Adoption Process
1. Read. If you have not owned a GSP before, please read this article "Is a GSP Right for You?" to gain a better understanding of the GSP breed and the type of environment in which they thrive.
2. Complete our adoption questionnaire. Tell us about your household, other pets, activity level, and what you are looking for in your new dog. A side note about kids - because almost all of our dogs come to us with unknown pasts, we don't adopt to families with children under 6 unless specifically noted in the dog's web posting.
- A note about hunting: Because we know nothing about the background of most of the dogs we rescue, we cannot guarantee the hunting ability of any dog. We do not have the volunteer resources to hunt test dogs. Any dog you adopt from us should be a companion first, and if the dog is inclined to hunt, that will be a wonderful bonus.
3. Talk with the rescue. You'll be contacted shortly after your questionnaire is received, usually within 5 business days and often much sooner, with any additional preliminary questions we may have for you. Note that email is our primary method of communication - please keep an eye on your inbox and spam folder! Then, we'll set up a phone call to further discuss what you are looking for in a GSP companion and which of our available dogs might fit in your household.
4. Talk with a foster home. If a GSP is identified as a potential match, we'll put you in contact with the foster home to have a more detailed chat about that particular dog. Then, if the foster home and you agree that the dog continues to be a good match, you'll schedule a visit to meet the dog. The rescue dog will need to meet all members of your household, including other dogs, at some point during the process.
5. Home visit. You'll do a self-home visit via an online form plus photos - geared towards safety for your new dog!
- How long does this whole process take? We'll do our best to make it as speedy as possible! Some adoptions are wrapped up within a week, others may take longer.
6. Adoption agreement. Once the home visit is completed and everything is a go, we'll ask you to sign an adoption contract. If you do not agree to the stipulations in the agreement exactly as written, we cannot adopt a dog to you. Please note that we reserve the right to deny anyone the ability to adopt any dog from our rescue program for any reason. All adoptions are at our sole discretion.
7. Adoption donation: These monies offset some of the medical, behavioral, and other costs we incur while the dog is in our care. All our dogs are spayed/neutered, dewormed, current on vaccinations, heartworm tested, and microchipped. Occasionally, a dog requires special vet care while in our program. We'll provide you with the dog's veterinary records so you'll be fully informed of any known medical conditions. In addition, we strongly encourage training to help your new best friend get settled in your home; training will be required for certain dogs. Each dog comes with a post-adoption training allowance. Adoption donation amounts:
- Dogs under 6 months of age: $600. Training is required.
- Dogs 6 months to one year of age: $500.00.
- Dogs one to five years old: $425.00.
- Dogs six to eight years old: $350.00.
Seniors - Dogs nine years old and up: $250.- If you are a prior adopter, you can add a Great Senior Pooch to your family for free - this applies to any dog 9 and up, or those with the Great Senior Pooch logo on their posting, just mention it to our adoption team.
