Wellness Wags Assistance Dogs

Not every dog is suited to become a service dog, and that’s okay! At Wellness Wags, we believe every dog has a purpose and deserves a loving home. Some of the dogs in our program may be better suited for a life as a beloved pet. When this happens, we seek out kind, responsible families to adopt them.

Why Are These Dogs Available for Adoption?

Dogs may be adopted out for a variety of reasons:

• They may not meet the strict requirements to become an assistance dog.
• They may have a temperament better suited to life outside of service work.
• They may be retired after a partial or full working career, or disqualified during training due to a medical, health, or due to a behaviour or temperment reason.

These dogs have been raised with care, socialized extensively, and many have had basic training through our volunteer puppy raisers.

What to Expect

While we have rigorous standards that can be challenging to meet, many of the dogs who don’t complete our program will still make exceptional and high quality family pets. When you adopt a dog from Wellness Wags:

• You welcome a well-loved, socialized companion into your life.
• Dogs available for adoption are NOT service dogs, and do not have public access. These dogs are not suitable for adoption to become a service dog in any capacity.
• All dogs wil be spayed or neutered before adoption.
• You support our mission to serve Nova Scotians with disabilities by freeing up resources to train future service dogs.
• Our waitlist for adoptions can take up to 2-3 years.
• Once you submit your adoption application, our team will carefully review your information to understand your lifestyle, preferences, and experience with dogs. We strive to make matches that are in the best interest of both the dog and the adopter. We will contact you when a dog that would be a good fit for your home becomes available!

Who Can Apply?

We’re looking for homes where dogs will be treated like family. Ideal adopters are:

• Committed to positive reinforcement and responsible pet ownership.
• Able to provide regular exercise, mental stimulation, and love.
• Willing to follow any special instructions we provide for the dog’s wellbeing.
• Located in Nova Scotia or willing to travel.

Adoption Fee

At Wellness Wags, our dedicated volunteers are given the first opportunity to adopt dogs from our program. If you’re interested in adopting, we encourage you to consider applying as a volunteer, as volunteers are eligible for a discounted adoption fee.

The adoption fee for each dog reflects the time, training, and resources that have gone into their development. This helps offset some of the substantial costs associated with raising, training, and caring for a future assistance dog.

If a dog has any known health concerns or other special circumstances, this is factored into their adoption fee, and adjustments may be made to ensure they are placed in the right home.