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Or mail check to:
Hearts for Hounds
1356 Obispo Ave.
Long Beach CA 90804

Donations are tax deductible

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

The following are a few questions that are often asked by people going through the adoption process:

Do you have a facility? How do we meet the dogs during the week?
How many dogs do you place a week?
Where do you get the dogs?
Are the dogs spayed and neutered?
How long do the dogs typically stay at HFH before finding a home?
Do we have to pay to adopt a dog?
Where does my donation go?
Have the dogs been to a vet yet?
Do you cover additional medical expenses accrued by the new family?
What if the dog is just not working out?
Do I get the donation back if I return a dog?
Do you only have small dogs?
You guys are so nice even when families don't end up adopting from you. What are you getting out of it?
Do you ever euthanize?
Do you keep your dogs in cages?
Are the dogs housebroken and trained?
Do you get government funding and grants?
Do you save dogs that need major surgeries?
How can I help?
How do you come up with so many names?
Are all the dogs on the website from Hearts for Hounds?

Do you have a facility? How do we meet the dogs during the week?

We do not have a commercial facility that can be opened to the public at the moment. The dogs are mostly in foster homes or with Bonnie in the High Desert area. Where Bonnie lives, we were able to get a private kennel license. See where the dogs live. We are, however, working on a full time facility in the city! Our goal is to have a 7-day facility so that we can place at least 50 dogs a week. Click here to help.

How many dogs do you place a week?

We generally take phone calls and answer your questions during the week and we meet up with families once a week at our mobile adoption events. During the adoption events, we generally place between 8 to 15 dogs each Sunday. When we have special events, we will place more dogs with 2 adoption crews in action! We have placed as many as 39 dogs during one weekend. Having multiple adoption teams is often not feasible due to lack of volunteers, transportation funds, and resources. So, we welcome all volunteer efforts.

Where do you get the dogs?

Mostly from local shelters. Due to the limited space we have, we support SEAACA the most. With limited space and resources at Hearts for Hounds, we find it the most efficient for us to work primarily with one shelter. Sometimes, we take in personal surrenders. However, they must pass our assessment before we can take in the dog. This again, is due to the fact that we must limit our incoming dogs due to lack of funds, staff, and space. Your generous support is much needed! See how you can help.

Are the dogs spayed and neutered?

Yes! We're big advocates in spaying and neutering pets. We believe that euthanasia is not to be used as a form of birth control and medical research has shown that pets live an average 3 to 5 years longer when they have been fixed.

The adult dogs are fixed and microchipped before they go home with you (unless there are medical concerns - which we will disclose to you prior to adoption). They have also received all the necessary vaccines for the year. For puppies, it's a little different. Typically, they are not quite ready to be fixed by the time you adopt. We do provide a spay/ neuter voucher with our vet, Dr. Sam, so that it can be taken care of when they are old enough for surgery. It's a part of our adoption contract that the pets are altered in our efforts to assist in population control.

How long do the dogs typically stay at HFH before finding a home?

Well, it all depends on the dog! They tell us when they are ready to find a home. We usually keep a dog a minimum of 2 weeks. This gives them a chance to relax in a home-like environment to prepare them for their new home. During the initial 2 week period, we also provide all the necessary medical care, deworming, socialization, grooming and of course providing them with lots of food, toys, and love!!! Some of the dogs need a little longer to relax. We allow as much time as needed for their little personalities to blossom! Our goal, as always, is to find them a loving permanent home as soon as possible. However, we will assess each case individually and will never put the well being of the dogs in jeopardy. We do have some dogs that stay with us for a few months, some as long as a year, before they find the right home. So, your ongoing support is important to us!

Do we have to pay to adopt a dog?

Yes! All donations are 100% tax deductible and help us in future rescuing efforts. With that fee, we make every effort to provide the families with a healthy and happy new companion.

Where does my donation go?

We ask new families to make a donation to the rescue so that we can buy food and pay for necessary sheltering expenses to keep the dogs until they find a home. Much of the donation goes to medical care, surgeries, and of course facility care. The minimum donation we ask for doesn't cover all the expenses. We rely on corporate sponsors, in-kind donations, and individuals like you for ongoing financial support.

Have the dogs been to a vet yet?

The dogs are usually checked by a vet before we pick them up from the shelter. During their stay with us, we observe and provide medical treatments necessary through our own vet. Please understand that we are humans attempting to understand dogs - communications are sometimes challenging and they don't always tell us when they are not feeling well. If you have concerns about your new friend, please let us know so we can assist and address the situation. New families receive a FREE vet check with our vet, Dr. Sam, along with the adoption paperwork. We encourage you to take your new companion for a free visit.

Do you cover additional medical expenses accrued by the new family?

