FAQ

We are a foster home-based organization located in Adair County, Kentucky. Our primary operations are based here, but we facilitate adoptions to various locations. As we operate through foster homes, we do not have a physical facility open for visits. To meet an animal, you must fill out an application and receive approval. We schedule meet-and-greets only with approved applicants, as our volunteers dedicate their time to coordinate these meetings at neutral locations.

If you reside outside of Kentucky, please review our out-of-state fees here. For detailed information about our transportation services, please visit this page.

Do you offer out-of-state adoptions and transport?
Yes, we do facilitate out-of-state adoptions through our scheduled transport program. However, we currently only transport to three designated locations: Wilmington, OH; Greenwood, IN; Washington, PA; and Mount Joy, PA. These transports occur a couple of times each month, typically on a Saturday or Sunday, depending on volunteer availability.

If you're adopting from out of state, you have two options:

• Meet us at one of our transport locations listed above

• Travel to us in Columbia, KY to meet the animal in person

Please note that all animals crossing state lines are legally required to have a health certificate, which we obtain in advance through our veterinarian. Because of this, an additional fee is required for out-of-state adoptions, paid in advance as a non-refundable deposit. This deposit covers the cost of the legally required health certificate and, if applicable, transport expenses.

For full details about how our transport process works—including timing, logistics, and what to expect—please visit our Transport Page. It includes a full walkthrough of the process, where we transport to, and a helpful FAQ section specifically for transport-related questions.

To review out-of-state fees, please visit our Adoption Fees page.

Yes. If you live out of state, we are legally required to obtain a health certificate for any dog or cat before they cross state lines. This means the animal must be examined by a licensed veterinarian and issued a certificate specific to both the adopter and that individual animal. Because of this, health certificates cannot be transferred to a different adopter or a different animal.

If you’d like to come meet an animal, you are welcome to do so once your application has been approved. However, please note that you will not be able to take the animal home the same day unless you have already paid for the health certificate and we’ve had time to get them into the vet for the exam.

You can view our out-of-state fees here: Adoption Fees

All of our animals are located in the Adair County, KY area. We provide transport to Greenwood, IN; Wilmington, OH; and Washington, PA, which allows adopters in those regions to adopt our animals more easily.

To make our pets visible to adopters in those areas, we must list them under those transport hub locations on PetFinder. This is why you’ll see “Transport” next to their names.

• To learn more about how our transport works, click here: Transport

• To read about fees for out-of-state adoptions and transports, click here: Adoption Fees

To adopt a pet from us, simply start by browsing our available animals on our website. Once you find a furry friend that captures your heart, you can begin the adoption process by completing our detailed adoption application. Our dedicated team will carefully review your application and may contact you for additional information or to schedule a meet and greet. After the successful completion of the adoption process, you'll welcome your new companion into your home and create a lifelong bond filled with love and joy.

Our adoption fees may vary depending on the individual animal, and there are several factors that influence the adoption fee for a particular pet. We want to provide you with transparency about our adoption pricing, so here's why our adoption fees can differ:

1. Animal Type and Demand: The adoption fee is influenced by the type of animal and its demand in our community. Some animals, like purebred or designer breed dogs, may have higher adoption fees due to their popularity. These fees help offset the costs of caring for and rehoming lower demand animals, such as black cats and dogs. Rest assured that all animals, regardless of their adoption fee, receive the same level of care and attention from our team.
2. Animal's Medical Needs: The health and medical condition of each animal also play a role in determining the adoption fee. Pets that require extensive medical treatment, surgeries, or vaccinations may have slightly higher adoption fees to cover these expenses.
3. Spaying/Neutering and Vaccinations: All our animals are spayed or neutered and receive necessary vaccinations before adoption. These veterinary services are included in the adoption fee to ensure the animal's health and well-being.
4. Supporting Our Mission: By adopting a pet from us, you are not only giving a loving home to one animal but also contributing to our mission of rescuing and caring for animals in need. The adoption fees we collect help us continue our work and rescue more animals.

