How to Adopt an American Bully in the United States
To adopt an American Bully in the United States, search local shelters, bully-breed rescues and adoption listings, apply for a dog that fits your home, meet it with your family and any resident dog, and pass the home check before paying an adoption fee, which the American Kennel Club puts at typically $50 to $300. Confirm before you apply that your lease, insurance and city allow a pit bull-type dog, because rescues will ask.
Many Bullies in shelters are not labelled as American Bullies at all. They are often listed as pit bull mixes, and they tend to wait longer for a home than other dogs, which is good news for adopters willing to look past the label.
Key points
- Shelters often label Bullies as pit bull mixes; a 2018 study found visual breed labels at a shelter were often wrong.
- Pit bull-type dogs at that shelter stayed almost twice as long as other dogs before adoption.
- Adoption fees are typically $50 to $300 and usually include vaccines, a microchip and spay or neuter.
- Have written proof that your landlord and insurer accept the dog before you apply.
Where can you adopt an American Bully?
- City and county shelters take in many bully-type dogs. Search for pit bull, bulldog and terrier mixes as well as American Bully.
- Bully-breed rescues usually keep dogs in foster homes, so they can tell you how a dog behaves with children, cats and other dogs.
- Owners rehoming a dog they can no longer keep; see how to take in a rehomed American Bully.
- Breeders sometimes place retired adults or dogs returned to them.
You can search American Bully adoption listings by location and save the search to get alerts when a new dog is listed.
Why do bully-type dogs wait longer in shelters?
A 2018 study by Gunter, Barber and Wynne at the San Diego Humane Society compared staff breed labels with DNA results. Staff matched both the main and second breeds in only about 10 percent of dogs, and pit bull-type dogs stayed an average of 37.5 days before adoption, against 19.7 days for other dogs. The authors advised shelters to describe each dog's looks and behavior rather than guess its breed.
For you, that means judging the dog in front of you. Housing and insurance limits also narrow the homes that can take a Bully, so sorting yours out first makes you a strong applicant.
Should you adopt from a shelter or a rescue?
| Source | What you learn about the dog | Typical process | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public shelter | Kennel behavior and staff notes | Short application, meet, same-week adoption | Adopters who can assess a dog themselves |
| Foster-based rescue | Life in a home with children, pets and visitors | Application, references, home check, meet | First-time Bully owners and families |
| Owner rehoming | Full history from the owner | Questions, meeting, transfer agreement | Experienced owners who can check records |
The FTC advises that real shelters and rescues publish their fees and do not ask for surprise charges, and that you should walk away from anyone who will not let you meet the dog.
What is the American Bully adoption process?
- Fill in the application honestly, including your housing, work hours and other pets.
- Send proof that your landlord, HOA and insurer accept the breed.
- Meet the dog, then arrange a meeting with any dog you already have, usually on neutral ground.
- Have a home check by visit or video; rescues look at fencing, gates and where the dog will sleep.
- Sign the adoption contract and pay the fee, which the AKC puts at typically $50 to $300.
- Collect the dog with its records, microchip details and food.
Some rescues bring dogs from abroad. The CDC requires every dog entering the US to be at least six months old and microchipped, so an overseas Bully puppy offered for adoption does not meet the rules.
What should you check before you adopt an American Bully?
- Local rules: some cities restrict pit bull-type dogs. North Little Rock, Arkansas, for example, bans pit bull breeds and their mixes, and Denver requires a breed-restricted license for pit bulls.
- Insurance: some insurers limit certain breeds, but New York, Nevada and Illinois are among the states that bar refusing cover on breed alone.
- Health: ask about skin problems, breathing, limping, weight and heartworm status, and get the vet records.
- Behavior: ask how the dog does with other dogs, strangers, children and being handled.
- Size: an adult XL can be more than 20 inches tall and very strong, so make sure everyone who walks it can hold it.
What happens in the first weeks with an adopted American Bully?
Many shelters use a 3-3-3 guide: about three days for a new dog to decompress, three weeks to learn your routine, and three months to feel at home.
- Keep the first days quiet, with short walks and few visitors.
- Keep a resident dog and the newcomer apart when you are not watching, and feed them separately.
- Start reward-based training for leash manners and calm greetings.
- Book a vet visit in the first week or two and register the microchip in your name.
- Keep your Bully lean and walk it in the cool of the day in summer; heavy, short-muzzled dogs overheat easily.
Rescuers and owners can read how to list an American Bully for adoption. If you would rather buy a puppy, see how to buy an American Bully puppy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to adopt an American Bully?
