
Frequently Asked Questions
General Adoption Questions
Will you ship a dog to me or transport a dog closer to me?
While we are so glad you want to adopt a dog, we do not ship our dogs anywhere. We ask that prospective adopters go to meet the dogs in the comfort of the foster's home so the prospective approved adopters can get the best idea of what this dog will act like in their home.
Can I visit the dog in the foster's home prior to submitting an application?
Are your dogs vetted before going to new homes?
How much is your adoption donation?
Can I adopt a dog for my parent / sister / grandchild / child / as a gift for someone?
Under no circumstances do we adopt out dogs as gifts. All parties must be fully informed and involved in our dogs' future homes. We encourage all family members to be a part of the process of adoption.
Can you waive the spay or neuter requirement for one of your dogs?
Absolutely not. There is no waiver for spay or neuter surgery for any of our dogs.
What are the requirements for adoption?
What is positive-reinforcement dog training? Why do you require it?
Do you adopt out dogs as Emotional Support Animals or Service Animals?
No, we do not.
Do you have a foster-to-adopt program?
While we understand the emotional role that foster dogs can play in our lives, we do not have a foster to adopt program at this time because our adoption process allows for a two week "return" period for the dog, which is enough time for most people to decide if they would like to keep this dog in their home.
I want to adopt two puppies from the same litter! Can I do that?
Do you adopt dogs to people who live in an apartment, a townhome, or who don't have a fenced yard?
Yes. So long as your name is on the property as an owner or a renter, you are eligible for adoption provided that, if you are a renter, you have permission from the landlord to have the type and size of dog you are applying for.
What does "Coming Attraction" mean?
A "Coming Attraction" dog is a dog that we have taken into our rescue and who will be up for adoption in the future after we have completed our evaluation. We may accept applications on dogs that are Coming Attractions, however, those applications will not be reviewed until we receive the full evaluation on the dog from the foster home. The evaluation is critical in our assessment of the best home for the dog.
Do you adopt to people with children?
Yes. Sometimes, you will see a requirement on our dogs that they can only be rehomed with older children (usually older than age 12). As we are rehoming herding dogs, sometimes the rambunctiousness and activity of young children can be too stimulating to them and they attempt to herd - it is the #1 reason that herding dogs find themselves in shelters as owner surrenders, and the #1 reason that dogs have been returned back to us from adopters. However, we do have some dogs that do fine around children (and this will be noted on the dog's profile if so), and others that need to be in a quiet home with no children. It is dependent on the dog and the foster's evaluation.
Do you adopt to students living in dorms?
Unfortunately, we cannot adopt to students in dorms at a university or university-managed apartments. Fast changing as well as strict regulations regarding pets at most universities have been challenging for us to navigate. For the safety and comfort of our dogs, we prohibit adoption to students in dorms.
Do you adopt to people who don't reside in the same state as the dog is fostered in?
Yes, we do out of state adoptions. Please be prepared to come visit the dog at or near their foster home if the foster family selects your application to proceed with adoption.
Adopting A Dog
Do you adopt to all states in the United States and Canada?
Yes. Our only caveat is that the prospective adopter must be ready to come meet the dog at or near the foster's home in order to be eligible for adoption as well as transport the dog in a humane manner back to their home (not as cargo on an airplane or through a third party transport service).
Applications
I submitted an adoption application but haven't heard anything yet. How long does it take?
We make every effort to get back to applicants individually, but we are not always successful due to the volume of e-mail and applications that we receive. Some days, we receive between 150-200 inquiries on our dogs and each dog receives anywhere from 5 to 50+ applications. We do the absolute best we can to make sure that each applicant is treated with respect but are not able to respond individually to every e-mail, especially multiple e-mails from the same person.
How do you determine which applicant is eligible for potential adoption of the dog?
Much of the evaluation of applications takes place around our evaluation of the dog. We trust our foster homes to provide us with a guide for the type of home that their foster dog will have success in. We use the information provided in your application to determine if this is a good fit for the dog, and do further research as well as interviews on the application before moving on to reference checks, a home visit, or setting up a meeting with the foster family.
I received a copy of my application by e-mail. Does this mean I am approved?
Our coordinators and team leads will let you know personally, by e-mail, when your application is approved.
I submitted an application but wasn't chosen to adopt the dog I applied for. Do I have to submit a new application if I'm interested in another dog?
No. Please fill out our ADOPTION TRANSFER REQUEST to have your application moved to another dog.