Working with Adopters

How Adoptions Start

Adoptions begin from adopter profiles. There's no separate adopter selection step; you work directly from the adopter's profile page.

Creating an Adopter Profile

Before you can process an adoption, you need an adopter profile.

For New Adopters

1. Navigate to Adopters in the main menu
2. Click "+ Add an Adopter" button
3. Fill in the required information:
   • Full name (required)
   • Email address
   • Phone number
   • Address information
   • Housing details
   • Employment information (if applicable)
   • References
4. Click "Add Adopter" to save the profile

For Existing Customers

If someone is already in your system (as a volunteer, donor, etc.), you can still create a separate adopter profile for them. This keeps their different roles organized.

Finding Existing Adopters

To locate an adopter who's already in your system:

1. Go to the Adopters page
2. Use the search bar to find by name
3. Or use filters to narrow down:
   • All: Shows all adopters
   • Active: Active adopters ready for adoptions
   • Pending: New applications awaiting review
   • Inactive: Archived or inactive adopters
   • Denied: Applications that were declined
   • Suspended: Temporarily restricted adopters
   • Blocked: Restricted from future adoptions

Managing Adopter Profiles

Viewing an Adopter Profile

Click on any adopter's name to view their full profile, which includes:

• Contact information
• Housing and employment details
• Prospective Pets: Pets they're interested in
• Adopted Pets: Pets they've already adopted
• Notes and history
• Status indicators

Editing Adopter Information

1. From the adopter's profile, click "Edit"
2. Update any information as needed
3. Click "Update Adopter" to save changes

Managing Adopter Status

You can change an adopter's status to control their ability to adopt:

1. From the adopter's profile, open the action menu
2. Select Change Status
3. Choose the appropriate status:
   • Active: Ready to adopt
   • Pending: Awaiting review
   • Inactive: No longer active (requires a note)
   • Denied: Application declined (requires a note)
   • Suspended: Account suspended (requires a note)
   • Blocked: Restricted from adoptions (requires a note)
4. Add a note if required for certain status changes
5. Save the changes

Inactive adopters are hidden from the main list but their records remain in the system.

Assigning Pets to Adopters

This is a crucial step before processing an adoption:

Adding Prospective Pets

1. From the adopter's profile, open the Pets tab
2. Click Add Pet
3. In the modal:
   • Search for available pets
   • Select one or more pets
   • Click Add Pets to Adopter

Managing Pet Assignments

• View Pet: Click on the pet's name to see their full profile.
• Remove Pet: Click the X button next to any prospective pet.
• Pet Availability: Only pets with "Available" status can be added.

Starting the Adoption Process

Once an adopter has prospective pets assigned:

1. The Adopt button appears in the profile header
2. Click this button to begin the adoption process
3. Choose between:
   • Use PawPlacer Checkout: Generate a QR code and checkout link for the adopter, with an option for staff to continue the checkout from the current device
   • Complete In Person: Record the adoption date, payment method, adoption fee, and optional donation directly

External Applications

When someone applies through your public website:

Reviewing Applications

1. External applications show as "Pending" status
2. Open the adopter's profile
3. You'll see an alert banner at the top
4. Review all submitted information

Approving or Declining

• To Approve: Click Approve
• To Decline: Click Decline

Once approved, the adopter becomes active and you can add pets and process adoptions.

Best Practices

Before Starting an Adoption

1. Verify the adopter's information is complete.
2. Ensure they have prospective pets assigned.
3. Check for any notes or flags on their profile.
4. Confirm they're in "Active" status.

Managing Multiple Adoptions

If an adopter wants multiple pets:

1. Add all pets as prospective first.
2. Use the main Adopt button to include all prospective pets, or start from an individual pet card to process a single pet.
3. The checkout and in-person completion flows use the selected pet list.

Tracking Adoption Interest

Use the notes section to track:

• Which pets they've shown interest in.
• Any special requirements or preferences.
• Follow-up history.
• Home visit results.

Related Topics

• Learn about Processing Adoptions directly from profiles
• Understand Adoption Fees configuration
• Review Payment Methods setup