Asians for Humans, Animals & Nature – AHAN

We had an extremely positive experience with adopting a dog through AHAN. Bodhi has been a part of our family for 6 months now, and we couldn’t have dreamed of a better dog. He is the absolutely perfect companion and has already brought so much joy to our family. The organization is run by good people, and is well-​organized and easy to work with. Highly recommended!

We adopted our dog, Hollie from AHAN and we had a great experience through the adoption process and we are a month into having Hollie join our household and she is a great dog. I highly recommend this agency.

We have had an AHAN rescue for four months now and I thought it was time to share my experience. The idea of importing dogs for adoption seems a bit strange when there are so many here already looking for home, but it has worked for us. Our first and only dog before this was gotten as a very young pup and was with us for nearly 18 years. It took a couple years after he was gone to consider getting another. We wanted to go the rescue route this time as it seems like the most responsible thing to do. As we started entertaining the idea of another dog we stopped in at a couple shelters and found it to be rather dispiriting. The dogs were all stressed out which was heartbreaking to see and made it difficult to get any sense of the dog in that setting. The types of dogs in the shelters were predominantly pit bull mixes and chihuahuas, which were not of much interest to us. The adoption websites seemed to be heavily populated with Taiwan rescue dogs with lots of videos that provided some idea of their temperament. The approach of fostering dogs prior to adoption made it easier for us to see them in normal situations outside a shelter setting. So once we got over the strangeness of the whole concept, we started the process of applying for a dog and trying to choose just one.
The approval process was very smooth and swift. The volunteers seems to work very hard to be responsive, helpful, and to get the dogs placed in good homes. In no time the dog we had chosen was on it’s way. Upon arrival, Lily was clearly exhausted and extremely shy and fearful not wanting to leave her crate when we finally opened it in our kitchen. The only thing that drove her out of her crate in the middle of the night was the need to eliminate. I could tell from her videos that she could be an extremely sweet and affectionate dog, but first she had to overcome some of her fears of her new situation. It’s hard to remember the specifics, but there were many, many small steps needed to build her confidence. First was building her trust in me which happened quickly and, once done, resulted in her sticking to me like glue. Then, over the next weeks, there was familiarizing her with our house, taking the stairs, exiting to the noisy sidewalk, and trying to deal with the noisy street. There are many challenges for any dog in the city, but it is particularly difficult for a shy dog. Lily was 9 months old when AHAN had all her medical work done (and this was the age they reported on the website regardless of how much time had passed), so she was likely a fairly old puppy when they rescued her. So, she had time to develop many fears. We have a weekend place in the country, and it is there that we could easily see that she could develop plenty of confidence in a less stressful environment once she was familiar with it. She is a wonderfully affectionate dog with us, but needs many visits with other people to not shy away from them. She is very smart and attentive. Quick to understand training and wonderful off leash, regularly checking in, even after giving chase to a deer in the country. We still have things to work on in the city to make her more comfortable on the street, but she is becoming a wonderful, affectionate companion that seems to be slowly abandoning many of her fears. On top of it all, she is an uncommon looking and strikingly beautiful dog, which makes it even more fun. So, if I had it to do again, I would!

Let’s get this out of the way… they bring dogs over from Taiwan. You have to apply and give your adoption fee and then you go out to the airport to pick them up and that’s where you first meet them. It feels weird– it’s not the way people adopt animals here. My wife and I came across our buddy on petfinder and they told us about how it all worked we were skeptical, even suspicious. But we went ahead anyway…
And we couldn’t be happier. He’s perfect, the whole experience was great (even though a little weird). Do not let the nature of this agency scare you off– they do really good work and rescue some wonderful animals.

I adopted from AHAN several years ago so details about their adoption process may have changed. :)
After falling in love with a dog I saw on Petfinder and filling out an application, I was surprised to learn that they adopt dogs from Taiwan. This didn’t bother me at all, in fact I thought it was kind of exciting! You would think adopting a dog from another country would be hard and expensive but it wasn’t at all! They cover the cost of the flight. They required a home visit to see my backyard, but it was quick and no big deal. I live in San Jose and they had someone come down from SF. After that we set up a time for me to pick her up from SFO where she flew in from Taipei. There were other adopters waiting for their dogs to arrive too. It was wonderful to see so many happy people meeting their new family members.
I love my little girl and can’t imagine life without her. She is such a sweetheart and my best friend. Before adopting they give you a ton of background information on their dogs, their history and personality. I also loved that her former foster family kept in touch afterwards and sent me pictures of her time back in Taiwan. She was even used as the poster dog for an animal festival in Taiwan. I tell everyone she is a former international supermodel. Haha.
I know adopting from certain rescue groups can be a little trying, but not with AHAN. I never once felt pressured or like I was getting interrogated by anyone I interacted with. I decided to write this review after looking to adopt another dog and remembering what a great organization they are. I am a veterinarian and would definitely recommend adopting through them.

