Adoptions

Open the Adoptions hub

Click Adoptions in the left nav. The hub organizes everything across seven tabs: Adoption pipeline (active applications), Follow-ups, Trial adoptions, Needs linking (adopted animals whose adopter isn't tied to a contact record yet -- link or create one so the adoption shows up on that person's profile), Archive (closed and declined applications), Events, and Foster Matchmaker. Agreements aren't a separate tab -- they're managed inline within each application.

How applications arrive

Every application is tied to a specific animal -- there's no general, animal-less application in Fosterling.

• Public adopter gallery -- people browsing your public-facing animal listings click "Apply to adopt" on an individual animal. The application is pre-linked to that animal.
• From a contact's profile -- if someone's already in your system as an adopter, open their contact record and add a new application for them, picking from your currently available animals. Handy when an existing adopter wants to apply for a second animal.

New applications appear with an Under review status badge and send an email notification to coordinators and admins. On submission, Fosterling also runs an AI match score comparing the applicant to the animal (with its reasoning shown on the application) and, where both have personality narratives on file, an AI "vibe check" comparing the two. If the applicant is marked Do not adopt on your do-not-adopt list, the application is auto-declined instead of landing in Under review -- a Flagged applicant still lands in Under review, with a warning banner for staff.

Reviewing an application

1. 1
   From the Adoption pipeline tab, click an application card to open it.
2. 2
   Review the applicant's answers -- household info, experience with animals, living situation, references.
3. 3
   Use the Notes field to log your impressions. Notes are internal and not visible to the applicant.
4. 4
   If your rescue requires them, log a Home visit, Background check, or Trial checkpoint. These are optional steps tracked within Under review, not separate stages -- the application's status stays Under review while you work through them.

Approving an applicant

1. 1
   When you're ready to approve, open the application and click Approve.
2. 2
   The application's status updates to Approved and the applicant receives an email letting them know.
3. 3
   Schedule a meet-and-greet or home visit if your rescue requires one. You can log the outcome directly on the application.

Collecting the fee and signing the agreement

Agreements are available to every plan -- there's no plan gate on e-signing. The moment an application's status flips to Approved, Fosterling automatically emails the adopter a single combined link that covers both the adoption agreement and the fee -- no separate manual step needed for the common case.

• New agreement / Resend to adopter -- if the adopter needs a fresh link (it expired, or they lost the email), open the application and click Send agreement & fee to adopter to resend it.
• Collect $X → -- this button on the application copies a Stripe checkout link to your clipboard for staff to send themselves (by text, chat, or however you're already in touch). It does not email the adopter on its own.
• Mark paid -- if you collected cash or an offline payment, click Mark paid on the application and attach proof of payment.

You can see the agreement's signing status (Sent, Viewed, Signed) right on the application. Once signed, the agreement is stored on the application and you receive a copy via email.

Closing an adoption

1. 1
   With the agreement signed and the adoption complete, click Mark as adopted on the application (or from the animal's record Outcome tab).
2. 2
   The animal's status updates to Adopted and it is removed from the public gallery.
3. 3
   On the closed application, click Add success story to add a photo and caption -- post it to your Outreach page from the same modal.

Declining an application

To decline, open the application and click Decline. You can include an optional note to the applicant. Declined applications are archived and no longer appear in the active queue.

Can I have multiple applicants for the same animal?

Yes. Multiple people can apply for the same animal, and you can review them in parallel. Once you approve one and close the adoption, the others are automatically notified that the animal has been placed.

How do applicants know their application status?

Fosterling sends automated email updates when status changes: under review, approved, adopted, and declined. You can also message them directly from the application.

Can I customize the adoption application form?

Yes -- go to Settings > Intake & programs > Forms to add, remove, or reorder questions.

Where do I find old (closed) adoptions?

The Archive tab in the Adoptions hub shows all historical and declined applications. You can search by adopter name, animal name, or date range.

What if the adopter wants to return the animal?

Open the animal's record (search by name), go to the Outcome tab, and log a returned-to-owner outcome. If the animal is going back into your adoptable pool, drag its card back to Available on the tracking board. The return is logged with a date for your records.