Adoption

How do I apply to adopt from Friends of Pets?

The fastest method is to complete our online adoption application, which usually takes 15-30 minutes to complete. If you prefer, you can download a hard copy of our adoption application, complete it and send it in by regular mail. Or call our Information center and leave a message, and within 48 hours a volunteer will return your call within 48 hours to take your application over the phone.

  • Adopt Onlineclick here to start
  • Apply by maildownload a hard copy of the application
  • Apply by phone – call our Info Center at 562-2535 and leave a message, including your name and phone number. A volunteer will return your call to complete your application.
How much does adoption cost?

Cats – $100 / Dogs – $200

The adoption fee for cats is $100. The adoption fee for dogs is $200. This fee helps to subsidize a portion of the medical intervention and other care we invest to prepare animals for adoption. All pets are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and are microchipped for permanent identification. FOP pets have also received any needed medical treatment, with those costs (usually $400 – $800 minimum) paid by the generosity of our donors.

How will I know the status of my application?

When you apply online, you will see a confirmation response that your application has been received. We ask that you not also call or email only to confirm this.

Please be patient in awaiting a response, and allow at least 7 days for your application to be reviewed. The rescue and adoption process is handled entirely by volunteers with jobs, families, and pets of their own. A popular pet may get dozens of applications. We do much of our volunteer placement work in the evenings and on weekends.

Where possible, we make extensive use of email since it allows volunteers to respond to you at late hours. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FILTERS OR JUNK MAIL FOLDERS!

What if I need to change information on my application?

If you have new information to add to your application, or a change in your contact info, we would appreciate a follow-up call or email. We cannot reach you without complete and correct information.

If you see another pet that interests you and your application info is still current, you don’t need to complete another one – just call or email us to let us know.

How can I tell the status of the pet I'm interested in?

Each pet’s status is labeled next to its photo. If the pet you are interested in shows as in trial adoption or already adopted, you will know that another family has been matched with that pet. In some cases you may see the animal return to the available list, if the trial adoption did not result in adoption.

Why are home checks required for adoption?

FOP requires home checks to ensure that the pets we place will be in a safe, loving, and suitable environment. Here are some key reasons for these checks:

  • Safety and Suitability: Home checks help verify that the living environment is safe and appropriate for the specific needs of the animal. This includes checking for secure fencing, hazardous materials, and overall safety.
  • Commitment and Preparedness: We also assess whether potential adopters are fully prepared for the responsibilities of pet ownership. This includes ensuring that all household members are on board and that the adopter has the necessary resources and time to care for the pet.
  • Preventing Returns: By thoroughly vetting homes, we aim to reduce the likelihood of animals being returned due to mismatched expectations or unpreparedness.
  • Special Needs: Some animals may have specific requirements, such as medical needs or behavioral issues, that necessitate a particular type of home environment.

These checks are part of a broader effort to ensure that rescued animals find permanent, loving homes where they can thrive.

If my application is a good match, what happens next?

If the pet is still available, we may contact you to meet the pet. After a successful meeting, we may discuss a home visit and potential trial adoption placement.

We may ask you to consider another pet instead, either because we have several good homes for the original pet, or because we believe another pet is better suited to your family.

You may be a successful applicant, but decide that the pet is not right for you. Withdrawing your application on this basis, or returning the pet during the trial adoption period, does not impact your ability to adopt at a later time. We appreciate your thoughtful consideration.

If my application is not a good match, what will happen?

If your application does not match specific criteria for the pet (such as the need for a fenced yard, the need for no other pets in the home, or other needs) that are in the pet’s adoption listing, we will not contact you for placement on this pet. We will keep your application in mind for other possible matches.

We may decide more applications before placing a pet for adoption. Some pets’ special needs require that we look further for the right match.

We may decline your application. This will be due to your pet history or your current circumstances for keeping a pet. While saying ‘no’ is difficult, sometimes it is in everyone’s best interest. You may wish to reapply if your circumstances change.

Can I adopt a pet as a surprise for a friend or family member?

No – we work directly with adopters to choose the right lifetime match. For gift-giving fun, we suggest a “shower gift” of pet supplies, toys, collar and leash, with an offer to pay for an FOP rescue or shelter adoption!

Adopting from Anchorage Animal Care & Control:

Consider adopting from the Anchorage Animal Care & Control Center, or the animal shelter in your area. Shelter adoption saves lives, and we believe these pets are truly grateful for your kindness. No matter where you adopt, Friends of Pets can offer you behavior information to help your new pet’s adjustment into your family. To Anchorage residents, we also offer assistance toward the cost of spay/neuter.

Anchorage Animal Care & Control Center
4711 Elmore Road, Anchorage
Monday thru Friday 12pm – 7pm
Saturday / Sunday 11am – 5pm
(907) 343-8118
Lost and Found, Available Animals, and more!