We adopted our dog from this organization. I think the organization can be somewhat overwhelmed because they are trying to save so many dogs… but I can say that the dog we adopted is the best dog ever. She is a sweetheart that completes our family. I am so thankful we found this organization and adopted our dog!!!

We are so happy with our new pal, Dahuang! He is a 5 year old lab mix. It’s been 2 weeks since we adopted him, and he is just the kind of dog we wanted — calm, trainable, and (most of all) great with our 10-​month-​old daughter.
This rescue stands above others because:
–they provide LOTS of background info on the dogs (good with kids/​cats/​dogs? shy/​outgoing? energy level? barks? housetrained? etc. etc.)
–they include several videos of the dogs in different situations. You really can get a good sense of what a dog is like in a video vs. a picture.
–the dogs are typically in foster homes so they are used to home life (our dog’s former foster mom emailed with us a lot to help with his transition!)
–adoption includes spay/​neuter, microchip, vaccination, medical records, and transportation (and a leash, collar, and harness)
–also included is a free training consultation session with a dog trainer
–they hold onto your adoption donation for a week, so if you decide it’s not a match they will take the dog back and place into a foster home
They honestly represent the dogs by providing as much information on them as possible. So if you’re looking for a spunky running partner or (in our case) a couch potato, you have a good sense of what you’re getting. We are so lucky that we were able to email with Dahuang’s former foster mom. She explained to us his likes/​dislikes, what he was used to, etc., so we were able to help him transition.
They provide DETAILED information on getting to know your dog and keeping them safe as they adjust to the new environment. Most of the dogs come from Taiwan and are flown into SFO, so it’s a big change. It was a little challenging the first couple of nights because Dahuang was on Taiwan time so he was sleeping during the day and then awake trying to play at night! But he adjusted after a couple days.
I’m so surprised how well Dahuang has settled in. He is already housebroken, only chews on his rawhides, is perfectly quiet and gentle around our young daughter, walks like a gentleman on the leash, and is so smart.
However, the first week or so we were worried that he didn’t like us, was too independent, and just seemed like he wanted to escape. But we realized that he was used to living on the streets by himself, and not «needing» anyone. In just a couple weeks he has now bonded to us and wags his tail when he sees us and sticks by us if he’s off leash. I just wanted to mention this so that any new adopters going through a rough phase at the beginning — hang in there! Give your new pal time to adjust.
Overall a wonderful rescue. I’m looking forward to adding another member of the family in the future!

I’ll be honest. At first, I was skeptical. We found our dog on petfinder and thought he was located in San Francisco. So we applied for him and got an email back saying he was located in Taiwan and that he will be shipped here and that we should send a check in the mail. I could not get anyone on the phone, so I was thinking…“scam?”
It’s anything but a scam! Tina finally called me back explaining the process. And I felt much better. (Not to mention all the wonderful Unilocal reviews). The process was very easy and our boy showed up better than we had expected. He was exactly as described in his profile and even better! He knows how to sit, listens well, and potty trained!
AHAN made the process so fast and easy. They really care about the homes the dogs are going and how they’re doing there.
PLEASE, consider AHAN the next time you want to adopt! You will not be disappointed.

After having Max for close to 3 years now, My family could not be more happy. Best gift for him and us EVER for coming together as a family. The dog is a pure joy! THe videos we were sent of Max before hand were spot on! He was as playful and friendly as the video shows. Please disregard the review that were posted at around 9 – 8 &12−2014
Obviously it was about them and their own selfish issues and not making a rescue dog happy and safe!
The highest compliment I can give is «would I get another dog/​Pet from AHAN! Hell yes! and I will spread the good word!
Oh and another thing the reviews are 28 5 stars!!! to only 4 1 stars? That says it all about the quality and satisfaction of AHAN!

