Adopting as a student
Are you considering adopting as a student?
Thank you for opening your heart and your home to a rescued animal. There are thousands of animals awaiting their furever homes, and if you're serious about committing to a rescued animal, we highly recommend you visit our list of Los Angeles rescues or contact local rescues/shelters in your area.
If you're considering adopting your Woof On Campus foster, please contact your foster liaison. Woof On Campus cannot guarantee an animal to anyone, but we will support and recommend our fosters with a demonstrated bond and commitment to their foster pets.
Remember, when deciding to adopt any pet, you're committing to their health and wellbeing for the next 10-15 years. Vet bills add up, your housing could be unpredictable, and life can change in an instant. Adopting an animal is not temporary.
Puppies are a handful, especially as a college student. Imagine raising a newborn, but now it's peeing on your carpet, and your roommates are screaming at you. If you think you can handle it and have the necessary experience, by all means, look into adopting a rescue puppy!
We always recommend that college students look into adopting a rescued animal that is at least 1-2 years old. Dogs that are 1-2 are still going to have puppy-like tendencies, so if you're looking for a laid back companion, don't be afraid to adopt an adult or a senior!
There are so many dogs in need of loving homes. If you cannot commit to a dog long-term, consider fostering! Visit our Fostering page to learn more about fostering through Woof On Campus.
SUCCess stories: adopting as a college student
Hayley McDonald
Hayley McDonald
Hayley McDonald
"I adopted Lila because as soon as I saw her sweet face, I knew she needed to come home with me. When I heard her story, I wanted to give her a loving home and a life as a normal dog. Adopting Lila has been the best decision I've made in my college career. She has made my life so much better, and she is a huge stress relief for everyone in our house. I am very fortunate to have incredible roommates who love her as well. If you get the chance to adopt as a college student, you definitely should. It is life changing!"
Yasmine Hekmat
Hayley McDonald
Hayley McDonald
"I started fostering Penny and Blue in November of 2020, and I had zero intentions of adopting a dog. Both of them were pretty small and malnourished when they were initially rescued, so I ended up fostering them for about two weeks to get them ready for adoptions. Everyday I loved Penny more and more, she was such a smart puppy and so obedient from the start. I thought about the logisitics of having a puppy as a college student, and although it does require work, it was all worth it. I didn't know I was going to adopt Penny until I arrived to drop her off at the adoption even and sat in my car sobbing. I immediately signed the paperwork and took Penny home forever! She is my best friend, and I am so happy I foster failed."
Ranhita Bora
Hayley McDonald
Ranhita Bora
"Adopting Scooter has been the best decision I've made in college. He's 5 and having an older dog takes a lot of the stress out of pet ownership since he came to me fully potty-trained. College is really stressful, as most of us have various organizations on top of our schoolwork. Scooter is my little emotional support animal and has made dealing with all the stress so much easier. Every time I'm sad he licks my face 100 times, and he instantly knows my mood. I don't know what I'd do without him, and I'm so grateful to Woof On Campus for connecting us."