LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE APPROVAL PROCESSES

Our virtual interview and "home-visit" protocol is not nearly as intense or intrusive as it may sound.

We used to conduct most home visits in person but in recent years, it is typical to conduct the home-visit at the same time as the interview. By utilizing tools like FaceTime or Zoom, replaces the need for an in person visit entirely in roughly 30 minutes.

For reference, we typically ask to see the following;

• Main common rooms in the home - (Living Room/Family Rooms)
• Kitchen
• A Bathroom - (of your choice and only if comfortable showing)
• Hallways and Staircases
• A brief overview of living quarters/bedrooms - (typically just a quick show of a hallway with descriptions of where bedrooms are)
• Front Yard or Outside access via front of home
• Backyard or outside access via back of home - (if applicable)

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If you do not own your home, please note;

If you rent or do not own your home, you will be expected to notify your landlady/lord we will be contacting them to ensure a new pet ownership in your unit is both allowed and welcomed.

If you live in a collective living or apartment building with indoor connections, you may be asked to briefly show what is directly outside your dwelling door that a companion will be regularly accessing.

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If you are not comfortable with a video call, we may ask to visit you and your home in person to conduct this portion of the process. 

This portion of the adoption process is mandatory for any foster or adoptive home to be approved through CSDR.

The meet and greet is the last step before final adoption, and arguably the most exciting. Although the expectation varies, we make it very clear that ultimate decisions to adopt are not expected during the meet and greet but can be arranged if desire to adopt on the spot is explicitly expressed.

We do this intentionally to ensure we are never forcing adoption of any specific animal on any adopter. The journey towards finding a new companion should feel intentional, never coerced.

All adopters are provided 24-48hrs after an in-person meet & greet, and submitting a $200 deposit, to hold their spot with that particular dog, before a decision on adoption is required. Remember: Hesitancy is usually an answer within itself. You will just know when it is right.

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Depending on if you currently have other pets, the meet and greet can be expected to be scheduled and play out as follows;

If you have NO other pets;

Without other pets to meet, this meet and greet can easily be planned as a visit to their current family or group foster home, a public park, or your home.

If you own other DOGS:

Since your personal pets are likely to have a personal connection to their home as may the rescue dog with their foster home, choosing a neutral meet and greet location is usually advised.

*We are always open to traveling within reason but please keep in mind that we are volunteer based and actively caring for several homeless animals. Any flexibility you can offer to travel for these meetings is always greatly appreciated by both us and the dogs.*

During the first interactions, we do everything we can to build neutrality and trust between dogs. A safe, structured first impression, can go a long way. Whenever necessary, our co-founder and dog trainer Sage will be in attendance to oversee and direct meet and greets. You can trust us to always be both creative in our problem solving yet honest with our professional perspectives during all meet and greets. Many of our matches are magical but at the end of the day, the dogs are the real deciders on if they are getting a new sibling or not.

If you have CATS or other animals;

Similar to the way meet and greet with other dogs is conducted, other animals are treated similarly except for location.

We are usually unable or it is unnecessary to remove animals aside from dogs from their residence to meet a contending adoption. It makes the most sense to introduce animals such as cats or small critters in their consistent environment for the dog being adopted to experience them realistically for the first time.

Again, professionals will be present for all animal meetings to ensure safety of all parties as any and all animals can become unpredictable at any given time.

Adoption day is always a very exciting day for every new adopter.

Here is what you can expect on that day following a successful meet & greet and approval for final adoption.

• Reunion with companion since previous meet & greet

Trust me, we are going to be just as excited as will be, once this fateful day arrives! We will spend the beginning of our adoption appointment reconnecting since our last person meeting before jumping into any logistics.

*Please note; adoptions are never final until all CSDR adoption documents have been signed filed at the conclusion on an adoption appointment.

• Brief reminders and discussions on the "decompression period" following adoption

You may have heard the expression "the 3 rule" before when discussing animals decompressing into new homes. This refers to the idea that dogs typically take; 3 days to begin decompression, 3 weeks to begin learning routines, and 3 months + to begin truly feeling comfortable and "at home".

This is however, simply just a reference. Most dogs will take many months if not the first year to fully become accustomed to a brand new environment, people, animals, and routines. This timeline should never be expected to be exact as owners should adopt dogs with the understanding that patience will be a necessity throughout this process.

• Explanations of any immediate actions necessary by adopters following this final adoption day

You will receive emails within 24hrs following any CSDR adoption containing;

• scanned versions of your adoption contract
• all veterinary records
• CSDR new adoption handbooks
• CSDR training references
• access to Petcademy our CSDR adopter *ask me anything* chat-bot, for 30 days following adoption
• an invitation to our CSDR alumni, private facebook page to post public updates (if desired)
• details on how to transfer your new companion's microchip into your own name
• information on pet insurance and the importance of thinking ahead before disaster strikes (pets are unpredictable, it is always better to be over than under prepared. Once animals are no longer under our care, veterinary responsibilities are expected to be solved by their adoptive owner(s))

• Review & signing of the CSDR adoption contract

We will provide you with ample time for all parties to review the full adoption contract before signing. We advise all adopter to thoroughly review this document, understanding that these reflect our organizations expectations for responsible pet ownership, for life.

• Full Submission (or the remaining amount) of the CSDR adoption donation

Before any adoptions are finalized, an adoption donation amount of $620 must be submitted and confirmed to be received by a CSDR representative. This price reflects only a fraction of the amount spent on each dog we commit to for veterinary care, transportation, training, daily activities, and basic care. 

We are aware that this price may seem higher than others but again can ensure that our dogs come fully medically sound, fixed, and personally behaviorally evaluated before being listed or marketed as adoptable. These extra steps alone are more than most rescues and back yard breeders will do for their customers and companions.

By supporting CSDR, you are supporting ethical dog rescue with adopter support for life.

• Passing of dog's personal items from foster to adopter

This usually includes collar, leash, veterinary records, one month of parasite prevention, a starting amount of their current food to begin any food transitions, any beloved toys or items while in foster care, etc.

• Our "goodbye" & your "hello"

It is easy to think of adoption days as being sad for foster families, but we assure you that all of our foster families are well aware of their responsibilities to rehome our animals and are always given the opportunity to have "first dibs" on any given foster dog. We can promise you the CSDR Team is always ELATED when an adoption day comes around.

 It is however, common for foster families to ask or express a want to spend a few extra moments with the dog they too love and are letting go of out of selflessness to help another in need.

Remember to thank your new companion's foster parent(s) for their sacrifices and dedication to keeping your new family member safe and loved before you.

GO ENJOY YOUR NEW LIFE TOGETHER!