Adopting a dog in Germany

Hey there, good people of Reddit! I’m searching for some information and perhaps also advice about adopting a dog 🙂 I live in NRW, near Düsseldorf, if that plays a role.

I have a bit of knowledge about the adoption of animals in general (in Poland, that is), since my family was always very animal-friendly. I have almost life-long experience as a dog owner, including dealing with more challenging breeds that need extra training, problems with anxiety and acclimatization after animal shelter, or raising a puppy to a successful polite couch potato lab. That being said, I approach the topic carefully, therefore my questions – more about the organizational part of all that rather than the dogs themselves.

1. Where should I search for a four-legged soul in need of a new home? I suppose going directly to local shelters is one option; what about some trustworthy organizations that manage dog adoption in Germany, also re-homed from other places? There must be also some websites, right? I know about [https://www.edogs.de/](https://www.edogs.de/) but I guess it’s more like a search engine for offers from various places and people, and it’s hard to estimate how legitimate they are. If you have something specific to recommend, please do so!
2. What are the usual formalities/requirements when adopting a dog in Germany? What kind of information will I need to provide and what can be expected to be a part of a contract/agreement, also including potential fees (no idea if that’s a standard or not)?
3. There is no doubt that all animals deserve a safe, warm place to sleep and a caring hand, but unfortunately, I do have limits. Some of them are just simple flexible preferences (size, age, looks, etc.), but others are specified through my capabilities – I can’t financially support a dog with many health issues, and my living situation also makes certain behavioral issues difficult (a rather small apartment in the residential building – but plenty open space for good long walks around). Can I expect the advertisements or people putting the dogs up for adoption to be honest about potential “red flags”?
4. What is a good, well-mannered way to receive a “thumbs up” from my landlord about bringing a (not small) dog into the apartment I’m renting? On paper, it’s allowed after his agreement – which I understand and respect, but I know how wary most landlords are of animals and I would like to have good arguments when talking about it, since when I mentioned it last time, he seemed open for talk but not thrilled. Are there some magic phrases, either pragmatic or legal, that I can use? I consider myself a fair and responsible Mieterin, but I’m at this place only since a couple of months, and of course I want to keep good relation with the landlord.

Thank you for reading and I deeply appreciate your help \^\^

by 93sign