POLICIES & PROCEDURES

The dogs featured on this site (unless otherwise noted) are housed at a no-kill shelter located in Topanga Canyon near the San Fernando Valley. Over the years, this shelter has taken in thousands of unwanted or abused dogs and cats and have provided them with a safe place to live until they are adopted out into new, loving and responsible homes. At any given time, there are generally 30 large dogs and 40 small dogs finding refuge there.

Our philosophy at Malibu Dog Adoptions is that we believe all animals deserve loving homes with owners that fully understand the responsibility of owning and taking care of a pet. They emphasize that pets are not disposable but instead are a lifetime commitment. In addition to providing a loving home, pet owners must make sure that it is not left alone for hours on end or left outside in a yard all day long or in an unsafe yard where it can escape into an unprotected world.

IT IS THE POLICY OF M.D.A. TO PLACE DOGS AS FAMILY PETS ONLY AND THAT THESE PETS ARE ALLOWED TO SLEEP INSIDE THE HOUSE. Dogs will not be placed for use as guard dogs.

Before any animal is adopted, the prospective owner must complete a questionnaire that outlines where the pet is to live, condition of yard and fencing, other animals or small children in home, and pet owning history. It is our goal to make sure that the right pet goes with the right owner based on the personality of the pet and the living situation and lifestyle of the owner. Many times, it is because the wrong pet is placed in the wrong home that it ends up in a shelter in the first place.

If it looks as though there is a match, then we will request a visit to the home before finalizing the adoption to make sure there are no such things as broken gates, holes in fences, etc. There is an adoption fee that runs between $100 and $150, which covers the costs of shelter, food and medical care while the pet lived at the shelter. In addition, if a dog is not spayed or neutered when it comes to the shelter, we make sure this is done, as well as provide any and all necessary shots.

Each adopter must sign an agreement which allows someone from the shelter to visit at a later date to make sure that all is well. There is also the understanding that if, for any reason, the adoption is not working out, the pet must be returned to the shelter. If the dog is returned within 30 days, the adoption fee will be refunded. After 30 days, we still ask that the dog be returned to us, but no adoption fee will be refunded.

If you are interested in adopting any of the dogs you've seen on this site, please contact:

FOR SMALL DOGS: Joan Miller at 310-459-4047 or Karen Bervert at (818) 703-8055

FOR MEDIUM AND LARGE DOGS: Robby Mazza at 310-457-4346