The American Kennel Club puts typical adoption fees at $50 to $300. Fees usually include a vet exam, vaccines, a microchip and spay or neuter, which would cost more if paid separately. Some rescues charge more for puppies and less for older dogs.
Why are there so many bully-type dogs in shelters?
Housing, insurance and city rules on pit bull-type dogs can lead owners to give them up, and these dogs often wait longer for adoption. A 2018 San Diego study found pit bull-type dogs stayed an average of 37.5 days, against 19.7 days for other dogs.
Are adopted American Bullies good with children?
Many are. The ABKC standard describes the breed as great with children, but each dog is an individual, especially one with an unknown past. A foster-based rescue can tell you how the dog has behaved around children in a real home.
Will a rescue let me adopt an American Bully if I rent?
Usually yes, if you show written permission from your landlord. Rescues ask because a landlord who objects after adoption can force the dog back. Check your renters insurance at the same time.
How long does an adopted American Bully take to settle?
Many shelters use the 3-3-3 guide: three days to decompress, three weeks to learn the routine and three months to feel at home. Dogs that have had several homes can take longer. Keep things calm and predictable.
Can I adopt an American Bully puppy?
Sometimes, from shelters and rescues that take in litters, but adults are far more common. An adult has a known size and temperament, which helps if you are new to the breed.
Helpful guides
Pet for AdoptionHow to List an American Bully for Adoption in the United StatesSet criteria for housing, insurance, fencing and other pets, charge a fee that reflects the vet work done, write a profile that describes the dog rather than its label, screen carefully and follow up after placement.
Pet for SaleHow to Buy an American Bully Puppy in the United StatesChoose a breeder who shows the parents' hip, elbow and DNA results, meet the mother, avoid extreme or merle-to-merle litters, check local rules and insurance, and never pay for a puppy you have not seen.
Pet for SaleHow to Sell American Bully Puppies in the United StatesKeep puppies to at least eight weeks, show the parents' hip, elbow and DNA results, price on health not looks, screen out resellers and anyone linked to fighting, and hand over in person with a contract.
Pet for FreeHow to Get a Free American Bully Safely in the United StatesMeet a free American Bully where it lives, ask why it is free, scan the microchip to rule out theft, check breathing, skin and joints, confirm your lease and city allow the breed, and never pay shipping fees.
Pet for FreeHow to Give Away an American Bully for Free Without Risk in the United StatesBefore you give away an American Bully, spay or neuter if you can, screen every reply hard, turn away anyone interested in fighting, breeding or reselling, and hand over in person with a signed contract.
Pet for RehomingHow to Take In a Rehomed American Bully in the United StatesAsk the owner about the dog's history, behavior and health, meet it at home, check the microchip and records, confirm your lease and city allow the breed, and give the dog a calm routine for the first months.
Pet for RehomingHow to Rehome Your American Bully Responsibly in the United StatesCall your breeder or rescue first, write an honest listing that covers behavior and health, set a modest rehoming fee, screen every home, and hand the dog over in person with records and a signed agreement.
Pet for MatingHow to Find a Mate or Stud for Your American Bully in the United StatesBreed only a healthy, stable American Bully, ask for both dogs' hip, elbow, NIPAL4 and merle results plus a recent brucellosis test, avoid extreme and merle-to-merle pairings, and sign a written stud contract.
Pet for MatingHow to Advertise Your American Bully for Mating in the United StatesFinish hip, elbow, NIPAL4 and merle tests and a brucellosis test, list the results under your dog's registered name, set written terms, screen every owner who replies and protect your dog from theft.
Pet WantedHow to Respond to an "American Bully Wanted" Ad in the United StatesBefore you answer an American Bully wanted ad, ask who the requester is and where the dog will live, look for fighting, reselling and fake-check warning signs, describe your dog honestly and meet in person to hand over.
Pet WantedHow to Post an "American Bully Wanted" Ad and Get Replies in the United StatesSay which American Bully variety, sex and age you want, give a realistic budget and your location, describe your home and experience, ask for the parents' health results, and never pay before you meet the dog.
Lost PetHow to Help Find a Lost American Bully in the United StatesIf you see a lost American Bully, do not chase it: note where and when, take a photo, tell the owner through their lost ad or call animal control, and if you catch it safely, get it scanned for a microchip.
Lost PetWhat to Do When Your American Bully Is Lost in the United StatesSearch your neighborhood at once, call and visit every shelter and animal control agency nearby, report the dog lost to its microchip registry, post a lost ad and flyers, and treat a missing Bully as possibly stolen.