SEVA GRREAT Adoption Application

Adoption Application Information

Southeastern Virginia

GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING

P.O. Box 8014, Yorktown, VA 23693 (757)827-8561

[Please print these guidelines for your records.]

THANK YOU for your interest in adoption a Golden Retriever from SEVA GRREAT. Following this information you will see a link to our Request for Adoption Application. We make every effort to find "Just the Right Dog" for everyone who applies, and the adoption application makes that job so much easier.

The procedure for adopting a Rescue Golden is:

Complete the application by clicking the Request for Adoption link below and submitting it to SEVA GRREAT.

The application will be passed on to the Adoption Coordinator who will contact one of our Home Visit volunteers. This volunteer will call you and arrange an appointment to visit your home to discuss Golden Retrievers and to determine the type of Golden best suited for your lifestyle in terms of age, activity level and temperament. Please be aware it may take a few weeks from the time of your application submission to the time you receive a call to schedule a home visit.

After the visit, you will be given information on how to meet our available Goldens and how to prepare for your adoption.

Once you have decided on a Rescue Golden, there is a $350.00 adoption fee that helps to defray the Rescue's expenses associated with taking in rescued Goldens. There is a reduced adoption fee for dogs nine years or older, although many adopters graciously contribute the full adoption fee. A complimentary one-year subscription to the GRREAT Times Newsletter is included with the adoption. After adoption, we remain "on call" to answer any and all questions you may have about your Golden -- for the life of your dog!

At the time of adoption, you will be required to sign an Adoption Contract, which spells out the terms of adoption. This includes an agreement that you will provide proper shelter, food, medical care, and that you will not let the Rescue Dog run free without supervision. The Rescue Dog must be licensed in accordance with the existing laws in your city or county. Failure to do so will require that the Rescue Dog be surrendered to GRREAT.

We reserve the right to refuse an application if the home situation is incompatible with the needs of a Rescue Golden.

We have successfully placed over 700 Golden Retrievers in the Southeastern Virginia area since the fall of 1990. Their ages are usually between 9 months and 7 years, but we see many seniors and a few puppies as well. Most dogs come from homes where there have been a move, divorce, allergies, or just not enough time. Others come to us from pounds and shelters. All dogs are brought up to date on their vaccinations, micro-chipped, heartworm tested, spayed or neutered, and then placed in a foster home for care until a permanent home is found. While in the foster home, the dog's temperament is evaluated to determine how well he/she gets along with children, cats, and other dogs. Other medical needs, such as heartworm treatment or surgery, are also provided by GRREAT before the dog is available for adoption.

Because we are so careful in our adoption procedures, we rarely have an adoption that does not work out. However, there are occasional challenges that may make it necessary for a new owner to return a dog. Any dog adopted from us must come back to us if you cannot keep it for any reason.

Our non-profit organization is comprised of hardworking volunteers whose only reward is seeing these wonderful Goldens placed in loving homes and given a second chance for a happy life. If you are patient with our process, we will try to provide you with a devoted, loving companion -- a Golden Retriever.

Safe Environment Statement

"Experience is the best teacher" and it has taught Golden Retriever Rescues that the safest environment for a rescue golden includes a fenced area or yard. Generally, speaking, secondhand dogs need limitations because they do not have the benefit of having bonded with their new owners since puppy hood. Also, we feel VERY STRONGLY that dogs allowed to wander are dogs that are unloved because they are at risk of getting lost, stolen, injured, attacked (by another dog, animal or person), poisoned, or struck by a car. It is our policy to place dogs only in homes that provide a secure, fenced area for the dog.

To aid you in obtaining fencing, we suggest the following:

Stockade, chain link, or heavy wire as fence material, four-foot high minimum (five to six feet is recommended and is a requirement for known fence jumpers)
Fence companies will install a dog kennel or you can purchase materials and do it yourself
The classified sections of the local newspapers often list used dog kennels and portable dog kennels at reasonable cost.
Kennels should be installed in a part of the yard that will be comfortable for the dog in all seasons. A doghouse and a source of shade must be included in this plan.
The fenced enclosure is intended to guarantee a secure, outdoor area for the dog. However, the dog must not reside outdoors. Goldens are people-dogs and will want to be with you. The dog must be primarily a house pet.

Complete the SEVA GRREAT Request for Adoption Application Form

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