To find the adoption fee for a specific animal, we recommend visiting their pet profile. You can read more about our fees here:

ADOPTION FEES

For out-of-state adopters, we use our Zeffy payment form to collect deposit payments. Once your transport meet-and-greet is confirmed, we will provide you with a link to complete the payment. Zeffy supports credit card payments. View out-of-state fees HERE and transport information HERE.

For adoption fees, we currently only accept online payments. As a volunteer-based organization, online payments help us streamline tracking compared to handling cash or checks. After signing the adoption contract, you will be redirected to an online payment platform where you can pay via PayPal or credit card.

Please note: The adoption fee is not due until you're there in person and ready to take the animal home.

If an animal is still listed on our website and does not have an "Pending Adoption" tag above their photo, it means that we are still accepting applications for that particular animal.

However, we kindly request that you do not email or message us specifically to inquire about an animal's availability.

Please understand that Da Vinci's Dream operates solely with the dedication of volunteers who have full-time jobs and families. While we strive to provide the best possible care for our rescue animals and facilitate adoptions, responding to individual messages and emails about an animal's availability can be challenging due to the high volume of inquiries we receive.

We encourage you to visit our website regularly to check for updates on the animals you are interested in. If you find an animal you wish to adopt, please submit an adoption application through our website. Our adoption team will review all applications, and they will be in touch with you if your application is a match for the animal.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us streamline our adoption process. Your support allows us to focus on providing the best care and finding loving homes for our rescue animals. We appreciate your patience and commitment to our mission of giving these animals a second chance at a happy life.

At Da Vinci's Dream, we take great care in finding the perfect match between our rescue animals and their forever families. The process begins by completing our detailed adoption application, allowing us to understand your preferences, lifestyle, and expectations as a pet owner. Once your application is reviewed, we'll set up a call to discuss your application further.

Following the successful call, we'll schedule a meet and greet with the animal you are interested in. This meeting gives you the opportunity to interact with the pet, learn more about their personality, and determine if there is a connection.

Once all these steps are completed, we'll finalize the adoption with an adoption fee and provide you with all the necessary paperwork. At Da Vinci's Dream, we believe in facilitating a seamless and loving adoption process, ensuring a lifelong bond between you and your new furry family member.

Yes, you can use your application on file for another animal. If the animal you initially applied for has already been adopted, and we believe another animal may be a suitable match for you, we will reach out to suggest that option.

We recommend listing multiple animals on your application in case your first choice gets adopted by another adopter. Given the high volume of applications we receive, our popular animals tend to find homes quickly.

While one application can be considered for multiple animals, please note that we evaluate each animal's background, personality, and emotional needs individually. Being a good match for one animal does not guarantee suitability for another. Our goal is to ensure a positive adoption experience for both you and the animal by making the best possible match.

To ensure the best possible outcome for our animals, Da Vinci's Dream has a minimum age requirement of 25 for individuals seeking to adopt from us.

Our animals often come from challenging backgrounds and unstable environments, which underscores the importance of placing them in stable, nurturing homes. By setting a minimum age requirement of 25, we aim to increase the likelihood that our animals will be placed in homes where they will receive the long-term care, stability, and support they need to thrive.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with this policy, as it reflects our commitment to the well-being and happiness of our animals. If you have any further questions about our adoption process or policies, please feel free to reach out to us.

At Da Vinci's Dream, we deeply appreciate your interest in adopting our animals. However, please keep in mind that we are entirely operated by dedicated volunteers who have full-time jobs and families to attend to. Additionally, we often receive a high volume of applications for our beloved animals. Given these factors, it might take some time for us to thoroughly review each application and respond.

