5 Best Goldendoodle Rescues For Adoption In New Jersey (NJ)

Ideally, every Goldendoodle ever born finds a loving and caring home. Unfortunately, that does not happen, and often, unwanted or neglected dogs end up in animal shelters. In the worst-case scenarios, euthanasia awaits the animals.

Thankfully, several organizations do Goldendoodle rescue in NJ as well as rescuing many other dogs. Their mission is to place every dog they receive in loving and caring homes. 

5 Best Goldendoodle Rescues for Adoption in New Jersey

If you are on the market for a Golden Retriever and poodle mix or any other rescue dog and you live in NJ, there several nearby rescues where you might find your new best friend. Here are the four best organizations that provide Goldendoodle rescue in NJ.

1. Pawsitively Furever Dog Rescue

Pawsitively Furever Dog Rescue is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. It holds up thanks to donations of money, supplies, and volunteer time. The organization also charges a basic adoption fee and other fees related to Goldendoodle rescue and adoption details. 

Their specific mission is to “save animals at risk of euthanasia.” The organization has been around since 2013 and has saved and re-homed over 3,000 dogs. While Pawsitiviely is not a Goldendoodle rescue by definition, it takes in dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes from the Tri-state area and southern states. 

This is a favorite rescue operation that occasionally gets Goldendoodles. They also provide a pictorial of all available animals. Pawsitively requires you to fill out an application for any meet and greet of a potential companion animal. 

Their Adoption Process

There are a few quirks about how they handle adoption. First, you need a limited refundable deposit for all meet and greet appointments. They deduct the fee from the adoption fee at the time of the adoption.

Another unique thing is the emphasis the organization puts on making sure the adoption animals owners prepare to handle whatever animal they choose. They give adoptive pet parents a packet with lots of great information about pet care, from puppy status onward. 

• Screening – Rescue operation personnel are extremely serious about their screening process and emphasize finding the right home for the right animal to reduce returns. You will have to provide references and a veterinarian contact. The organization makes clear on their website that they contact everyone they ask for information on. 
• Contact Information – You must follow their process, rules, and procedures if you apply, or they will disqualify your application. They require the standard pet adoption information (Home info, prior pets info, references, and the like). You must submit contact information for your landlord or leasing agent. 
• References – Personnel from the dog rescue operation will attempt to contact the landlord or leasing agent twice. If they do not hear back, they disqualify your application. If they disqualify your application, there is no appeal process, and you must reapply.
• Background Check – You must be 25 years old or older to adopt. They will also run a background check process on you. If the background check is a concern, it is best to ask them upfront what it entails. On their website, they only state that they do one.

All the animals they get come from contacts in shelters or rescues. Any dog they take in receives a medical screening and treatment for any health issues, including vaccines and disease treatment. Because of the nature of their average intake dog, many have physical, health, and age-related issues. They spay or neuter the dogs if that has not happened. 

2. Paws Dog Rescue of New Jersey

Paws Dog Rescue is a dog rescue organization committed to saving dogs whose owners have given them up, are at risk of euthanasia, or have suffered abuse and neglect. The organization works closely with other shelters and rescue organizations to create a strong network to save and re-home as many dogs as possible. 

While the organization doesn’t specialize in Goldendoodles, they rescue new dogs regularly, and all of them are perfect contenders for a loving home.

Aside from adoption, Paws Dog Rescue allows families to foster dogs. Before anyone can jump in to apply, the shelter offers a detailed brochure on the fundamentals of fostering a dog, so prospective foster families know exactly what to expect in the process, and what is expected of them.

Their Adoption Process

The foster application process is thorough. It begins with a clear disclaimer that every dog has its unique characteristics and needs, reiterating that its goal is simply to make the best match possible. 

Each dog at the rescue center is spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Upon adoption, new dog owners receive one month’s pet insurance, an at-home training session, and a welcome basket – all for free!

As for the adoption process itself, Paws Dog Rescue requires basic information as well as

• The number of people in the household
• Prospective plans of moving
• Number and age of children in the household
• Any other pets in the household

Beyond this, the organization asks a range of care-related questions to accurately assess the capabilities of prospective adopters. 

