Adoption Process
The dogs in our care are much loved in their foster homes, and we take an equal amount of care and love in their adoption into a new home - after all, we want you, the adopter, to be happy with your new companion and we want to ensure the home best suited for our dogs' personalities and needs.
1. The Application
Your application for a particular dog starts our adoption process. This is required for any adoption to proceed. Our adoptions team will take a look at your application and forward it to the foster family if it is a good fit for our dogs.
Due to the volume of applications we receive for some dogs, the foster family will have a hard time picking just one application - so please be patient. We will do the best we can!
Sometimes, our foster or adoptions team member will give you a call to discuss your application, or ask for further clarification by e-mail, so keep an eye out!
2. Reference checks!
We are pretty thorough with our reference and background checks! We will talk to your personal references and your vet references. If you rent, we will need to talk to your landlord.
3. A home visit
Our policies require a home visit. This is to ensure the best fit for our dogs and for you. Its not a white glove test, we promise! We're just there to see where your new pup might sleep, eat, and play.
Most of the time, we like to talk about our dogs (who doesn't!) and it is best if all family and/or household members are present for this visit.
PLEASE NOTE: NEW COVID-19 PROTOCOLS: During this challenging time, we have suspended all in-person home visits and will be conducting them via FaceTime or Zoom. We may ask you to "walk us" around your home so we can get a look around.
4. Meet and Greet
Whoo hoo! If we get to this stage, this is where you meet your potential new best pupperoni! These meet and greets are primarily conducted at or near a foster's home, so be prepared for a road trip with your fam and any other pets (primarily dogs) that live with you.
This is why we are so careful and thorough with our reference checks and home visits - not only do we ensure the safety of our foster home, but we also ensure that you don't fall in love with a dog that wouldn't be a good fit for you because...
5. Your new best friend!
If all goes well at the meet and greet, you most likely can take the dog home the same day! Whoo hoo! Be prepared and bring a leash, collar, tag with your number on it, and a method of payment for the adoption donation.
PLEASE NOTE: OUR COVID-19 PROTOCOLS HAVE SLIGHTLY CHANGED THIS PROCESS. During this time, our volunteers will be sending you a link to our adoption contract and to pay at our PayPal donation link so no cards, checks, or paperwork need change hands. If you prefer a scanned copy of the dog's records, please let us know so we can make that happen for you.
Please also note that we are requesting all volunteers and adopters to wear appropriate face coverings and social distance when meeting, even out of doors, to protect the health and safety of all involved.
Keep in mind that there is always a transition period with a new dog while you adjust to them and they adjust to you, and we are here to help and counsel you through this period, whether it is with our professional trainers who volunteer with us or through talking with the family that fostered your pup. We are here for you and your new dog!
Don't forget to send lots of photos of your adventures with your new pup, and welcome to the SOHO Family!
Questions about our process?
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