1-877-281-3146
| Welcome to SCBR Adoption Process |
UPDATED 9/25/08
| The Adoption Process A clear understanding of our adoption process is essential for every volunteer! Applicant fills out online application Coordinator prescreen for obvious declines, including un-neutered pets, geographical areas we do not cover, under the adoption age requirement, and breeders Coordinator responds to applicant and assigns an Interviewer, requests that applicant forward references to the Interviewer and contact the Interviewer to set up a phone interview. Applicant contacts Interviewer and sends references Phone interview takes place. Interviewer summarizes the interview in a report and forwards to the placement team. Interviewer requests reference checks to be done. Reference checker forwards summary of references checked. Interviewer requests a homecheck if they pass both interview and ref check steps. The applicant and homechecker arrange a mutual time for the homecheck. The homechecker forwards a summary of the home visit. If all is well, the applicant is contacted and told they are approved adopt. They are added to the group of applicants waiting for a match. The applicant must wait for a dog to be offered, but may ask to be considered for particular dogs. It is normal to wait 3-6 weeks for a match, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the dogs available and the dynamics of the home. It is important to us that the home is patient during this time, and not to become "attached" to dogs on the site that are not appropriate dogs for their home. It takes a lot of patience to bring an adult dog into your home. Our mission is to find an appropriate home for each dog, not find a dog for an applicant. It is our duty to make sure dogs only go to homes that are ready to undertake a rescue dog. Many are not. Applicants may be declined at any point prior to actually adopting, for nearly any reason. A belligerent, demanding or impatient applicant probably is going to be passed by. No volunteer may tell any applicant that they are "approved" or promise any dog to any applicant, EVER! The decision to make an actual placement must come only from placement. No volunteer may interview, reference or homecheck any applicant that is personally known to them. We discourage any volunteers from keeping in contact with an applicant once their job is complete, please refer them to the Applicant Coordinator, Julie Tracy or to the Executive Director, Leann Lolar. All the pieces of the application are pulled together as the home profile. This "bundled application" is used each time the placement team sorts through dogs and applicants to make home-dog matches. Many things are considered on behalf of the dog such as are how long the dog will be left alone, if there are children or other pets, if a home is too active or not active enough, and even whether the applicant is willing to travel to adopt a dog. There can be an unlimited number of factors that determine a placement, as both dog and family are unique. Placement makes a match and the dog is offered to the applicant. Applicant does not meet the dog or visit prior to adoption. The applicant phones the fosterhome after the offer has been made and discusses in the dogs needs and habits in detail and answers any questions the applicant may have. The fosterhome does not decide where a dog is placed, and does not screen the applicant again. They may express concerns to Placement after speaking to the applicant. Applicant decides whether they wish to adopt the offered dog. If so, they make mutually agreeable arrangements for the adoption day, which, preferably, is the following weekend. They notify Placement that they will be adopting the offered dog. The adoption process coordinator sends the applicant information to another volunteer for contract preparation; the contract is emailed to both the applicant and foster home. Applicant picks up the dog. If the applicant absolutely does not not want the dog upon meeting it, they are not obligated to adopt. The fosterhome must verbally go over the entire contract with the applicant and provide copies of all the necessary medical records (spay and neuter certificates, current shot records or dates of shots, heartworm tests) The dog's current schedule and habits are explained, and the applicant is reminded of any handling or behaviors that are known to SCBR. The adoption fee, contract and original medical records are mailed to SCBR. The records office sorts through the paperwork, enters all pertinent information into the database, and maintains a paper file for each adoption. The new home must follow up their adoption at week one and months one, two, three, six, and 1 year, as well as yearly updates following. The new home must register for and complete a basic training class with their dog. Volunteers from SCBR screen adoption updates, and provide support and assistance to the adoptive homes |