We ask you to evaluate your finances before making a commitment to bring a doggy companion into your home. It is a life long commitment and they will repay you for every dime and much much more with their love and kisses. Because we are always on a tight budge, we cannot, afford to pick up any costs accrued by the new family. If for some reason, there are unforeseen medical issues, the family has the choice of returning the dog to HFH so we can make appropriate medical decisions. You can be first on the list to adopt again. Or you can choose to cover the costs. What we cannot do is be financially responsible for someone else's financial decision.

What if the dog is just not working out?

We ask that you make the commitment before finalizing on an adoption. If you're unsure, take your time. That way, it's easier on you and the dog. Dogs are creatures of habit. We ask that you give him or her a few days to adjust to your home environment and new house rules. We encourage all families to seek professional training to help them adjust. You may also call Bonnie for advice. If after all attempts, it's just not a good fit, we ask that you return the dog to us per your adoption agreement. We do not want them back in the shelter.

Do I get the donation back if I return a dog?

Because we are a non-profit dog rescue and the donations benefit animal welfare, most people choose not to reclaim their donation. Although all or a portion can be refunded to you during the first 2 weeks of adoption, it is at the discretion of Hearts for Hounds. Since we make every effort in making sure to ensure the dogs are healthy when they go home with you so they must be returned in the same condition. If there are outgoing expenses related to the adoption, we will need to deduct it from the donation. This insures that we don’t end up wasting funds on unnecessary expenses. We also ask for your patience and cooperation since we rely heavily on volunteer schedule, time, and energy.

Do you only have small dogs?

We mostly have small dogs due to lack in space, funds, etc. Our foster homes are set up for smaller dogs for the most part. We will, however, rescue bigger dogs once in a while if we know we can place them. If you're interested in a bigger dog, please contact Bonnie. She's at the shelter often and can assist you in locating your true love! Bonnie also knows many reputable dog rescues she'd be happy to refer you to.

You guys are so nice even when families don't end up adopting from you. What are you getting out of it?

Well, we believe that the dogs pick their own families. It needs to be the right match and a lot of it is chemistry; just like people! Our mission is to rescue as many dogs as possible and place them in permanent loving homes. Even if you don't end up adopting from us, we have just helped in 'rescuing' another dog when we refer you to a local shelter or another rescue. Besides, as whacky as it sounds, we believe in positive energy in The Universe.

Do you ever euthanize?

With many healthy dogs in local shelters and never enough room, we make every attempt to bring out as many healthy dogs as possible. Sometimes, things are overlooked or the dog exhibits conditions after they arrive at HFH. Once in a while, we get a dog that has severe medical conditions that cannot be treated or a dog that has an aggression issue we deem not trainable. In these cases, we find it in the best of interest of all parties (including potential families) that we euthanize. This happens extremely rarely and is one of the positives in adopting from us. We do make every attempt to evaluate the dogs during their stay with us so you don't have to deal with the heartache. This way, we insure you go home with a happy companion. It will be up to the new family to get the dogs accustomed to your household. So, in short...we qualify to be a "no-kill" organization because it has to be a severe medical condition or irreversible behavior issue. However, we like to be upfront and say that we are not 100% no-kill unfortunately. There are unforeseen conditions beyond our control. Know that we make EVERY attempt to give the dog a chance and hold many board meetings before we make our final decision.

Do you keep your dogs in cages?

We prefer to house the dogs in a home environment. They have a mobile home we have converted into their living space. They also have over 4000 sf of play area. We encourage them to socialize with volunteers and other dogs as much as possible. See where the dogs live. Where Bonnie lives, there's also 2.5 acres of land. The dogs do get to run in open space whenever possible.

Are the dogs housebroken and trained?

We consider ourselves a half-way house for the dogs. We try very hard to get to know their personalities. We use doggy doors to encourage them to potty outside. However, it's impossible for us to guarantee that they are 100% housebroken when you adopt them. The new family needs to introduce new schedule and house rules to the dog. The dog may also have a couple of minor accidents during the first few days in a new environment. The important thing is not to make a big deal out of it! They are trying their best to please you. Allow time for adjustment and we still strongly encourage professional support when needed.

Do you get government funding and grants?

We are not a government agency so we do not receive government funding. All of the revenue must be generated through fundraising and donations from our supporters. How you can help. With volunteer assistance, we do apply for grants. However, grants are typically for special projects and there is no guarantee that we will receive the funding since there are many worthy causes that also need financial support. So, we ask kind individuals to open their hearts and join our rescue efforts. Sponsor a dog.

Do you save dogs that need major surgeries?

Yes! We make every effort in saving as many as we can save. Some do need thousands of dollars worth of surgery. Thanks to Dr. Sam's generous support, we have been able to make special financial arrangement for emergency surgeries. We also have a great working relationship with SEAACA. Their staff and vet have been helping us in more ways than one to insure these little guys are well taken care of.

We, however, cannot take these sweet little souls without ongoing support. Sometimes, we do have to make the difficult choice of not taking them when our funds are depleted so please help! Every dollar counts in the surgery fund!