Adopt a Dog

We accept applications in January and July and place dogs with adoptive families throughout the year.

Adopting a Career Changer

While all of our dogs are wonderful, not every dog is the right fit for guide work. If a dog is ready for a career change or retirement, we make them available for adoption. Pilot Dogs works with the following breeds, listed here from most to least commonly available for adoption:

  • Labrador Retriever
  • Golden Retriever
  • Standard Poodle
  • German Shepherd Dog

Application and Waitlist Requirements

  • You must be less than a five-hour drive away from Columbus, Ohio.
  • If you are called about an available dog, please move quickly! We require a response within 24 hours.
  • Adoption fees start at $500, which help to cover care, spaying/neutering, and vaccines.

Career Changers are in high demand, and we work hard to find the right family for them. Applications are accepted in January and July, and we have an active list, with a waiting period that can be a year or longer. If you sent in an adoption application and haven’t heard from us, please reapply during the next application cycle. For example, if you applied in July and you were not contacted by January, you will need to reapply. You will retain your spot on the waiting list.

While You Are Waiting

While you are waiting for a call about an available dog, consider applying to be a Co-Pilot or a volunteer! Both your time and your donations are essential to the daily operations and future success of Pilot Dogs.

We know that waiting isn't easy, but we ask that you please don't call to check on the status of your application; because of the size of our waiting list, we aren't able to provide individual updates.

A black Standard poodle sits in front of a brick wall and a bright flower bed.