The short answer is, that depends! Pets listed on Adopt a Pet by shelter and rescue organizations each have very different adoption processes and policies.
When the pet's profile says "Cared for by a specific shelter or rescue", scroll down and look for that specific organization's "Adoption Process" and "Additional adoption info" located under the organization's contact info on the pet's profile. This will help you to know how to proceed.
Some organizations may have you call to make an appointment, others may ask you to complete an application first before scheduling an appointment, while others will list their hours of operation and you don't need an appointment at all! The latter is usually true for animal shelters that have a facility that's open to the public:
Make sure to check out the pet's full profile, especially the "My story" section, as sometimes the organization caring for and adopting the pet will put an adoption application directly in "My story".
If the pet's profile says "Cared for by a Private owner", click "Apply To Adopt" and submit your application through our Rehome by Adopt a Pet online service. For more info on adopting a pet through Rehome by Adopt a Pet, click here!