Complete our online adoption application below.

DLRR currently serves throughout the state of Arizona. We may have limited resources in rural parts of Arizona, so contact us to see if we serve your area. We do not adopt dogs to people outside Arizona. DLRR does its best to match the right dog with the right family by finding out as much as possible about the potential adoptive family before placing a dog. If you are interested in knowing what dogs we have available, please visit Our Dogs page!

Adoption fees are:

  • Puppies up to six months old = $395
  • Six months to four years old = $375
  • Five to eight years old = $295
  • Nine years old and over = $175

Sixty percent of the adoption fee is considered a tax-deductible donation. Adoption fees help us pay for each dog’s wellness exam, spay and neuter, vaccinations, microchip, and all other medical treatment while they are in our care.

Your adoption fee helps pay for a dog’s medical wellness exam, vaccinations, spay/neuter, microchip, blood work, and behavioral assessment if needed. The average cost of medical care provided to each DLRR dog is $490. This does not account for the cost of medical care provided to our dogs with complex medical issues.

All dogs placed by DLRR will be spayed or neutered. This not only prevents dog overpopulation but is also beneficial to the dog’s health. Several ailments, including some types of cancer, are prevented by spaying or neutering. Most of the dogs we intake are young adults who have outgrown their puppy cuteness and are quite active. Often, the dog’s family did not realize how much work it takes to have a well-behaved adult dog and opted not to invest their time in it.

DLRR Process for Finding Your New Family Member:

Once you are approved as an adopter, you will receive our Dog-a-Log via e-mail twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday at approximately 6 p.m. The Dog-a-Log shows all our dogs available for adoption. Not all available dogs are in foster care, so information about them may be limited. When you receive the Dog-a-Log, please review it and if any dog interests you, call the foster/contact phone number listed. Potential adopters are considered in the order of contact with the DLRR foster/contact. The foster knows the most about the dog and will be able to answer any questions you might have, as well as to arrange a meeting with the dog and your family. Our fosters will advise if you are a match for their Lab. There is a 24-hour waiting period from the time you meet a Lab to when you can take him/her home, and we also want to ensure that you have all the necessary supplies. If the foster lets you know you are a match, you have 24 hours to call the foster back with your decision. The Lab cannot be shown to another family during this 24- hour period.  Please keep in mind, rescuing a Lab is a commitment, not a convenience, and most rescued dogs need extra love and patience to feel secure in their new environment and may require some time and training to become their best!  

DLRR’s Position on Service/Therapy/Emotional Support Dogs:

Due to the unknown nature and behaviors of our rescued dogs, and to protect the organization from potential liability risk, DLRR does not adopt dogs for service/therapy/emotional support.

Steps to Adopting a Dog:

  1. Make sure a Lab is for you. 
    Read our EDUCATE page, read books about Labs, and educate yourself as much as you can about the breed. If you have any questions, please contact us. Talk it over with everyone in your household, and make sure that everyone feels the same way about adopting a rescue dog. Think about your schedule and decide when and if you will have time to spend with your dog. Who will be responsible for taking care of the dog? Finally, take a look at your home. Where will the dog sleep? Where will the dog eat? Once you have considered all the aspects of adding a loving, active companion to your home, it’s time to think about whether you want to commit to adopting a Lab.
  2. Fill out our Adoption Application.  
    Complete our online adoption application. There is a one-time application fee of $15. We reserve the right to refuse any application for any reason.
  3. A DLRR representative will contact you for a home visit.
    One of our volunteers will contact you to arrange to visit your home. Due to the pandemic, Virtual Home Visits will replace in-person Home Visits until further notice. Cases in which a Virtual Home Visit is not possible will be put on hold and applicants will be notified of the delay. The volunteer will virtually visit your home to meet your family and listen to your needs. This helps to determine whether the home is a suitable environment for a Labrador Retriever and help us find the Lab best suited for your family.
  4. Receive the DLRR Dog-a-Log.
    When your application is approved following the home visit, you will begin receiving the DLRR Dog-a-Log. The Dog-a-Log showcases our adoptable dogs and is emailed twice weekly to approved adopters. It includes biographical information about each dog gathered by DLRR and the dog’s foster family. Once you see a dog you would like to meet, contact the DLRR volunteer listed in the Dog-a-Log to arrange a meeting. Your whole family will meet the dog that may be right for you. We require that all members of the family are present to make sure everyone agrees on the perfect match. If you do not feel a dog is the right dog for you, or if the foster family feels this particular dog may not be the right fit for your family, we will begin the process again to find the perfect dog for your family.
  5. Wait 24 hours. 
    Once you have decided on your perfect dog, you must wait at least 24 hours before taking your new Lab home. This is designed to give you time to fully consider your decision. It also gives you the chance to prepare your home to be ready for your new family member and purchase any items such as a collar, bowls, food, bedding and toys, and take time to review the First 7 Days document that was given to you at your home visit.
  6. Take your new family member home.
    When you are totally convinced that you’ve found the perfect, lifelong friend, you can come take him or her home! You will then pay DLRR your adoption fee. Whoever said you can’t buy love never adopted a rescue Labrador! We will provide support to you after the adoption to make sure that your new friend becomes an integral part of your family.

If you have any questions about our adoption process, please contact our Adoption Coordinator.

DLRR reserves the right to refuse any application for any reason. There is a one-time, refundable application fee of $15.