New York, New York
Contact before visiting
Confirm visiting arrangements and animal availability directly. Some rescues use foster homes, appointments, or a mailing address rather than a public shelter.
About this organization
Hearts & Bones Rescue places dogs through foster homes in New York City and Dallas. Its work combines shelter rescue, veterinary preparation, transport and individual adoption matching, including local dogs through NYC Animal Care Centers and dogs brought north from Texas. Foster families help dogs adjust while the team learns about their needs. Dogs receive age-appropriate vaccinations, parasite care and microchips; alteration may be deferred for young puppies, with a deposit refunded after proof of spay/neuter. Ask about the individual dog’s completed care and follow-up. Breed guesses, allergy suitability and behavior in a new home are not guarantees. First-time owners, apartments and homes without yards can be considered, although some dogs need experienced adopters. This entry uses the rescue’s own New York mailing locality, not a public kennel or an additional Dallas campus.
How adoption works
Start the current application linked from Register to Adopt, naming a dog or applying generally. The team usually responds within a few days, but timing and acceptance are not guaranteed; incomplete applications may be rejected. Approved adopters and fosters do not need to repeat the other application, and approval does not expire, but keep household details current. Published adoption fees range from $275 to $550 by age and location, are nonnegotiable and payable in full; the foster-to-adopt FAQ says adoption fees are nonrefundable. Request the individual fee and complete current adoption/return agreement before committing. The reviewed Shelterluv application exposed its first personal-information step; later eligibility, references, home checks, return and refund clauses were not available without supplying personal details. A five-day foster-to-adopt option exists for incoming transport dogs, with blind matching and no behavior guarantee; select dogs already in NYC foster care may qualify individually. Transport matching is generally first-come, with exceptions for known household mismatches. Participants must meet foster/adopter requirements, live within an established partner veterinarian’s emergency coverage, and be able to drive into NYC for events or drop-offs if declining adoption. If declining adoption, they are asked to continue fostering for at least two to three weeks, ideally until placement. Adoption fees are charged if adoption proceeds; foster veterinary coverage follows rescue authorization.
Meeting the animals
Dogs live in private foster homes. Check the rescue’s current event listings for weekend adoption events at varying venues, or ask the adoption team to arrange a meeting with a specific foster dog. Apply first and confirm availability, approval requirements and the meeting location before traveling. The rescue’s own published New York mailing address establishes New York, NY 10002; it is not advertised as a walk-in shelter, and its street is withheld from this foster-based listing. The map will show an approximate postal locality. Adopters outside New York must arrange the required pickup rather than assume delivery.
Areas served
The rescue has New York City and Dallas teams and accepts adopter inquiries across the United States, with pickup in NYC or Dallas; it does not adopt outside the country. New York fosters generally need to live within a one- to two-hour drive and handle city pickup, adoption events and meetings. These foster travel needs do not establish a nationwide adopter mileage limit. Non-rescue owner-surrender requests are considered case by case against capacity, and the team generally does not take in strays. A request does not reserve space; the team may respond only if it can help. The linked surrender route did not expose a usable current intake questionnaire in the reviewed browser body, so ask the team for its applicable agreement rather than arriving with a dog.
Services
Dog adoption, recruited fostering and volunteering. Fosters must be 21 or older, provide food, toys, exercise and patient adjustment, and follow rescue handling guidance. The rescue can supply basic equipment and covers approved veterinary care arranged through its team/partners; this is not a public clinic. Foster dogs need at least three walks daily and should not be alone more than six hours; hired walkers are at the foster’s expense. Dogs are assigned rather than freely selected, with a NYC takeover-dog choice exception. Typical stays are two to three weeks but vary. Give at least a week’s notice to stop, except emergencies; finding a replacement can take longer, and the foster may need to transport the dog. Pending adopter meetings take priority over foster adoption requests. The current linked decompression guide requires crating at night and while unsupervised, supervised gradual introductions after at least three days, initial furniture boundaries and no outdoor off-leash access; ask the team about individual needs. Volunteers must be at least 18 and can help at events, drive locally or work remotely. Behind-the-scenes roles typically need three to four hours weekly. Current full volunteer forms require truthful information, consent to reference checks, no animal cruelty, abuse or neglect convictions, no commercial breeding or dog sales, and a signed certification; false information can void participation. Role acceptance is discretionary. Current FAQ does not recruit volunteers to drive the Texas-to-New York dog transports, although remote transport coordination and local driver roles exist.