Frequently Asked Questions

Feed means we stabilize dogs and support community caregivers with food and basic resources. Fix means we prioritize spay/neuter, vaccines, and medical care. Network means we work with fosters, transporters, rescue partners, and community contacts to find the safest path forward for each dog.

No. Rovers Return is a field-based rescue and does not have a facility. Our goal is to keep dogs out of overcrowded shelters whenever it is safe to do so by stabilizing them through feeding support, spay/neuter, medical care, rescue networking, foster homes, and education.

We focus heavily on practical field work: helping stray, abandoned, and lost dogs in underserved communities, coordinating emergency fosters, transporting dogs to safety, and advocating for better solutions before shelter intake becomes the only option.

Start by browsing our available dogs on the Adopt page. When you find a dog you are interested in, submit the adoption application and include the dog's name.

Adoption fees are $450 for puppies up to 1 year old, $350 for dogs 1-3 years, $280 for dogs 3-7 years, and negotiable for seniors over 7 years. These fees are a partial reimbursement, not profit. They help cover veterinary exams, vaccines, spay/neuter surgery, microchips, deworming, medications, food, boarding, transport, training support, supplies, cleaning, and emergency care. Learn more on our Adoption Fees Explained section.

No. We do not operate on a waitlist. Our priority is matching each dog with the most suitable home based on the dog's needs, temperament, and history. You can read more about this on our adoption process page.

You must be pre-approved before adopting at an event, including a completed application and home check. We do not approve adoptions on the spot. Upcoming rescue updates and events are posted on our News page.

We review your application, complete a home check, coordinate a meet and greet, and may ask additional screening questions depending on the dog's breed, behavior, or specific needs. If approved, you sign an adoption contract and submit the non-refundable adoption fee. The full step-by-step overview is on the Adopt page.

Yes. Our Adopter Resources include welcome-home, crate training, potty training, puppy vaccine, chewing, and shy-dog guides. These are especially helpful during the first days and weeks at home.

No — we don't place two puppies from the same litter into the same home. Raising littermates together often causes "Littermate Syndrome" — an intense bond between the two dogs that leads to separation anxiety, training difficulties, and fear or aggression problems as they mature, which significantly increases the risk that one or both dogs are returned.

As a foster, you provide temporary care, structure, patience, and a safe home while a dog gets ready for adoption. We provide supplies, medical support, and guidance. Learn more on the Foster page.

Foster periods vary depending on each dog and placement timeline. We share expectations before placement and keep communication active.

We provide veterinary care, food if needed, equipment such as crates, collars, and leashes, and full support throughout the foster period.

Foster homes provide a safe home, patience, routine, basic training and structure, and transportation to vet appointments when possible.

Often, yes. We work with you to find a dog who may be compatible with your existing pets, and the home visit helps us understand the safest match. The Foster page explains the process and expectations.

Yes. If you fall in love with your foster dog, you have first right of refusal to adopt.

Yes. Rovers Return Dog Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 93-4980596).

We need volunteers for field support and humane trapping, transport, adoption events, fundraising, outreach, and operations support. Visit the Volunteer page and contact us with your interests.

You can donate through PayPal, GoFundMe, Amazon Wish List, Chewy Wish List, Zelle, Venmo, vehicle donation, or sponsorship opportunities. The current options are listed on the Donate page.

Yes. Sponsorships can support rescue vehicle needs, team shirts, and field operations through structured partnerships. See our Sponsorship Opportunities page for details.

If it is safe, try to contain the dog, check for identification, have the dog scanned for a microchip, and notify the shelter because that is often where the owner will look first. Do not give the dog away unless it is to the owner. Our step-by-step guidance is on the Found a Stray Dog page.

Do not call out, chase, corner, or approach a scared loose dog. Note the time, area, direction of travel, color, breed, collar or leash, and whether the dog appears sick or injured. If safe, take a photo or video and contact Animal Control or us with details. Our Lost Dog Recovery page explains why patience and consistency matter.

Use our Found Dog Notices page to share details so owners can connect and reclaim their dog safely.

We use humane recovery methods such as feeding stations, familiar scent items, trail cameras, patient monitoring, and safe live traps. We do not chase or corner dogs. Learn more on the Lost Dog Recovery page.

Do not chase the dog. Leave food and water out, put out familiar scent items such as bedding or worn clothes, post on local lost pet pages, and write down the time and location of any sightings.

Keep your dog indoors in a quiet, secure area during fireworks, make sure their collar has an ID tag, and confirm their microchip information is current in case they get spooked and run. If your dog goes missing after fireworks, check our Lost Dog Recovery page for next steps.

The sooner we know, the more we can do. We're not just finding a home for one dog — we're finding homes for many dogs while continuing to care for the ones already with us. Early notice gives us time to find foster homes, network with other rescues, locate adopters, and build a safe plan. The more time we have, the more lives we can save.

Tell us as soon as possible, even before it becomes urgent. Waiting until the last minute puts the same pressure on us that you're feeling. Reach out through our Dogs Needing Placement page to start the conversation early.

Tell us immediately if your dog is pregnant, and don't wait until the puppies need homes to reach out. Early notice lets us prepare spay/neuter, vaccines, and safe placements before the litter is ready to leave.

These are courtesy placement listings shared after rescue evaluation for dogs needing urgent safe placement. Case-specific details are added as they are verified by our team. View current listings on the Dogs Needing Placement page.

Placement listings may include whether temperament has been evaluated, whether the dog is fully vaccinated, whether the dog is spayed or neutered, and owner or guardian contact information provided with the inquiry.

Rovers Return Dog Rescue serves Riverside County, California, including field rescue, lost dog recovery, spay/neuter support, medical care, rescue networking, fostering, adoption, education, advocacy, and community support.