Processing Adoptions

How Adoptions Work

Adoptions are processed directly from adopter profiles. All adoption activities happen on the adopter's profile page.

Before You Can Process an Adoption

Before you can process an adoption:

1. The adopter must have an active profile in your system
2. The adopter must have at least one pet marked as "Prospective" (interested but not yet adopted)
3. The adopter must be in "Active" status (not pending, on hold, do not adopt, suspended, or inactive)

Starting an Adoption from the Adopter Profile

Accessing the Adoption Feature

1. Navigate to the adopter's profile page
2. Look for the "Adopt" button in the profile header
3. This button only appears when:
   • The adopter has prospective pets assigned
   • The adopter is in active status
   • You have the necessary permissions

Initiating the Adoption Process

1. Click the "Adopt" button
2. A QR code modal will appear first, offering two options:
   • Scan QR Code: Allow the adopter to complete the process on their own device
   • Continue on This Device: Process the adoption on your current device

Using the QR Code Option

The QR code allows adopters to complete the process on their own phone:

Benefits of QR Code Adoption

• Adopters can complete paperwork on their own phone
• Reduces wait times at your facility
• Provides a contactless adoption experience
• Automatically syncs with your system when completed

How It Works

1. The adopter scans the QR code with their phone
2. They're taken to an adoption page
3. They review terms, add optional donations, and complete payment
4. The adoption updates in your system
5. You're notified when it's complete

Continuing on Current Device

If you prefer to process the adoption on your computer:

1. Click "Continue on This Device"
2. You'll be guided through the adoption steps:
   • Terms acceptance
   • Optional donation
   • Payment processing
   • Confirmation

Reviewing External Applications

External applications require your approval before proceeding with adoptions:

Identifying External Applications

1. External applications are marked with a "Pending" status in the Adopters list
2. You can filter to see only external applications by selecting "External" in the filter dropdown

Reviewing an Application

1. Click on the adopter's name to open their profile
2. At the top of their profile, you'll see an alert banner indicating this is an external application
3. Review all the information provided in their application

Approving an Application

To approve an external application:

1. From the adopter's profile with the alert banner
2. Click the "Approve" button
3. The adopter's status will change to "Active"
4. You can now proceed with the normal adoption process

Declining an Application

If you need to decline an application:

1. From the adopter's profile with the alert banner
2. Click the "Decline" button
3. The adopter's status will change to "Suspended"
4. The application remains in your system for record-keeping

Managing Prospective Pets

Before processing an adoption, you need to assign pets to the adopter:

Adding Pets to an Adopter

1. From the adopter's profile, locate the "Prospective Pets" section
2. Click the "+ Add Pet" button
3. In the modal that appears:
   • Search for available pets
   • Select one or more pets
   • Click "Add to Adopter"
4. The pets will appear in the prospective pets list

Managing Pet Assignments

• Remove a Pet: Click the X button next to any prospective pet
• View Pet Details: Click on the pet's name to see their full profile
• Pet Status: Only pets with "Available" status can be added as prospective

Tracking Adoption Progress

The system automatically tracks adoption status:

Adopter Statuses

• Active: Ready to adopt, has no restrictions
• Pending: Application awaiting review
• On Hold: Can keep current animals but shouldn't receive new assignments
• Do Not Adopt: Flagged and not allowed to adopt
• Suspended: Suspended from adopting
• Inactive: No longer actively able to adopt

What Happens During QR Code Adoption

When someone scans the QR code:

1. The adopter profile shows a "Processing Adoption" message
2. The page refreshes when the adoption completes
3. Adopted pets move from "Prospective" to "Adopted" section
4. The adoption record is created

Adding Notes to Applications

Throughout the process, you can add notes to keep track of important information:

1. From the adopter's profile, locate the "Notes" section
2. Enter your notes in the text field
3. Save the changes to the adopter's profile

Converting Fosters to Adopters

Sometimes a foster caregiver may want to adopt a pet they're fostering. PawPlacer makes this conversion simple:

1. From the foster's profile, click the menu (three dots) and select "Convert to Adopter"
2. Choose whether to:

• Maintain their foster status (dual role)
• Convert them exclusively to an adopter

3. Optionally select an adopter template if you use custom forms
4. Confirm the conversion
5. The system will:

• Create a new adopter profile
• Move any actively fostered pets to adopted status
• Update the pet records appropriately

Managing Dual Role Contacts

When someone serves as both a foster and adopter:

1. Their profile will show a "Dual Role" indicator at the top
2. You can switch between their adopter and foster profiles
3. To revert them to foster-only:

• Click the menu (three dots)
• Select "Revert to Foster-Only"
• Confirm your decision
• Note: Any adopted pets will remain as adopted

Adoption Completion and Records

Once an adoption is processed:

What Happens After Adoption

1. Pet status changes to "Adopted"
2. Pet is removed from available pets list
3. An adoption record is created with:
   • Adoption date and time
   • Payment information
   • Donation amount (if any)
   • Record that terms were accepted

Accessing Adoption Records

1. From the adopter profile, view the "Adopted Pets" section
2. Click on any adopted pet to see the full adoption record
3. Or navigate to Adoptions in the main menu to see all records

Post-Adoption Actions

• Print adoption receipt
• Send confirmation email
• Download adoption certificate
• Process any returns if needed

Adoption Settings and Customization

Configure your adoption process in Settings:

Adoption Forms

1. Go to Settings > Adoption Form
2. Customize the adopter application form
3. Add custom fields as needed
4. Set required vs. optional fields

Adoption Fees

1. Go to Settings > Adoption Fees
2. Set default fees by pet type
3. Create special fee categories
4. Configure payment processing options

Terms and Conditions

1. Go to Settings > Adoption Terms
2. Update your adoption agreement
3. Set terms that adopters must accept
4. Configure language for different regions

Related Topics

Learn more about:

• Creating public adoption links to allow self-service adoptions
• Managing adoption records for completed adoptions
• Tracking adoption history for both pets and adopters