On August 10, 2013, we adopted our beautiful dog Dallas (previously named Harley) through AHAN. It was one of the best days our of our life and we love our dog so much. You can watch our experience with AHAN here at
When we started our application process, we too were a little skeptical when we found out the dog we wanted was in Taiwan but by that time, we had already fallen in love with Dallas through the videos posted on the AHAN site. We did our research and sent the $ 300.00 check — which is an INCREDIBLE price to adopt a dog considering it includes the plane flight, vaccinations, a crate to transport him (you return it after so they can use it for more dogs), microchip and more.
On the day we went to pick him up, we went to SFO and saw the other families waiting for their new dogs and it was such an exciting experience. I wish I could relive it all over again, we were so happy! When we came home, we followed their instructions EXACTLY and waited til we were home, put the crate in the middle of the garage, opened it and did not make eye contact with the dog. You have to remember that these dogs just had an incredibly long flight, are in a brand new environment and do not know you from Adam, so FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS! AHAN knows best.
Vicky called us the next day to see how he was doing and we really appreciated how much she cared. Also good to note — they do not deposit your check until your one week trial period is over to make sure it all works out. AHAN is AWESOME and I would recommend them to anyone looking to adopt a dog.
We love Dallas to the moon and back and if it weren’t for AHAN, I would have never met him. Thank you!

Amazing! I have to say, I was extremely skeptical of this organization and almost backed out because I thought it was a scam. I was wrong! I am so happy that I trusted the Unilocal reviewers and the AHAN organization. I researched every avenue of this organization, and found nothing negative about it. In fact, AHAN is a wonderful rescue, who truly are just good people doing the best to find homes for abandoned and abused dogs. I found a picture of Ellie on the Petfinder website and immediately fell in love with her, missing ear and all! She clearly had suffered some abuse and was found abandoned. I had no idea at first that she was coming from Taiwan, but found out after filling out an application for her. I was contacted by Vicky Lynn who sent me some paperwork to fill out and as soon as I sent it back, I received an email giving me details on Ellie’s arrival to SFO. It was actually pretty easy getting to the airport, finding the pick up location, and getting her home. There were 3 other dogs being flown in at the same time from AHAN. It took a few days for Ellie to adjust to her new surroundings, but now its just home to her. She is the sweetest, most well behaved dog. She came to us potty trained and knew some basic commands. They really do work well with getting these dogs spayed/​neutered, vaccinated, and trained to help make adoption and transition a little easier on us. GREAT organization! I couldnt imagine this house without Ellie and the help of AHAN!

Unilocal!!! Help… WHY does that one star review remain? Clearly the reviewer has NO clue what they are talking about, and can be swaying decisions of potential and serious adopters! STOP harming our non profit organizations with your ignorance… please?
ANYHOW, here is an honest Unilocal review– I promise I will NOT steer you wrong.
AHAN is a group who rescues and fosters dogs in Taiwan. There are a number of different breeds, and a majority of them are these beautiful Formosan Mountain dogs. Read up on them. They’re like petite German Shepherds– super keen. I found AHAN through
a while back, and had been in touch off and on for a while about adopting a dog.
You will be communicating with Vicky Lynn, someone I am extremely happy to know now. Yes, she communicates through email. Why not? The phone sucks. YES. You will have to pay up front and submit an application to show you are sincerely interested. NO. You may not end up with the dog you requested– shyte happens, and I would not have ended up with the best dog in the world had it gone the other way.
When we were finally ready, we showed interest in one particular dog who liked hiking. He had been rescued from a storm in a drain about a year ago. The
goes into great detail about each animal, their behavior around other pets and children, and they even include a few videos. After a few emails, we were set (rather quickly) to pick up our pup from the airport that weekend! It is a little odd, but as one wonderful reviewer put it, you just have to trust. Its so quick and painless– its almost too good to be true.
My dog? He’s a freakin’ rock star. His name is Ink. We had a hard time with house training the first few days, but that’s expected. He loves the kids, the cats, he LOVES trips and hiking… he’s probably more than I could ever ask for, really.
What did we get for 300 $? A plane ride (for the pup!) to San Francisco, a crate (water bottle included) a harness and leash, microchip, updated health record and shots and a new best friend. Pretty damn priceless, actually.
Please consider this group next time you think about adopting. They are truly something special. I will forever be thankful for Vicky, Eve, and all the other wonderful people who helped along our journey!