Rest assured, we understand that waiting can be challenging. If you do not receive a response from us within 10 days of submitting your application, it indicates that we have chosen not to move forward with your application or have selected another adopter for the animal you applied for. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but please understand that due to the sheer number of applications we receive, we regrettably do not have the resources to respond to every individual request.

We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding as we work diligently to find the best possible homes for our rescue animals at Da Vinci's Dream. Your continued support makes all the difference in our mission to save lives and create forever families.

As a foster home and volunteer-based organization, we do not have the resources to arrange meet and greets prior to an application being approved. This policy helps us ensure that our volunteers’ time is used effectively and that we are working with serious, approved applicants who are a good fit for the dogs/cats.

Once your application is approved, we will be happy to schedule a meet and greet with the animal you’re interested in.

Absolutely! We'd love to have you meet our dogs. Since our animals are in foster homes, we arrange meet and greets for up to three dogs at a time to keep things manageable.  We appreciate your understanding that coordinating more fosters could get tricky. Potential adopters must have an approved application before coming to meet any dog.

Please know that we're unable to reserve multiple dogs until the meet-and-greet date. If an approved adopter commits to the adoption of one of the dogs you are interested in before your meet-and-greet date, we will proceed with that adopter. We only reserve a dog if an adopter is committing to the adoption of that specific dog. Reserving more than one dog when an adopter is only looking to adopt one means the dogs the adopter doesn't choose may miss out on being adopted by someone else.

Our priority is finding good homes for all of our dogs. This policy ensures that every dog has the best chance to find a loving forever home. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We determine the breed of our dogs based on a combination of factors including appearance, size, age, and veterinary recommendations. If we receive a dog from a shelter or rescue partner, we use the intake paperwork and the listed breed provided. Please note that we do not conduct DNA tests on any of our dogs and therefore cannot guarantee the breed of our dogs.

Our dogs come from a wide range of backgrounds, many involving difficult or neglectful situations. While we provide the best care we can, our primary focus is on their health, safety, and placing them in loving forever homes.

Please note that we do not guarantee any training. If a specific type of training (such as housebreaking, crate training, or basic commands) is not mentioned in the dog’s bio, you should assume the dog has not received it.

As a fully volunteer-based organization, our team is constantly balancing animal care with responsibilities like transports, meet-and-greets, vet appointments, grooming, and more. While we may introduce some dogs to basic training, it is ultimately up to each adopter to continue that work and provide ongoing structure and support.

Thank you for your understanding and for your commitment to giving our rescue dogs the time, patience, and guidance they need to thrive in their new homes.

At Da Vinci's Dream, we understand that housebreaking is an important consideration for many potential adopters. We want to provide you with as much information as possible to help you make an informed decision about adopting one of our rescue dogs.

The majority of our dogs come from extremely challenging and often neglectful circumstances. In many cases, they have not been exposed to proper housetraining during their earlier lives. Additionally, our dedicated foster caregivers have limited resources and time to train all of their foster dogs extensively.

As a result, unless a dog's biography explicitly mentions that they are housetrained, it is generally safe to assume that they are not. We believe in transparency and want to set realistic expectations for our adopters.

If housetraining is a significant factor for you, we recommend looking for dogs whose biographies specifically state that they have undergone housetraining or have demonstrated such skills during their time in foster care. In these cases, the foster caregiver will have worked on housetraining to the best of their ability.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we strive to find loving forever homes for dogs who have faced difficult circumstances. Our team is always available to answer any additional questions you may have about a specific dog or our adoption process. Feel free to reach out to us if you need more information or assistance in selecting the perfect canine companion for your family. Thank you for considering adoption and giving a deserving dog a second chance at a happy life.

Many of our dogs have not been tested with children, as most of our fosters do not have kids. If a dog is known to be good with kids, their profile on our website will include a tag such as "I Like All Kids" or a similar note.

