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Here is our Adoption Process in a Nutshell.

 

BEFORE ADOPTION

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• The animals arrive for intake at Susan's home.  She will do an initial assessment and do de-worming and de-fleaing.  They will go to the vet if needed and receive a bath and haircut, if needed.

• Susan and Doris will assign a foster to the animal.

• The foster will pick up the animal and all the supplies.

• The foster can get a clear picture of the animal's behavior.

• It will then get neutered (if necessary) and posted on the website.

• At that point, you may advertise it.  Make sure you direct everyone to our website to fill out an application.

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APPLICATION

 

• The Applicant submits an application.

• Adoption Coordinator (Micaela Hase, sparkadoptions@gmail.com) screens the application, initiates a home check and runs a background check on the best suited applicants.

• Adoption Coordinator approves the application and forwards the approval/application to the foster. (She may approve more than one applicant. The foster should meet with all approved applicants).

• Applicant contacts the foster. (Not all applicants will follow through.) 

• Please notify the Adoption Coordinator when the meeting will take place.

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MEET & GREET

 

• The meet & greet can be set up at the foster's home or at the applicant's home (especially if the applicant already has other animals).

• All household members need to be present (and for foster dogs, all dogs that live at the applicant's home need to be present).

• See more information here. 

• ASAP after the meeting, send an email to the Adoption Coordinator with your impressions.

 

ADOPTION

 

After you have notified the Adoption Coordinator that it's a good fit, and after the applicant has notified her that they want to forward with adoption, she will send them the adoption contract.  If the applicant comes from far away, they should be prepared to stay an extra day or at least several hours after the meet & greet.  We want to give them the opportunity to discuss the adoption, and we want to take the pressure off the fosters if an applicant is not a good fit.  If we have several applicants, we will invite those applicants last or wait with further approvals until they have visited you.

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The adopters needs to bring a leash/harness or a carrier, the completed contract (or show proof that they have emailed it to the Adoption Coordinator) and a check (or show proof that it was paid electronically).  You may give them your foster's favorite toy and some of the food you are feeding. Do not give them the crate that the dog come with.  All other supplies/contracts/checks should be returned to 3863 Fairfax Ave (text Susan first at 805-452-9284).

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THINGS TO KNOW

We do not adopt more than one puppy to the same applicant.  There is a danger of the puppies developing LITTER SYNDROME, where the puppies form a pack and do not bond with the human.  Often, the puppies are then returned to us.

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DO NOT let the applicant take your foster animal home after the meet and greet unless expressly approved by the Adoption Coordinator.

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You may find this list from Anna, one of our fosters, helpful.

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