If you've ever scrolled past an adoption event post and thought "I'd love to do that someday" - this one's for you. We recently partnered with the amazing team at HelpAWS for an in-store adoption event, and we got the whole thing on camera so you could see exactly what to expect.
Here's a hint: it's not what most people think.
First, Who Is HelpAWS?
HelpAWS is a registered nonprofit with a mission we're genuinely proud to support. They rescue stray, abandoned, and injured animals from the streets of St. Lucia, a small island in the Caribbean where many dogs and cats face near-certain danger from vehicles, starvation, and disease, and find them loving forever homes in Canada and the US.
Their vision is a world where every companion animal is spayed or neutered, and every adoptable animal has a responsible, caring guardian. They fund the difference between adoption fees and actual care costs entirely through donations, which means every event like the one we hosted is powered by the community.
The Journey: From a Caribbean Island to Pet Planet
We'll let Emily from HelpAWS break it down, because she said it best at our event: "Let me tell you what actually happens at an adoption event."
It starts long before the dogs ever set their paws in our store.
Step 1: Rescue. Dogs are pulled off the streets of St. Lucia, where many face near-certain death. HelpAWS takes them in, cleans them up, and begins their medical care- vaccinations, deworming, flea and tick treatments, and a full government health inspection before they're cleared to travel.
Step 2: The flight. The dogs are flown from St. Lucia to Toronto- sometimes via cargo, sometimes accompanied by volunteer "flight parents" making the journey themselves. When they land at Pearson, fosters are there waiting.
Step 3: Foster care. Before any adoption event, every dog is placed with a foster family. This is where they decompress, start learning what home life feels like, and where fosters get a real read on their personality- their quirks, their habits, their energy level, what they eat, how they do with other animals.
Step 4: The event. The fosters bring the dogs into Pet Planet. And this is where most people are surprised by how it actually works.
The Most Important Thing to Know Before You Come
Here's what Emily wants every potential guardian to understand before they walk through our doors:
You don't take the dog home that day.
Adoption events are not a same-day transaction. They're a chance for you to meet the pups, spend real time with them, and, most importantly, talk to their fosters. The fosters are your best resource. They can tell you everything: how the dog does in the morning, whether they're food motivated, if they've shown any anxiety, how they interact with kids or other animals, what their sleep habits are like. It's essentially a full personality briefing you simply can't get anywhere else.
The goal of the event is straightforward: figure out if this dog is genuinely the right fit for your life and for theirs.
Once you've had that time, met the pup, talked to the foster, and feel that this is my dog feeling? That's when you fill out an adoption application and officially start the process.
What to Expect When You Apply
Applications go directly through HelpAWS at helpaws.com/adoption-application. The team wants to understand your lifestyle, your home setup, and what you're looking for in a companion -because they're in the business of forever matches, not fast ones.
A few things worth knowing going in:
Adoption fees range from $625–$1,000, plus a $175 transport fee for animals arriving in Canada. That covers only a fraction of the actual cost per animal — HelpAWS spends between $1,200 and $7,000 per rescue when you factor in medical care, vaccinations, spay/neuter, boarding, and transport. The rest is covered by donations. You're not buying a pet; you're contributing to the cost of giving one a life.
A vet visit is required within the first week. HelpAWS sends every animal home as healthy as possible, but they're upfront that travel and new environments can surface things. A clean bill of health early on sets everyone up for success.
The transition takes time. These dogs are smart and adapt quickly, but they've been through a lot. The ideal guardian is someone who goes in with patience, a solid plan, and realistic expectations. No rescue can promise a perfect dog, but they can set you up to give one an incredible life.
Not Ready to Adopt? Here's How You Can Still Help
Even if a new family member isn't in the cards right now, there are so many ways to support HelpAWS and the animals they work so hard to place:
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Foster a dog while they wait for their forever guardian
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Become a flight parent and travel with an animal on their journey to Canada
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Donate - every dollar goes directly toward animal care
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Follow HelpAWS on social media to stay up to date on who's looking for a home
Visit helpaws.com to learn more or browse the animals currently available for adoption.
Don't Miss Our Next Event
We loved having HelpAWS in the store, and we're absolutely doing it again. These events have a way of filling up fast — and if the energy last time was any indication, you'll want to know about it well before it hits your feed.
The best way to be first to know:
👉 Sign up for our email list - early access to event announcements, dates, and everything you need to prepare before you arrive.
👉 Follow us on Instagram @petplanet.to - real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, and the occasional very good dog.
We'll see you at the next one. 🐾
Pet Planet is located in downtown Toronto. We're proud to partner with rescue organizations like HelpAWS to support our community of passionate animal guardians. Want to learn more about HelpAWS or browse animals currently available for adoption? Visit helpaws.com.