How to Adopt a Puppy Online Safely

Are you ready to welcome a new puppy into your life and home, but unsure how to go about finding the right one, safely?

There are many ways to buy a puppy, but what most people don't realize is that there are also many pitfalls to watch out for in this process. Before you go ahead and buy a new puppy, it's important to keep the following information in mind - Being prepared will help you avoid scams, and will help make the process go through as smoothly as possible.

Here are some useful tips that you can keep in mind to buy a puppy online safely.

Locate a reputed breeder

Not all the breeders that you come across on the internet are in a position to deliver the best service as per your expectations. Hence, it is important to take your time and find a reputed breeder. By going through the customer reviews, you will be able to get a better understanding of the reputation of the breeder that you are going to deal with.

It is a good idea to pick a breeder that breeds only a few dog breeds. You should also confirm that the breeder has a clear understanding of the breed. For example, the breeder should provide prompt and accurate answers to the questions you ask about the history, characteristics, and developmental concerns related to the dog.

Try to adopt a puppy from a rescue club or shelter

Instead of buying your puppy from a breeder, you can also think about adopting a puppy from a rescue club or shelter. This is a convenient method available for you to avoid scams. On the other hand, you will be able to support the great initiatives of the rescue clubs and puppy shelters, which try to contribute a lot towards reducing pet overpopulation.

Sign a contract

Even if you are purchasing your puppy online, you should sign a contract. This contract must be associated with a health guarantee. In case if you cannot take care of your puppy, your dog breeder should agree to return. The reputed dog breeders often do it. On the other hand, make sure that your breeder is providing all the documentation related to the breeding of your dog. You should also get confirmation documents that indicate the puppy you buy has been tested for health issues.

Never use unsecured methods to make payments

You need to be careful at the time of making the payments to the dog breeder. You should refrain from sending money through unsecured payment methods such as MoneyGram and Western Union. If things don’t go according to how you expect, you will not be able to get back your money. Hence, you must always use a debit card or a credit card, where you can open a dispute against the transaction. You should also ask for the merchant number of the breeder before you handover the credit card number. Then you can call the credit card company and make sure that you are dealing with a legitimate seller.

Look for the warning signs

There are some warning signs, which you need to keep in mind while dealing with an online puppy breeder. For example, you need to make sure that the breeder is from your local area. Your breeder should be willing to develop a healthy conversation with you. On the other hand, the breeder should be able to provide personalized photos to you based on your requests.

If you can keep these tips in mind, you can buy your puppy safely online.

Top 10 Rescue dogs and Rescue dogs websites

We ranked the best Rescue dogs websites so that you can find what you need.

Last updated: 2024-10-28

Rank

Provider

Description & Features

Site

1

★★★★★

481 Data points

Rescue Me! ― Adopt Dogs, Cats and More ―
Rescue Me! ― Adopt Dogs, Cats and More ―
"Click here to view thousands of rescue dogs, cats, horses and birds. Individuals, rescue groups & shelters can post animals free." ― ♥ RESCUE ME! ♥ ۬

2

★★★★★

445 Data points

Dog Adoption :: Search by breed, size, age and location.
Dog Adoption :: Search by breed, size, age and location.
Dog Adoption - Save a life, adopt a dog. We are a non-profit helping promote dog adoption by working with local dog rescues. Anything Look…Weird? For the best experience, we recommend you upgrade to the latest version of Chrome or Safari. ...

3

★★★★★

412 Data points

OREGON DOG RESCUE
OREGON DOG RESCUE
Oregon Dog Rescue is a no-kill shelter serving the greater Portland, Oregon area. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization started in 2007 by two women with a combined twelve years of experience with rescue dogs. Oregon Dog Rescue is devoted to placing dogs in the best homes and assuring the long-term success of the adoption.

4

★★★★

381 Data points

Adoptable Dogs in Your Local Shelter l Adopt a Pet l ASPCA
Adoptable Dogs in Your Local Shelter l Adopt a Pet l ASPCA
Thinking about adopting a four-legged friend? Check out our nationwide database of dogs looking for good homes. Search by zip code to meet available dogs in your area! If you live in New York City, don't forget to check out the dogs available at our ASPCA Adoption Center. Powered by RescueGroups.org

5

★★★★

353 Data points

Joyful Rescues - Non-profit Animal Rescue Group
Joyful Rescues - Non-profit Animal Rescue Group
Joyful Rescues is a non-profit 501c3 animal rescue group operating in the Olean, Buffalo and Rochester, NY areas - helping homeless, unwanted or neglected dogs, cats, puppies and kittens find forever homes.

6

★★★★

327 Data points

Petfinder
Petfinder
Petfinder has helped more than 25 million pets find their families through adoption. Search our extensive list of dogs, cats and other pets available for adoption and rescue near you.

7

★★★★

303 Data points

- California Dog Rescue - ADOPTIONS - Rescue Me!
- California Dog Rescue - ADOPTIONS - Rescue Me!
"Click here to view Dogs in California for adoption. Individuals & rescue groups can post animals free." - ♥ RESCUE ME! ♥ ۬

8

★★★

280 Data points

Adopt | Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
Adopt | Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
Adopt . 15,000 Animals and Counting. Lucky Dog is committed to finding loving forever homes for each of our dogs and cats. Our customized adoption process is designed to find the best fit for adopters, whatever they may be looking for. ... ©2019 Lucky Dog Animal Rescue Lucky Dog is a 501c3 Non-Profit Rescue Organization ...

9

★★★

260 Data points

Search Rescue Dogs and Puppies - PetRescue
Search Rescue Dogs and Puppies - PetRescue
Give up just one cup to help rescue pets every month. It only takes a minute, and as little as $5 a month (a cup of your daily coffee), to give rescue pets the very best chance of finding the love and care they need for life. Your kind gift will support PetRescue’s animal welfare programs and free ...

10

★★★

240 Data points

Dog Rescue ― ADOPTIONS
Dog Rescue ― ADOPTIONS
Dog Rescue Information: Dogs have a reputation for being "man's best friend" for excellent reasons. Dogs are wonderful companions. Many breeds, in addition to being affectionate, devoted members of the family, are useful working dogs and guardians.

Rescue dogs videos considered

We analyzed 4,634 hours of the most informative Rescue dogs videos. These videos stood out the most:

Local Rescue dogs near you

Muddy Paws Rescue

Manhattan, NY 10003

AMA Animal Rescue

Brooklyn, NY 11223

In Our Hands Rescue

New York, NY 10003

See Spot Rescued

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Pupstarz Rescue

New York, NY 10001

Sean Casey Animal Rescue

153 E 3rd St, Brooklyn, NY 11218

Stray From The Heart

New York, NY 10001

Bideawee

410 E 38th St, New York, NY 10016

Waggytail Rescue

New York, NY 10002

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This comparison site is made up of our own opinions and views. The ranking is determined at our discretion and is not to be used for accuracy purposes. We can provide this service at no charges thanks to a combination of referral fees and advertising income we receive from various publishers and service providers. These payments may affect our rankings and the score we assign to websites, products, and vendors. Our ratings do not imply endorsement of any kind. This website's information, rankings, and vendor list is subject to change without notice at any time.