The process itself is considerably in-depth and, in doing so, only allows their dogs to be adopted by certified caring, loving, and responsible people. 

3. Home For Good Dog Rescue

Home for Good Dog Rescue operates as a nonprofit (501 (c)(3) and brings dogs in from shelters in the south. Their process is to bring the dogs from areas with high euthanasia rates down south to their rescue facility and start the process of placing. Since its inception, Home for Good Dog Rescue has placed over 10,000 dogs and provided them with adoptive homes.

They are a 100 percent foster-based dog rescue, which means they move the animals into a foster-home environment as soon as they can. The animals go through routine medical checkups, including making sure they spay and neuter the dogs and have had all their shots. Once that is over, they move the dogs into foster care until someone adopts them.

Their Adoption Process

The Home for Good Dog Rescue has a fairly routine application process. An application fee is due upon application submission. The application fee includes a collar and leash, microchip identification, vaccines, spay and neuter if necessary, heartworm, tick, and flea prevention. Volunteers review the application, check references, and with the landlord.  

They also require you to have any other animals in your home vaccinated. 

This rescue operation does not specialize in Goldendoodles. They do take in a lot of dogs, so checking in with them regularly is a good idea. Your application is good for six months at which time you must reapply to adopt.

One part of the process is that during meet and greet meetings, anyone living in your home must be with you for the meeting. That includes children, your spouse if applicable and any other canines you own. The dog must be an obvious good fit for the adoption to go through. 

4. Real Dog Rescue in New Jersey

Real Dog Rescue takes in dogs regardless of breed, color, age, or medical condition. Their organization emphasizes foster-based rescue until adoption. Dogs that come into their care get routine and specialized medical care. 

Dogs also get behavioral training as they are slowly molded into friendly animals ready for adoption. Getting a dog ready for adoption is a challenge if the dog suffered from neglect or abuse.

The rescue is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization. It survives solely on donations and gifts. Both can be in the form of cash, supplies, or volunteering. There is a list of items that the organization will accept as donations.

Their Adoption Process

There is an application fee. The fee covers spaying and neutering, testing, vaccines, and addressing any other health care needs. The applications process includes checking:

• References
• Your veterinarian
• Home visits
• Working with a volunteer to find a dog that is a good fit

Real Dog Rescue does not specialize in Goldendoodles, but you should check in with them often because they do them occasionally. You will have a contact that you will work with to place a dog with you.

5. Atlantic County Canines (ACC) in New Jersey

The Atlantic County Canines Rescue group rescues Goldendoodles and other dogs that are in danger of being euthanized in overcrowded shelters. 

The organization gets all its funding from donations and charge adoption fees based on the medical care that the dog needed. So, you can expect to spend from $75 to $400 on a Goldendoodle, depending on its medical needs.

Their Adoption Process

Many ACC Goldendoodles live in foster care before they find a loving home, so they’re able to give you a good idea about a dog’s disposition before you adopt it. 

After receiving your application, the organization will do a vet history check with your vet. If you and the dog appear to be a good match, ACC will schedule a home visit. If you also have young children in your home, you also must have a secured fence in your yard.

If you want to see if ACC has any Goldendoodles available for adoption, take a look at their listings on Petfinder and listings on Adopt-a-Pet.

Goldendoodle Adoption Advice

Owning an adopted animal always requires a special touch and caring. If you are looking for a Goldendoodle, you already probably know about their size and boundless energy as well as why they make such great pets.

What you may not know, though, particularly if this is your first Goldendoodle, is the unique set of skills needed to ensure your Goldendoodle ownership is as mutually beneficial for you, your family, and the dog as possible. 

Here’s some general advice on why it is a good idea to adopt a rescue animal, what you can expect with one, and how you both can meet any challenges that arrive.

Why Adopt Rescues?

The best answer to that is because they need you and you want them. You may not know the exact dog you want or have in your mind what its exact personality will be like. You do, though, know that you want a dog to love and care for. Rescue animals, of all animals, need both of those things.

Another reason is that there is a surplus of dogs in shelters and rescues across the country. Why not get one from a shelter and give it a second chance? You give the animal a new lease on life by adopting it and you ensure that it gets the love and attention it deserves. 

