PugHearts of Houston is a non-profit rescue
dedicated to giving unwanted and neglected Pugs a second chance. It
is staffed by a network of volunteers in and around the greater
Houston, TX area.
Some of these volunteers donate their time;
they pick up dogs, drive them to vet appointments, process adoption
applications and help us out at events we attend throughout the
year. Some volunteers open their hearts and homes to our Rescues
and provide safe, loving foster homes for these dogs.
None of our dogs stay in a shelter or kennel. All of our dogs are
in private foster homes throughout the area. They learn to live
(some of them for the first time) in a home with foster siblings
and parents who teach them how to be part of a loving family. These
fosters will try to get them ready for the next phase of their
lives – when they get to join their new forever home!
Interesting in Adopting? Here's what you should
do...
Read the FAQ below. Click the
Pugs? and
Learn tabs
at the top of this website to read more about PugHearts and the
breed. Taking the time to do some research about the breed will
ensure that this is the right breed for you.
Look over the
Our
Dogs section to see if we have a pug available that would
be a good match for you and your family. Any dog listed in this
section is available unless their bio states they are on medical
hold. As soon as a dog is adopted out they are moved to
our
Success
Stories page.
Complete an adoption application using the
Adopt tab on this
website. Be sure to answer every single question as an incomplete
application will not be processed.Remember, there is no obligation
or commitment when you fill out an application. Even if you are
approved, we will not place a pug with you until you (& we!) are
certain you have found the perfect match. To make sure of this we
will conduct a home visit as well a Meet & Greet with you and your
potential adoptee. Our goal is to make sure that our Rescues find
their true
FOREVER home and never find
themselves homeless again.
FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I come see the dogs?
A: No, our dogs do not live at a shelter; they are in private
foster homes.
Q: How will I know which dog is right for
me?
A: Start by reading the bios and looking at the photos of the dog.
If you find one you think you are interested in, complete an
adoption application and list that dog on it. One of our volunteers
will contact you (usually within a week or so) to talk to you about
your application and that dog. If it sounds like a good fit, we
will then arrange a “meet & greet” for you and that dog.
Q: Is there any way I can meet a dog before putting in an
application?
A: If you do not have an approved adoption application on file, we
will not schedule a “meet & greet” for you and a dog. However, we
do try to bring as many of our rescues as possible to the Houston
Pug Meetup. This is held the first Saturday of every month at Danny
Jackson Dog Park. We usually have several volunteers there too who
can answer general questions about
PugHearts.
NO adoptions take place
during the meetups, they are for socialization only.
Q: What if I want a dog but don’t see one on your website
I’d like?
A: Complete the adoption application.
Unfortunately, we always have more dogs coming into our care. If
you complete an application and we have it already approved, then
we can contact you if a dog comes in that meets your request. Also,
if you see one added to our website that you’d like to meet we can
proceed directly to that step – no waiting for your application to
be processed!
Q: How much is it to adopt a dog?
A: There is a
$400 for adults
and
$500 for puppies adoption fee. This
covers all medical expenses for the dog including rabies and other
vaccinations, spay/neuter, heartworm testing and microchipping.
Q: Do I have to pay anything to put in an
application?
A: No. We do not collect the adoption fee until your new furry
family member is with you.
Q: What if I think I want to adopt but I’m not sure
yet?
A: Completing the adoption application does not place you under any
obligation. If you change your mind, just drop us an email or use
the contact form and tell us you would like to withdraw your
application. Or you can tell us you would like to put it “on hold”
until you are sure. There is no commitment when you fill out the
application.
Q: How long does it take to process an adoption
application?
A: Usually 2 -3 weeks, though not always. Processing time varies
depending upon how many applications we have recently received and
how many volunteers we have helping us at the time.
Q: I put in an adoption application but haven’t heard
anything. How do I contact PugHearts?
A: Use the Contact form on our website. We are an all volunteer
staff which means we all work full time jobs and help out in our
free time. One of our volunteers will get back with you shortly,
though not always on the same day.
Q: How do I become a volunteer/foster?
A: Fill out the
Contact form on
our website. Someone will get in touch with you to discuss your
area of interest.
Q: How do I contact PugHearts for more
information?
A: For any general inquiries or comments, please use
our
Contact form to
leave us a message.
Q: How do I contact PugHearts in an
emergency?
A: If you know of a Pug that is in danger, please use
our
Contact form
and select the
“Urgent - Pug In
Danger” option from our drop-down menu. Also, if you
need to surrender a pug or have found a pug that you would like us
to pick up, use the contact form and select the
“I
would like to surrender a pug” selection. If email is not
an option you can contact our Emergency Hotline
at
281-968-4958. Leave a message after the
tone – we will be notified immediately that a message has been left
and we will contact you shortly. Please note that this is an
Emergency Hotline only – messages regarding adoption applications
and general questions should not be left at this number – use the
contact form instead.
Q: I saw a Pug at my local animal control shelter. How do I
let PugHearts know it is there?
A: While PugHearts works very closely with all of the local
shelters and will probably already know about this dog (most
shelters have a mandatory waiting period before the dog can be
released to a Rescue) you may know about one that we haven’t seen.
Please use our Contact form to let us know where you saw a Pug
needing a new home using the “I have information on a Pug needing
help” option. This is also true of online classified ad sites (such
as Craigslist).
Q: I’d like to know when PugHearts will be having a
fundraiser/event – how can I get on your email
list?
A: Come and join us on
Facebook for
up to the minute updates on all events.