Why is AHAN so amazing? Vicky Lynn, of course! We decided to get a second dog as a companion for our little guy, Laika. After fostering four dogs in the previous year, we had a pretty long list of what we were looking for (female, 20 – 40 lbs, about a year old, mellow AND adventurous, not a barker, good with dogs, good with cats and rabbits, good with kids, and on and on and on). I found AHAN through
. I could hardly believe how many of the dogs seemed to fit what we were looking for!
I emailed to express interest in some of their rescues and Vicky Lynn gave me a call the next day. She really listened to what we needed in a doggie companion for Laika and asked lots of great questions about our lifestyle. At the end of our conversations she said she knew Bai Bai was the dog for us. I hadn’t actually considered Bai Bai before since we were mostly looking at black dogs (superficially, we wanted the same color fur shedding on our clothes), but once I looked at her profile and videos I completely agreed that she was the one. Bai Bai was already at a foster home in the South Bay so we met her that weekend and took her home for the 7 day trial period.
We knew immediately that she was the perfect fit for our family. We re-​named Bai Bai Bunny after her adorable bunny ears and the silly bunny dance she does when she’s excited or happy. Laika, who does not like to play with many other dogs, absolutely loves Bunny and they play and sunbath and nap and run together everyday. Bunny is so smart and only took a few days to fully potty train and learn to sit. It took her less than a week to learn to sit and wait for her food and not go for it until told to «go get it». She very rarely barks, loves to snuggle, is good with the cats and rabbit in our home, plays great with my parents’ challenging (to put it nicely) labradoodle, has passed the baby/​kid test with flying colors, is excellent off leash, and is the best balance of mellow and fun. Totally worth a little blond fur on the couch :)
One suggestion, be sure to take your new dog into the vet as soon as you get it (as you should with any dog you adopt). Bunny had a skin and ear infection when we got her that cleared up right away with some antibiotics and medicine baths (which she was incredibly compliant for even though she barely knew us at the time). Before she was rescued by AHAN, Bunny spent most her life in a cage so the skin condition was no big surprise. It’s such a joy watching her run, play, and build muscle knowing how weak she was when we first got her. We are so grateful every day for finding such a sweet girl and hope that AHAN and Vicky Lynn will continue their amazing work.
We will absolutely turn to AHAN the next time we’re ready to add another dog to the family.

We adopted a dog from AHAN about a week and half ago. We were searching on petfinder for a medium size, adult dog that was easy going and good with cats and saw this perfect dog. We were a little weary that he was in Taiwan. I never heard of people adopting rescue pets from oversees and had no idea what the process would be like. I must admit, the Unilocal reviews about AHAN really helped put me at ease and me decide to contact Vicky about adoption. I also read about conditions for dogs in Taiwan, and how hard it is to adopt adults and certain breeds, and how there is almost no hope in the shelters.
When we went to pick up our dog from SFO there were two volunteers there to help organize all the families meeting their new dogs. Our dog came with his certificate of health, microchip, harness, and leash. He is so well mannered and sweet and we love him so much already.
I found our dog’s foster mom on facebook and have been sending her updates. AHAN’s volunteers (both in Taiwan and here in the US) really care about the dogs and do a lot to provide these guys a chance at a good home. If I was going to get another dog I would go through AHAN again. I love my pooch!

I will admit that my boyfriend and I were a little weary to adopt from over seas and adopt a dog that we have never seen. However, our dog is very sweet and affectionate. He is smart, agile and warming up to people. One of the things I was most impressed with when we picked up the dog was how he came with all his paperwork and information to register his microchip and even a harness and leash! The other part that was impressive was that AHAN sends a representative to come see your house and give you tips for what to expect with your new pup.
I have had my dog for about a week now, but the process of getting my new dog has gone really well. I wasn’t able to pick him up at the airport since I was traveling during Thanksgiving. However AHAN was great and put my dog with a foster mom for a week who even helped start potty training. He now is on a good schedule and is enjoying doggie day care.
The only aspect I would change in the future is to have a bit more communication from the organization in the beginning since the emails were a little short with information. However I feel like all the other benefits out weight this. Especially since the organization is run by volunteers.
I really hope more people will consider going through this organization and give these dogs a home. Everyone that sees my dog asks what kind he is because he looks so unique and is impressed by how sweet he is as a rescue.

