Contact Us

Our adoption program is run by very busy volunteers. Due to the high volume of email inquiries we receive, the best first step to starting a conversation with us is to submit an online application for the pet you are interested in. The submittal of an application does not obligate you to adopt, but it is the first step to speaking with a volunteer adoption representative. More about our adoption process and adoption fees can be found here: Adoption Information Page

Unfortunately we are not always able to send individual updates to all applicants due to the volume of applications we receive.You may check our website for updates on the status of a specific pet. We do our best to keep our website up to date. Our goal is always to make the best, long-term match for our rescued pets, so our pups and kitties are on our website a minimum of 2 weeks before we start reviewing applications. Being the first to apply does not guarantee your application will be chosen. If the pet you chose is no longer available, we do try our best to reach out to approved applicants to alert them about other available pets.

Please note that we are not have a physical shelter for you to visit. All of our animals are being cared for in private foster homes. Therefore, before any meet and greet at a foster home, we do require that you complete our online application in advance. This does not obligate you to adopt the pet you have applied for but is the first step to starting a conversation with us. Our adoption application can be found at the following link: Adoption Information Page

We do not remove pets from our website or from PetFinder until an adoption is finalized. Pets listed on our website are still available but that does not guarantee they do not have an adoption in progress or pending applications. Pets are marketed for adoption until an adoption has been finalized.

Per the adoption contract you signed, please notify us if you can no longer care for your dog or cat. Depending on the needs of the animal and the type of animal, we do need time to find a suitable foster home, so placement time can vary. But the more you help us, the more we can help you. For cats, send current vet records, photos, and a pet bio so we can get the pet listed immediately for adoption online as we search for a foster or wait for a space to open at one of our adoption centers to contact@newhopesaveslives.org. For dogs, we do require you to fill out a detailed questionnaire to determine if we currently have suitable foster placement for your pet, and we do need current photos and vet records, including a current heartworm test. Please email us at contact@newhopesaveslives.org to request our questionnaire.

Never assume a pet has been neglected or dumped. Always have the full body of the pet scanned for a microchip which can be done at any vet for free or at Tomlinson's Feed. If a chip is found, you can research the chip on this website. Always ask the chip company if there is an implant facility. This will let you know potentially if the pet originated from a shelter or a rescue group who can also assist you in tracking down the owner or who are likely willing to take the pet back into their care. Pet Microchip Lookup

Austin Pet Lost and Found

If you are are contacting us to surrender a pet, note that we are not an open intake shelter. We are a small foster-based rescue that primarily rescues pets from area kill shelters. We can only take a small percentage of owner surrendered pets each year due to limited foster home availability and resources. However, we do invite you to send us us photos of your pet along with health (known medical issues, vaccine and spay/neuter status, age, gender, breed) and behavior information in case we do have a suitable foster home available.

If you live in Texas, please post your pet on a rehoming site created by Austin Pets Alive to keep pets out of shelters. For the protection of your pet, please always charge a rehoming fee ($50-$100) and always verify a vet reference and two personal references. Always visit the home your pet is being re-homed to in person. Whatever you do, never give a pet away for free to someone you do not know well!

If you live in Travis County, here is the Austin Animal Center page on steps to take to surrendering your pet to our local shelter. It can take 2-3 weeks to get an owner surrender appointment so do not delay!