Please understand that many of our dogs come from traumatic situations and may be shy. If you have young, energetic children, our rescue might not be the best fit for your needs. Puppies and young dogs tend to be more adaptable to children. We suggest exploring these dogs that we have available if you have young children. We base all of our adoptions on the animal's personality, background, and emotional needs to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for both the dog and your family.

Yes, we greatly appreciate donations and are open to partnerships! Your support enables us to continue our rescue efforts, provide medical care, and offer a better life for animals in need. Whether it's a one-time donation or an ongoing partnership, your generosity makes a significant impact in the lives of our rescue animals. If you're interested in donating or partnering with Da Vinci's Dream, please reach out to us through our website or visit our Donate page, and together, we can make a difference for animals in need.

As a volunteer-based organization, Da Vinci's Dream offers animal pick-up services to facilitate the adoption process. Here's what you need to know about our current animal pick-up services:

1. Service Areas: We currently offer animal pick-up services in Columbia, KY. If you are not located near our transport locations in Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Washington, PA, or Mount Joy, PA, you can arrange to pick up your newly adopted pet from our Columbia, KY, location.
2. Health Certificates: For animals being transported out of state, rest assured that they will come with a health certificate. This ensures that your newly adopted pet is in good health and ready for their journey to their forever home.
3. Limited Pick-Up Days: Our team of dedicated volunteers manages animal pick-up days, which are typically scheduled on weekends. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in coordinating a suitable pick-up time within these constraints. Our volunteers work tirelessly to ensure a smooth and safe transition for your new pet.

At Da Vinci's Dream, our top priority is the well-being and happiness of our rescue animals. We are committed to making the adoption process as convenient and comfortable as possible for both you and your new pet. If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding animal pick-up or transport options, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to assist you and ensure a successful adoption experience. Thank you for considering adoption and supporting our mission to provide loving homes for animals in need.

At Da Vinci's Dream, we rescue animals from a variety of sources, all with the common goal of providing these deserving animals with a second chance at life and love. Here's an overview of where our rescue animals come from:

1. High-Risk Shelters: We rescue animals from high-risk shelters that face overcrowding and have high euthanasia rates due to limited resources. By taking in animals from these shelters, we help alleviate their burden and create space for other vulnerable animals in need. These rescue efforts contribute to saving lives and giving animals a fresh start.
2. Stray Animals: Our dedicated volunteers actively search for and rescue stray animals from various locations throughout Kentucky. These stray animals may be found wandering the streets, abandoned, or in dire need of medical attention. Through our rescue efforts, we offer them a lifeline to safety, proper care, and the opportunity to find loving forever homes.
3. Partnerships with Organizations: Da Vinci's Dream collaborates with organizations such as Guardians of Rescue, receiving animals from critical situations like puppy mill busts, hoarding cases, and other challenging environments. This partnership allows us to extend our reach and rescue animals in need from diverse backgrounds.

By choosing to adopt from Da Vinci's Dream, you play an essential role in our mission to rescue and rehome animals in need. Your support helps us make a significant impact on the lives of these deserving animals, providing them with the love, care, and stability they deserve. Thank you for considering adoption and supporting our cause. Together, we can create a brighter future for these animals and offer them the opportunity to thrive in loving homes.

Yes, after the adoption is complete, we will email you a PDF copy of the animal's complete medical history that we have on record.

We understand that sometimes, despite the best intentions, an adoption may not work out as planned. If you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to continue caring for the animal you adopted from Da Vinci's Dream, we have a policy in place to assist you.

Our adoption contract stipulates that all animals adopted from us must be returned to our care in the event that they cannot remain in their adoptive home. Regardless of the reason for the return, we welcome our animals back into our rescue program with open arms.

Please reach out to us as soon as you realize that the adoption may not be a good fit for you or your family. We will work with you to facilitate the return of the animal to our facility.

Our priority is the happiness and welfare of our animals, and we are here to support both you and them throughout this process. If you have any further questions or concerns about returning an adopted animal, please don't hesitate to contact us.