ALWAYS bring your cat in a carrier, and always conduct the meeting indoors. A nervous cat can bolt. If you can find a safe, enclosed room to meet in, open your cat’s carrier and see if he or she wants to come out. As you know, cats are not always comfortable in strange surroundings, and may want to hide, so cat meetings are by nature more challenging than dog meetings. Do your best to balance the need of the person to meet the cat with the cat’s need for safety.

When you arrive at the meeting, spend a few minutes talking with the potential adopter, allowing your pet to investigate him or her at his own pace. Some pets, especially friendly dogs, will want to give the adopter lots of enthusiastic attention right away, and that’s fine. Timid dogs, or cats in carriers, may need a little while to warm up. Let your pet take the lead. If your pet likes treats, bring some for the applicant to offer your pet. Treats can be a great ice-breaker!

Make sure you allow the potential adopter the chance to bond with your pet. It can be tempting to want to talk a lot, but it’s very important to give the adopter some quiet time to observe, talk to, touch (if your pet is comfortable), and get to know your pet. They need to be able to picture him or her as their pet, so it’s in your best interest to step back and observe without talking or intervening too much. Of course, the applicant will have questions for you, so don’t go too far. Also, and we can’t stress this enough, if you have any doubts or nagging feelings, don’t hand over that leash or carrier, even for a moment. Trust your gut instincts.

After the applicant and your pet have had a little bonding time, it’s your turn to ask questions. It’s a good idea to ask questions that were on the application, and also to ask some new ones. Often an in-person conversation will bring up things you haven’t heard before.

So, how do you know if it’s a match? We asked several rescuers who have conducted hundreds or even thousands of these meetings. The most common answer was, “Your pet will tell you.” You’re looking for a connection between your pet and the prospective adopter, one that seems genuine and comfortable. Is the adopter willing to get down to your pet’s level? Does he or she seem to recognize what is special about your pet?

At the end of the meeting, you and the adopter should agree to take the day to think about everything, and make plans to talk the next day. This is a big decision and shouldn’t be made on the spot! You might also ask the adopter for more information, and even to email you a video tour of their home so you can get a feel for where your pet will be living. Many people find this very comforting.

The adopter should definitely bring their children to the meeting. It’s important that everyone in the prospective adopter’s household come to the meeting. You definitely want to observe how the children treat your pet, and to make sure that your pet is safe for them as well.

Introduce your pet carefully to children. Let them be within view of each other, but safely out of range. Observe everyone’s body language for any red flags. When you feel comfortable that there is no danger, let them come closer together and observe them again. Continue this until the children and your pet are able to touch each other. Watch for three things:

1. Is your pet comfortable?
2. Are the children gentle?
3. Are the parents watching closely to make sure their children are gentle, and giving appropriate guidance?

Introducing your pet to the potential adopter’s other pets is a bit trickier. Ideally, a pet-to-pet introduction is done slowly and carefully in the home after adoption, and sometimes it takes days or weeks to really do it right. In fact, if you’re adopting out a cat, the adopter shouldn’t even bother to bring their dog or cat to meet your cat.

If you’re adopting out a dog, though, the adopter should definitely bring his or her own dog to the meeting. You’ll want to do an initial introduction; it’s definitely not ideal, but if they don’t love each other immediately, you, and the adopter, can at least see what you’re up against. Is it just a little tension that could be mitigated by a nice, slow introduction at home? Or is it outright ferocity that the new owner isn’t prepared to handle?

No. Before the meeting, make sure the prospective adopter knows that you don’t plan on completing the adoption on the spot. This takes the pressure off of both of you, and helps you bring the meeting to an end gracefully. Also, if you decide during the meeting that you don’t want to adopt your pet to this person, it’s often more comfortable for you to relay that to them via email or phone, rather than right there on the spot.

At the end of the meeting, suggest you and the adopter both take the day to think about it, and make a plan to talk the following day.

The day after your meeting, send the applicant a really nice email, thanking them for taking the time to come and meet you and your pet. Be as honest as is safe and comfortable about the reason you’ve decided this isn’t a perfect match for your pet. Hopefully they’ll be just as gracious as you.

If you don’t feel comfortable giving a reason, don’t! Here’s a sample of an email you might send:

Dear Joe,

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with us! I think you’ll make a wonderful home for a lucky pet, but I hope you’ll agree that your home isn’t the best match for Fluffy. I wish you the best of luck in your search for a new family member. Thank you again!

Best,
Jane

If you want to go the extra mile, you might even send them a link to a similar pet for adoption on Miwuki!