Spay/Neuter Assistance

Are you unable to afford the cost of spay/neuter for your pets?

Residents of the State of Alaska may apply for a $100 coupon good for a spay or neuter surgery at any Alaska veterinary clinic. Here’s how:

  1. Complete this request form.
  2. Send the form along with a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
    Friends of Pets
    P.O. Box 240981
    Anchorage, AK 99524-0981
  3. You MUST include the self-addressed stamped envelope!
  4. Allow 2-3 weeks for processing.
  5. Schedule the surgery after you receive the coupon, so that the surgery can be completed before the coupon expires. Alternatively, leave at least 2-3 weeks between your application and the surgery date.

For more info on spay and neuter, read our free brochure “A Million Reasons” or share it with a friend!

Renting With Pets

Where to stay while you are looking - pets on approval:
  • The Parkwood Inn (4455 Juneau St) has affordable rates. Call 563-3590 or 1-800-478-3590, Fax 563-5560,
  • The Eagle River Motel (11111 Old Eagle River Rd) is near the military bases and does take pets on approval. They will rent by the week. Call 694-5000.
  • The Sourdough Visitors Lodge (801 Erickson St.) rents by the day, week or month. Call 279-4148.
  • Microtel in Eagle River (13049 Old Glenn Highway, 622-6000) and Anchorage (5205 Northwood Drive, 245-5002) also accept pets.
If your cat is not declawed

Declawing is a painful amputation procedure, but some landlords insist that cats be declawed. You may be able to get a letter from your veterinarian stating that it is medically inappropriate for your cat to be declawed. With that and a promise to keep your cat from damaging the property, your landlord may agree. (Or try another landlord!!) Check out our brochure “Save the Sofa / Save the Paws” for smart solutions to cat-scratching problems.

Read your lease!

If your landlord has agreed to allow pets, make sure you review the lease and that any “no-pets” clauses are crossed out and initialed by you and your landlord. Put in writing the names of the specific pets you are allowed to have. Make sure you have a copy of the lease for yourself in case there is a change in landlord. Because a lease is a legal document, even if the pet rules change, you can keep your pet under the terms of the lease you signed (that is, your pet is “grandfathered in”) for as long as the lease is in effect. However, new pets that you would wish to bring into the rental would be subject to the new rules.

Apartments in the Anchorage area that accept pets, but may or may not have current vacancies
  • Arctic Gardens – Cats & Birds On Approval – 1, 2, & 3 Bedrooms
    7211 Meadow Street, 349-8322
  • Arctic Sun – Small Pets On Approval
    625 West 46th Avenue, 562-6261
  • Chugach Foothills – Pets On Approval – 3 & 4 Bedrooms
    4021 Lunar Drive, 338-1739
  • The Club at Eagle Point – Pets On Approval
    5600 Lake Otis Parkway, 563-3365
  • College View – Pets On Approval – Efficiency, 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    3531 East 42nd Avenue, 562-2085
  • Country Lane – Small Pets On Approval
    810 East 42nd Avenue, 561-1072
  • Garden Villa – Pets On Approval
    5340 East 26th Avenue, 337-7434
  • Greenbriar – Pets On Approval – Studio, 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    4331 Vance, 333-9624
  • Hampstead Heath – Pets On Approval – 2 & 3 Bedrooms
    6650 – 6621 Hampstead Drive, 349-3323
  • The Highlands – Pets On Approval – 1 & 2 Bedrooms, many special features & floorplans.
    2134 E. 56th Avenue, 770-6333
  • Hillside Chalet – Pets On Approval – 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    631 East 22nd Avenue, 274-0015
  • Independence Park – Pets On Approval – 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    9731 Vanguard, 344-2241
  • Kinnear Park – Cats On Approval – 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    2510 Sentry Drive, 349-8185
  • The Mallery – Pets On Approval – 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    660 West 34th Avenue, 563-3574
  • McCarrey Glenn – Pets On Approval – 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms
    216 McCarrey Street, 337-6410
  • Northwind Apts – Pets On Approval
    524 East 11th Avenue, 272-8030
  • Park Plaza – Pets On Approval – Studio & 2 Bedrooms
    201 E.16th Avenue, 278-3540
  • Pleasant Valley – Pets On Approval – 3 & 4 Bedrooms
    Off Muldoon and East 36th Avenue, 243-3068
  • Rancho Tudor – Pets On Approval – Studio, 1 & 2 Bedrooms
    3351 East 42nd Avenue, 562-2085
  • Richardson Vista – Small Pets On Approval – Studio, 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms
    905 Richardson Vista Road, 272-2591
  • Strawberry Meadows – Cats On Approval
    Off Raspberry, just past Sand Lake Post Office, 243-3068
  • Sunset Mist Apartments – Accept All Pets Except Ferrets – 2 & 3 Bedrooms, 1 year lease, non-refundable pet deposit, no size limit on dogs
    Glenn Highway. & Boniface, 332-3434
  • Taiga Twins – Pets On Approval
    423 West 22nd Avenue, 277-2302
  • Terrace on the Lake – Pets On Approval
    2421 Bentzen Circle, 243-4351
  • Tyee Apartments – Pets On Approval – 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms
    5814 E. Northern Lights, 337-1911
  • Vista Grande – Small Pets On Approval (under 20 lbs.)
    230 West 14th Avenue, 276-2377
Senior housing - pets on approval
  • Golden Years
    1701 Cleveland Ave.
    Anchorage AK 99517
    561-5053
  • Southside Seniors
    9480 Morningside Loop
    Anchorage AK 99515
    522-6393
  • Robert W. Rude Housing Center
    9131 Centennial Dr.
    Anchorage AK 99504
    338-2211
  • The Birches
    8 OK, income restrictions apply.
    762-5463

Help with Common Pet Problems

I have lost a pet.

Remember these ABC’s: Act quickly, Be organized, Contact as many people as possible, and Don’t give up! Download our LOST! brochure for a list of suggestions.

The Anchorage Daily News offers lost/found pet ads FREE OF CHARGE – place your ad online here, or call 257-4444.

Craigslist postings are also free, as are NextDoor posts to alert your neighborhood and surrounding areas.

Post flyers in the area where the pet was found, at vet clinics, pet supply stores and any other community bulletin boards. Make sure your own veterinarian knows your pet is lost, in case your pet’s ID information leads to your vet’s clinic.

Visit Anchorage Animal Care & Control at 4711 Elmore Road, Anchorage, to see whether anyone has reported finding a pet which matches this description. Use this link to review lost and found animals locally. Bring a clear photo of your pet. Visit in person, do NOT call – only you can be certain whether an individual pet is yours. Visit every day! Check the main kennel areas, the found pets book, the DOA book, and lists of animals who may be in a restricted area of the facility due to an injury or other circumstance.

Understanding animal behavior can help your search be more effective and successful. The Missing Pet Partnership offers the following resources to help:
Lost Cat Behavior and Recovery Tips
Lost Dog Behavior and Recovery Tips

I have found a stray pet.

If you are able to keep the pet with you safely while you are searching, make it easier for the owner to find you! Here are some suggestions:

The Anchorage Daily News offers lost/found pet ads FREE OF CHARGE – place your ad online here, or call 257-4444.

Craigslist postings are also free, as are NextDoor posts to alert your neighborhood and surrounding areas.

Post flyers in the area where the pet was found, at vet clinics, pet supply stores and any other community bulletin boards.

Contact Anchorage Animal Care & Control at 343-8122 to see whether anyone has reporting losing a pet which matches this description. Use this link to review lost and found animals locally.

If you cannot keep the pet at your home while searching for its owner, please take the animal to Anchorage Animal Care & Control at 4711 Elmore Road, Anchorage. This is the most likely place for the owner to check on its whereabouts. If you are interested in knowing whether the pet is claimed or adopted, ask Customer Service for the animal’s ID number. You can call or go online to check on its status as often as you like. AACCC can also send an officer to your home to get the animal if you cannot transport it yourself – call 343-8119 for assistance.

I need financial help to get my pet spayed or neutered.

FOP’s Spay/Neuter Assistance Program helps residents of the Municipality of Anchorage with the cost of having a pet spayed or neutered. Go to the Spay/Neuter section of this page for more information on how to submit your request.

I need financial help with veterinary costs.

Click the link to download a PDF copy of our Pet Owners Financial Assistance Guide – a list of resources in Alaska and elsewhere that may be able to help.

I need help getting food for my pet.

Friends of Pets sometimes has donated pet food available to share. We can also help point you to other resources. Call our main number at 562-2535 and leave a message.

I need help coping with grief after the death of my pet.

Friends of Pets offers a free grief information packet that can help address the common feelings associated with the death of a loved pet. Send an email request to Peg, to receive a grief packet. Be sure to give your name (with proper spelling) and complete mailing address. Your packet will arrive in 7-14 days.

I am concerned about the welfare and treatment of a pet in my neighborhood.

If you are worried that a pet you know is being mistreated or neglected, it is vital that you take action – the animal cannot seek help on its own. Sometimes issues of neglect arise because a pet owner simply doesn’t know better, or is facing difficulties that impact human welfare too. If you can approach the owner kindly, you may be able to have a positive influence in the pet’s life. If you are concerned that the situation is too drastic or that an owner is purposely abusive, you can report the situation to Anchorage Animal Care & Control. Call 343-8118 and choose the option to “request a check of animal welfare.” You will be asked to provide some information, but you do not need to identify yourself if you prefer to remain anonymous. Please, do not leave an animal without hope of help because you are afraid to take action. Make the call today.

I need to find a rental that accepts pets.

Online resources for rental listings that accept pets include the Anchorage Daily News and other local newspapers, Craigslist, NextDoor, Facebook and more. An internet search is the easiest way to start. See the Renting with Pets section of this page for resources and suggestions, including a list of local apartment complexes which allow pets on approval. Remember, once you have found it, the best way to keep a pet-friendly rental is to be the kind of responsible renter and pet owner that landlords will appreciate.

I need help with pet behavior problems.

Pets are frequently surrendered to animal shelters due to behavior problems which could be solved. Call our main number at 562-2535 and leave a message in box #7 so a volunteer can call back to discuss your situation.

We’ve gathered a resource library on many topics that may help you keep your pet in your family by solving the real problem at hand. Our resource topics include:

CatsAggression to people – Aggression to other cats – Allergies in people – Babies & Children – Chewing – Counters, etc. – Fearfulness – Feral or orphaned cats – Household destruction – Hyperactivity – Indoors or Out? – Introducing cats – Litterbox blues and spraying – Moving and travel – Nocturnal behavior – Plants and yards – Scratching – Sharing the turf

Dogs – We recommend the resources on pet care and behavior information found at the following websites:

For a wide selection of books and resources, visit DogWise.

We can also provide referrals to local trainers and behavior consultants.

I need to rehome my pet.

If you need to rehome your pet, it’s important to understand that Friends of Pets is a group of volunteers who operate from their homes, and does not have a shelter facility to accept your pet. We are mandated to rescue at least 80% of our animals from Anchorage Animal Care & Control, so community rescues are rare except in critical circumstances like the owner’s death. We do have several suggestions for you as you seek to rehome your animal companion:

  • Adopters generally are looking for healthy animals. Make sure your pet is spayed or neutered, current on vaccinations, and has any outstanding medical problems under treatment.
  • Run an ad in the Anchorage Daily News (257-4444). We recommend that you ask a rehoming fee, to screen out people who may be irresponsible or unable to afford to keep a pet, and we also have a list of screening questions that can help identify a good home. Email us or call our main number (907) 562-2535 for this list.
  • Place online ads on Craigslist, NextDoor, or other social media. Again, be thoughtful about the quality of responses you receive before you place your pet in someone else’s hands.
  • Make notices with photos of your pet, and post them at veterinary clinics, grooming shops, pet supply stores. Let your vet’s office know you are seeking to rehome your pet.
  • If you are thinking of rehoming your pet because of a behavior problem, please call us for possible solutions that may keep you from parting with your pet. Email us or call our main number (907) 562-2535 for information resources to address pet behavior problems.
  • If you are thinking of leaving your pet behind when you move, we can also give you helpful tips and strategies that may allow you to relocate with your pet instead. Email us or call our main number (907) 562-2535 for information on moving and travel with pets.

If none of these options work, and you decide to take your pet to Anchorage Animal Care & Control, you can email us or leave us a message at (907) 562-2535 with with the animal’s intake ID number and a description. We cannot promise to save your pet, but we will definitely look at it as a possible candidate for the rescue program.

Disaster Preparedness

Have an Emergency Kit for your pet

Purchase a sturdy, waterproof storage container for each pet, and fill it with the following supplies:

Food and water

  • 7 day supply of food
  • 7 day supply of bottled water
  • Unbreakable food/water dishes
  • Can opener and utensils

Health and first aid

  • Supply of regular medications
  • First aid supplies (include gauze pads, antiseptic, first aid cream, adhesive tape or vetwrap, tweezers, scissors, etc.) Commercial pet first aid kits are available.
  • First aid manual for pets

Basic supplies

  • Litter and litterbox for cats
  • Plastic bags and pooper scooper for dogs
  • Spare collar and leash
  • Bedding (newspaper, blankets or towels will do)
  • Toy or comfort object

Records and information

  • Photograph of each pet
  • Instructions on each pet’s feeding schedule, medications and special needs
  • Copy of health records
  • List of boarding facilities and pet-friendly motels within a 200-mile radius
Identification

All pets need a collar with ID and license tags. A microchip provides a permanent form of ID. An extra tag with an out-of-area contact name and number is important if you and your pet are displaced and become separated.

Proper transport for your pets

If the pet’s size permits, a crate or portable carrier will provide safe containment in your vehicle or temporary quarters.

Help with pet awareness

Emergency stickers at each entrance to your home alert rescue workers to the pets who live there.

IMPORTANT – In an emergency, do NOT leave your pets at home! You may not be permitted to return for them, or you may not be able to reach them safely. Don’t leave your best friend behind.

More resources in Alaska and beyond