Everything you need to know about adopting…

Please read the following information thoroughly before submitting your adoption application and fee.

1. Adoption Application

Complete the Online Application

  • You only need to submit an adoption application once every 365 days, not per dog.

  • The actual adopter must be the person filling out the application.

  • We do not adopt dogs out as “surprises.”

  • Your husband, wife, partner, significant other, boyfriend, or girlfriend must be 100% on board with adopting. Please do not submit an application unless you’ve fully discussed this together.

Application Fee

  • A $25 application fee is required.

  • Fees must be paid within 24 hours of submitting your application or it will be void.

Important Note

The application fee is non-refundable and does not ensure you will be chosen for the dog you are interested in. Our priority is always to place each dog in the home that best matches their individual needs.

2. After You Apply

Phone Interview & Home Check

A phone interview and home check are required for all potential adopters.

Providing Additional Information

Once your application is submitted, you may email us (not Instagram or Facebook) with:

  • Photos of your home

  • Photos of your family and pets

  • Any additional helpful information
    This helps us get to know you and determine which dogs may be a good fit.

3. Finding a Match

Watch Our Social Media

We post available dogs on Instagram and Facebook, including detailed requirements for each dog.
If you believe a dog is an excellent match for your family:

  1. Email us to express your interest. info@cavalierrescuefoundation.com

  2. We will then review your application for that specific dog.

Communication Expectations

Because of the high volume of applications, we cannot reach out individually to every applicant. We will contact you only if you have expressed interest in a specific dog and appear to be a potential match.

Otherwise, please follow up with us via email —
the squeaky wheel gets the grease!

4. Meet & Greet + Adoption Day

Once we determine that you are a strong match for a particular dog:

  • We will schedule a meet and greet. You will need to travel to the foster family’s home. Usually Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

  • If it goes well, you should be prepared to take your new dog home that day.

Before leaving with the dog, adopters must:

  • Review and sign the adoption contract

  • Pay the adoption donation in full

  • Zelle is our preferred payment method

  • 3% fee is added to all credit card payments

  • We no longer accept cash or checks for our adoption fees

5. Adoption Fees

Adoption fees help cover the many costs involved in rescuing dogs, including transportation, veterinary exams, medical care, spay/neuter, dentals, microchipping, and basic administrative needs. We also pay required fees to remove dogs from large scale breeding operations. Even a healthy dog with minimal needs can cost our rescue up to $1,400, and many dogs require far more.

Puppy adoption fees help offset these costs—particularly for adults and seniors.

Standard Adoption Fees (Non-Negotiable)

  • Adult Cavaliers/Cavapoos: Minimum of $850

  • Young Cavaliers & Cavapoos (up to 2 years old): $1,200

  • Puppies: $1,800

  • Dogs with ongoing medical needs will have adjusted adoption fees, determined on a case-by-case basis.

Per Arizona Revised Statutes § 11-1022, all dogs adopted from Cavalier Rescue Foundation — including puppies — must be spayed or neutered. This is included in the adoption fee. Spay/neuter will not be delayed, postponed, or exempted at an adopter’s request, including requests to wait until a specific age.

6. Placement Philosophy

Our placement process is thoughtful and intentional. We do not operate on a first-come, first-served basis. If two families are equally suited for a dog, preference is given to the adopter who has been waiting the longest or an adopter who has a history of adopting from our rescue.

You may be a wonderful home, but if your household does not meet the individual needs of the specific dog, we cannot approve the placement. Our commitment is—and always will be—to the dog first.

Be patient.
The right match is worth the wait.

Age & Long-Term Care Policy

To ensure every dog is placed in a stable, lifelong home, CRF has established the following age-related guidelines:

Adopters Age 75+

Applicants 75 years and older must provide a long-term care plan for the dog. This may include a designated caregiver (adult child, family member, or trusted individual) or a written care plan/trust.

If a designated caregiver will assume responsibility in the future, they must also meet CRF’s adoption requirements.

Adopters Age 25 and Younger

Adopters 25 and under are not excluded, but CRF may request additional information to ensure long-term stability. This may include housing plans, school/work schedules, support systems, and ability to meet the financial and medical needs of a dog.

Why These Policies Exist

These guidelines help ensure lifelong continuity of care. Cavaliers and Cavapoos can live 12–15+ years, and having a stable plan protects them from future uncertainty.

Out-of-State Adoption Policy

If you are outside our 60-mile Scottsdale/Phoenix radius, adoptions are considered on a case-by-case basis. We do not ship dogs. Approved adopters must fly or drive to Arizona, and all dogs must travel in the cabin only — never in cargo. All travel costs are the adopter’s responsibility.

We do not hold dogs for out-of-state adopters. You must have a confirmed travel plan before applying. Once a dog becomes available, you must be able to pick up within 3–5 days, as we are not a boarding facility. It is important for the dog to transition into their forever home quickly and for us to free up foster space for emergency intakes.

If your only mode of transportation is flying, please do not apply for a large Cavalier, as they will not fit under the airplane seat. This slows the adoption process and is not fair to the dog.

If you adopt a dog and take them out of state, you are required to return the dog to Cavalier Rescue Foundation of Arizona if, for any reason, you are unable to keep them. Our dogs must be returned to us and may not be rehomed, transferred, or surrendered elsewhere.

We do reserve the right to refuse adoption to anyone. 

Our goal is always to match each dog with the home that suits them best. If you aren’t selected for a particular dog, it simply means another home was a better fit for that dog’s needs.

Cavalier Rescue Foundation welcomes everyone. We don’t discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender or gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.

Pink, purple, gay, straight, left, right—we don’t mind, and neither do our dogs. Good hearts make good dog owners.