Frequently Asked Questions

We are a foster-based rescue, meaning that our dogs are placed with fosters who generally live within one hour of the Greater Toronto Area. Upon the successful screening of an application, an applicant is invited to meet the dog of interest at the foster’s residence. While we welcome applicants from anywhere in Ontario, you must be prepared to travel, at your expense, to where the foster is located to meet and adopt the dog. 

Based on what we know of the dog’s history, as well as what our fosters have observed, this is what we believe the dog needs in order to really shine! You are welcome to apply anyway, but our process is to find the best match for each dog. 

Unless stated in their bio, they are not cat tested so we cannot say for sure. Our data management system converts unknown to a no, so in most cases it’s an unknown vs. a definite no. 

When we match our dogs with a family, we want it to be their final home. We try our best to learn as much as we can about our dogs, but we rarely know their full history and want to set them, and your family up for success. We realize that this may be disappointing to some, but this is the age we feel comfortable with for most dogs.

The first step is to fill out an application, which can be found on our website, the link in our Instagram bio, or in the post about the dog. The application helps us with matching our dogs with the best possible forever home. We receive several applications for each dog. While we wish we could answer each applicant personally, PAWS Across the Water is an exclusively volunteer-run rescue and we simply don’t have enough time or resources to do so. If your application is selected for screening, we will answer your questions along the way. 

Our turnaround time for processing each adoption is around one week and often sooner. Our team of volunteers is small and we receive numerous applications for each dog, so we are unfortunately unable to individually update each applicant. Please watch our Facebook/Instagram page for updates. When applications close, or a dog is adopted, we will make an announcement there! 

It’s not so much about standing out as it is about being honest. Each dog is unique, and we are looking for the best match for that dog. At the end of the form there is a section where you can tell us more about why you think you’d be a great fit, so you can let your personality and context shine there! 

PAWS Across the Water is a not-for-profit that is run exclusively by volunteers. Depending on the country of origin, age and expenses incurred, our adoption fees can vary. $875 is the adoption fee for most dogs in our care, and we will advise if a higher fee applies. Fees are subject to change based on fluctuating costs such as oil prices, international freight costs, age of dog, veterinary expenses, etc. We’d be happy to tell you the fees for the dog of interest. 

There are many costs associated with preparing a dog for adoption. This includes, but is not limited to: vet visits, vaccines, spay/neutering, food, supplies, flights (some of which are via cargo), and other transportation, administrative costs, supplies, etc. We are a non-profit and 100% volunteer run. We keep our fees as low as possible, with any additional funds being used to rescue or treat the dogs that need us most. 

The first step is to fill out a foster application which can be found on our website or in the link in our Instagram bio. Once we receive your application, one of our volunteers will be in contact to set up a virtual meeting to learn more about you, and to determine if you meet our criteria for fostering. We will also provide information about what fostering entails. 

 Please send an email to adoptions@pawsacrossthewater.ca to advise of the additional dogs of interest. You do not need to complete an application unless we do not find yours on file.