My experience with AHAN has been and continues to be wonderful.
My partner and I found our dog on Petfinder, and thought she was local because AHAN was listed in San Francisco. When we put in an application, we were told she was in Taiwan with a foster family — what a shock! She was a little black dog, and had been abandoned as a puppy outside a shop in Taiwan, and survived on scraps fed to her by strangers. Eventually she was tied up outside a bus stand, and was found by a woman (Mary) who has more or less devoted her life to rescuing stray dogs in Taiwan. Mary took her in, had her spayed and vaccinated, and socialized her with lots of other dogs and her 5-​year-​old son and others, and took lots of videos in lots of different situations to show how she reacted in different environments, to strangers, to kids, etc.
I’ll admit, it seemed strange that we’d have to submit an application and check to bring our dog over and meet her. Was this for real? But after watching lots of videos of the dog that captured our hearts, and doing some independent research on the people involved in the organization (Vicky Lynn and Mary Christine Choi), we decided to go through with it.
We sent a check for our donation (really just a fraction of the cost of rescuing and fostering our dog, we later learned), which we were promised would not be cashed until we had met our dog, spent significant time with her, and decided to keep her.
Before we were confirmed as adopters, AHAN sent a volunteer to visit our home and make sure that it was a good environment for a dog, to make sure that our yard was secure and that the dog had a place to sleep indoors. I appreciated this meeting, not only because it showed me that AHAN really cares about their rescues, but also because I got a lot of good information from the volunteer, including handouts on helping a dog adjust to a new environment, and also information on a free basic training session for our new pup.
I went to the airport to meet her flight, and was shepherded through the process by an AHAN volunteer who gave me a whole bag of useful things — lots of treats, starter packs of food, and so forth. Several dogs came over on the flight, including ours. I took her straight home. It took her a few minutes to get her bearings in our house, but we fed her lots of yummy treats, and soon she learned to trust us. We just fell in love with our dog, who turned out to be just as sweet and good-​tempered as she was in her videos, and more. She’s funny, loyal, cuddly, and beautiful. One of the best friends I ever could have hoped for, and we can’t imagine our lives without her.
True to their promise, it wasn’t until a couple of weeks later, when we were sure we were going to keep our sweet new dog, that Vicky confirmed with us that it was a good match, and finally cashed our check. Since then we’ve kept in touch, sending updates and connecting with other local AHAN adopters.
I can’t thank AHAN enough for bringing our beautiful, sweet girl to us. She is the best dog I have ever known, and has brought a lot of happiness to our lives. I would encourage anyone to adopt through them, and to support their work.

We adopted a Formosan Mountain Dog/​Lab mix puppy in March 2013 from AHAN. This puppy (who was about 4 months old at the time of adoption) is a sweetheart and the perfect addition to our family. Susan Chin from AHAN gave us a very detailed description of our puppy and was extremely helpful with the entire adoption process. It was clear that Susan cares deeply about these dogs and truly wants what is best for the dogs and for the families.
I love these Formosan Mountain dog mixes (many, though not all, of the dogs from AHAN are from Taiwan and are Formosan mixes) and would not hesitate to use AHAN again. So glad that we adopted from AHAN!

My husband and I adopted our dog Arrow from AHAN three years ago. Best decision we ever made. I had combed Petfinder looking for the right dog (medium-​sized, short haired, good with cats), and when I saw Arrow’s photo and read her profile, I knew she was the dog for us. Arrow is a «typical» Taiwan dog: very smart, loyal, protective of the house, and athletic – she’s a great running partner for my husband.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw her: we went to SFO to pick her up and she looked at us through the door of her crate and wagged her tail: she knew we were her people the instant she saw us. I could tell that her foster mum in Taiwan had taken great care getting her ready for the flight: The cushion in her crate had a hand-​sewn cover (!), and her pink harness and leash were taped to the top of the crate along with her complete medical records and microchip info.
I was so impressed with AHAN that after I adopted my dog, I started volunteering for them. For the past three years I have done home visits in the East Bay — yes, AHAN has a volunteer go to the house of each and every person who is interested in adopting: to answer all the adopter’s questions; to make sure the dog is a good match; and to make sure the adopter can offer a secure and loving home.
Vicky Lynn is an amazing and dedicated woman: she has helped rescue hundreds of dogs from Taiwan and brought them to the Bay Area to find forever homes. AHAN is a tiny nonprofit — it’s mainly Vicky and a group of volunteers and fosters in the Bay Area and in Taiwan. Everyone is doing the best they can, for the dogs, and for the people who adopt them.

Update: Tessa’s still doing well– she’s the best, most interesting dog I’ve ever had! Smart, quiet, mellow, and always getting compliments on how beautiful, sweet and friendly she is! You should definitely do research on the breed (most of the mix’s they list on the website have FMD in them, and they are very independent and unique) and not be a first-​time dog owner if you get one. But if you do decide to get one, they are the best dogs, and so affectionate!

We got our dog, Bogey, a year ago from AHAN and we couldn’t be happier. I know it seems a little sketchy since the dogs aren’t here, but I think it’s easier for them to foster where they find the dogs and then send them over. But, they give you a pretty detailed personality profile and it’s really not any more expensive than rescuing a dog here.
Read more about my husband and mine’s experience on my blog: