Adopt

How to Adopt

1. Whether you are are interested in a specific animal (dog) or would like us to make a suggestion, please fill out our questionnaire. The Adoption Questionnaire for Dogs (PDF) covers most of the issues which we have found relevant to helping you find your new companion and smooth the transition for both of you.
2. After reading your questionnaire, one of our volunteers may make suggestions as to which animals may be best suited to you and your lifestyle and make an arrangement for you to meet them at our Weekend Adoptions or in their foster homes to get to know each other.
3. If you fall in love on the spot, please make sure you have read the “Before You Adopt” section because this is a big, and important decision, not just for the human involved, but also for the companion animal. We can then proceed with the next stop of the adoption process which is commonly called the “Home Safety Check.”
4. An Adoption Fee is required along with a signed adoption agreement, which ensures that if, for any reason, you are unable to keep the animal, he/she is to be returned to Forte Animal Rescue only.
5. Finally, we personally deliver your new family member to your home.

Forte Animal Rescue reserves the right to cancel the adoption process at any time if the home situation or adoptive family has been misrepresented or if certain information was withheld. Note: Some of the available animals on our website are “courtesy posts,” which we’re posting merely to help make the initial contact with the potential homes. So if you see contact information in the animal’s description column, please call the person directly. We also hold no responsibility for either the descriptions of the courtesy posting or your communication with these people, as we are only posting what were submitted to us.

Home Safety Check

Many people have asked why it is necessary for a rescue group to conduct home safety checks. Some have considered it an unnecessary intrusion, an invasion of privacy, and even insulting. It is important that you understand that it is not unnecessary, nor is our intent to insult anyone who is kind enough to want to rescue an animal. Therefore, let me try to answer this very legitimate question. First, please understand that it doesn’t matter how nice the adoptive family may be. I’ve been volunteering in the business of rescuing dogs for many years, and have seen a number of situations where dogs placed by other groups were lost though the rescuer felt comfortable about the family, but had not conducted, or delayed, the home safety check. It is usually in the first night that the dog gets lost, and that is why the home safety check must be conducted before the family takes the dog. Let me tell you a story. A wonderful family wanted to take a dog with them directly from the adoption site and have us come to do the home safety check at a later time. At that time we were overwhelmed with a very busy schedule, so to do the home safety check as it should be done, the adoptive family, who lived sixty miles away, had to wait for a week. That also meant that we’d have to pay for another week of boarding. For those reasons it was very tempting to let them take the dog, relying on their obvious good will and decency. But we didn’t. When we went to their house the following week we found three areas from which the dog could have gotten out. One was a secondary gate in one of the side yards that could be opened simply by pushing. As they never used the gate, the family was not even aware of it. In addition, there was a gap under another gate, big enough for the dog to squeeze through, a condition not obvious to most people. Another was in the backyard which appeared to be securely fenced, but when we pushed one of the bushes in a corner, we found a huge crack that the dog could have easily slipped through. The family was grateful and fixed all three areas overnight. This fortunate dog is still with them, and all are very happy to this day. When a dog is adopted, he or she is moving into an unfamiliar environment and tends to explore. Sometimes the dog wants to go “home” — a home that no longer exists. When a potential exit is found, the dog will often try to get out. For these reasons, all reputable rescue groups require a home safety check. Of course a home safety check can be avoided by going to a city or county animal shelter to adopt a dog, in which case you are, indeed, saving a life. But please remember that, unlike adopting a dog from a rescue group, if you ever come to an unfortunate situation in which you need to return the dog, your dog will be the first to be destroyed as an “owner turn in” at public shelters. Rescue groups also go to much greater lengths to check out the health and personality of the dogs in their care, and work with potential adopters to see that they get an animal with which they can have a long and satisfying relationship.

Adoption Fee

The adoption fee is $450 for a dog ($550 for a puppy under 4 months old) and $100 for a cat. These fees help defray part of boarding costs and seeing to the medical needs of these animals you adopt. Any additional donation would be greatly appreciated, and this portion will be tax-deductible. Since we have no paid staff, 100% of the donation goes to pay for the animals in our care, many of whom come to us with injuries or medical conditions that require expensive treatments. Forte Animal Rescue survives solely on donations and it is for this reason that the adoption fee is nonnegotiable.

Before You Adopt

Adoption is a commitment throughout the lifetime of your companion animal. Is this the best time to adopt a pet? To determine if you’re indeed ready for that commitment, there are some things to consider before you bring a furry friend to your home:

• Moving to a new residence: Will the new place be suitable for a pet?
• Change in living arrangements: Will your new roommate or significant other welcome the pet?
• Pregnancy or new baby: Would it be too much to take care of the baby and a pet? Do you have enough help?
• Work hours: If your dog does not have a doggie door to go outside, can you come home during the lunch break to give him/her a potty-break? If not, can you afford to hire a dog-walker or a doggie day-care center?
• Financial concerns: Are you ready for vet bills, which can be quite expensive if an unexpected illness or accident takes place? How about training fees if the dog displays a destructive behavior?
• Frequent travel: Do you have someone to house sit and take care of your pet? If not, can you afford to hire pet-sitting services?
• Limited leisure or free time: Are you always out and about? You will now have to come home after work before you take off for the evening.
• Disagreement among family members about adopting a pet: Are you sure that everybody in your household is excited to have a pet?

Selecting the Right Pet

When it comes to selecting a dog, it helps to research the traits by breed in order to find the right match. However, just as we cannot stereotype people by race, you have to remember that each dog is an individual and unique. If your dog shows unexpected behaviors, trainers and behaviorists are available to assist you with such concerns.

Puppy or Adult Dog?

Puppies are cute, but a lot of work. Unless you are home most of the day, or your family members have different work schedule to cover each other’s absence, a puppy would not be a right choice for you. It is no different from having a baby. Puppies require constant supervision and patience. Adult dogs may not appear as cute as puppies, but many rescue dogs came from home environment, so they are already potty-trained and know some basic commands. Nonetheless, personality-evaluation by an expert is advisable. In case the dog has excess baggage, trainers or behaviorists can help bring him/her back in balance. Also, unlike getting a puppy, what you see is what you get — no surprise in final size or coat type. Besides, when you adopt a rescued dog, they will be so grateful that they often become more loyal to you, and to see your dog blossom with your love is indeed a precious experience.