Advice Before Adopting

In addition to whatever challenges your new Goldendoodle brings to the table because of the type of dog they are and their situation in life, there are also several practical things that you should know to help you give them the best life possible.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for your Goldendoodle adoption.

If You Have Children

Goldendoodles are exceptionally patient and always up for a good time. If you have young children, you do not need to worry about the dog, as long as your children understand they need to be gentle with it. While a Goldendoodle is a patient breed with children, every animal has its limits.

Additionally, when your children play with or pet the dog, they need to remember it is a big dog that frequently does not realize how big it is. While your dog will not intentionally hurt anyone, they can inadvertently knock things and people over or step on either and do damage and never quite understand how.

As a parent and Goldendoodle caretaker, you need to teach your kids how to behave around the dog. You also need to learn the warning signs from the dog if it is getting irritated, upset, or anxious. Understanding when your animal is getting anxious lets you head off any potential conflicts.

Set Behavior Limits

Most rescue dogs will very quickly try and establish a territory in your home. Unless you are ok with the dog going where it wants, you will need to set boundaries to avoid behavioral issues. 

The boundaries should prevent the dog from entering the restricted area, not merely make it difficult for them to do so. If you do not set limitations very quickly, your Goldendoodle will take over the entire house.

Dog Proof Like You Would Child Proof

Before you bring your new pet home, you will need to Goldendoodle-proof your space. A good way of figuring out what you need to do is to follow the same type of checklist as you would when you childproof a home. Cover any electrical outlets and floor level cabinets should have safety latches, clothes picked up and put away.

Goldendoodles are very inquisitive and that means that left to their own devices, they will get into lots of stuff if it is not secured. Goldendoodles will get into any food they can find, so move any food above the level where they can reach. In addition, you should place breakable objects out of the animal’s reach, including when they are standing up on their hind legs.

Maintain Contact with the Rescue

The personnel you interact with at the rescue know your dog. They also are experts at managing animals. If you are having issues with your new pet, call the dog rescue and ask them if they have any advice. 

While they will not likely train you in Goldendoodle management, they will have ideas on general animal behavior and how to mold it.

Cost of Adopting

Generally, every dog rescue operation will have an application fee that covers medical checkups, shots, and any other expenses related to caring for the dog while it stays at the dog rescue facility. In addition, there might be a fee to set up a visitation with a dog. The application fee varies from organization to organization but it will run you several hundred dollars. 

The application fees also go for the general administration of the operation. That covers transporting shelter dogs, any facilities management, and paying staff.

Tips on Gaining Rescue Approval

Be honest on your application and when answering any questions. If dog rescue personnel do a home visit, straighten up by all means, but no one expects your home to be pristine. A lived-in home is more desirable for a rescue dog primarily to help reduce any potential stress.

Another tip to gain approval is to make your love of animals clear. Most rescue personnel and volunteers tend to animals and want them to be in homes that are a good match. 

Finally, give your landlord if you have one and any personal references a heads up that dog rescue personnel may call them. You do not want the landlord to refuse the call because the phone number is not familiar or to miss out on a rave review from a reference because they were unable to discuss your pet owner’s qualities when the rescue calls. 

Advice for New Pet Caretakers

Remember that as you adjust to having your new dog, they are adjusting to you and your new surroundings. That might make them stressed, irritable, or even frightened. Patience with a new pet is vital to making sure the pet acclimates correctly. 

Getting them into a routine as soon as possible is also a good idea. Routines give both you and your new pet structure, which will make the entire acclimation process go smoother.

Take your time with introductions to other people or animals. Remember everything you encounter is new to the Goldendoodle. Ease them into social interactions and let them dictate how those go.

Moreover, you can also try to look for rescues in other nearby places such as Florida (Fl) and Georgia (Ga).

Final Thoughts

Did you enjoy our list? If you are thinking about Goldendoodle rescue and adoption in NJ, refer to this article as a guide. Not only will the tips mentioned help you get approved, but they will also help you with the management of your pet. 

If you have comments on the article or some tips of your own about Goldendoodle rescue in NJ, make sure you send us a comment section.