Adoption Policy

We have more than 25 years of experience making permanent placements for thousands of unique pets, and we base our policies on what we know will give them their best chance for success in their new homes. Our careful vetting process may uncover other determining factors, but our adoption policies include, at a minimum, the following :

Adoptions are made only to homes within a 30-mile radius of Portland

Staff or volunteers deliver every dog or cat to his or her new home as it is part of our due diligence process.

Adopters are selected based solely on their ability to best fit the unique needs of the individual animal

Indigo rescues animals with highly-specialized needs, and we work hard to find the home that will best fit the unique needs of each animal. Our decisions will always be based on what is best for the animal and not merely a judgment of the adopter’s fitness as a pet parent. Please do not be offended if you are not selected.

All existing pets in the household must be spayed or neutered

There are no exceptions to this rule. There are numerous health benefits associated with spaying or neutering, and there are far too many unwanted animals due to irresponsible pet owners who do not spay or neuter. For these reasons, we believe spaying and neutering are a hallmark of responsible pet ownership.

We place cats and kittens exclusively in homes where they will live indoor-only, or be allowed outdoors only in a “catio” or cat-secure yard

Outdoor cats face many, many dangers. They are not only at risk from animal attacks and cars, but also from a number of easily transmitted diseases. Cats may not be declawed.

Other than exceptions for certain dogs who are well-suited to live in an apartment or condo, all homes we adopt to must have a securely fenced yard

Of course dogs enjoy having a yard in which to play, but more importantly, a securely fenced yard prevents the very real problem of escape—a common occurrence that can lead to them being hit by a car, impounded at a shelter, or hopelessly lost. Having your fence in good repair, without gaps along the bottom, eliminates this escape risk.

When further training is required to address a dog’s behavioral issues, we will work with you to ensure that follow through

Our pets live in foster homes where they work hard to overcome often years of neglect in their training. For some, continuing with that training is important so that old patterns of behavior do not resurface.

Indigo maintains a lifetime return policy on all of our adoptions

So much time, worry, work and love goes into the rehabilitation of each of our animals that we want to make sure they are well cared for, regardless of the circumstances. If for any reason you cannot continue to care for your Indigo pet, please contact us.