Adoption Process
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE APPLYING!
Thank you for your interest in adopting an Almost Home Canine Rescue dog or cat! Please email us at info@almosthomecaninerescue.com with any questions or concerns.
What is our adoption Fees and what is included?
General adoption fees are:
Adult Dogs: $350-$400
Puppy: $400-$600
Adult Cat: $125
Kitten: $175
*These are subject to change based on age, medical needs and breed*
- Spay or neutered prior to adoption
- Up-to-date on vaccines as is recommended for age (DHPPC & Rabies)
- Heartworm Tested (6 months of age and older)
- On Flea & Tick as well as Heartworm Preventatives
- Given a dental check and cleaning, if necessary
- Groomed if necessary
- Other veterinary treatment as needed
- Microchipped
What happens after my application is approved?
- We will get you into contact with the foster family.
- You and the foster family set a time to meet. We encourage your other pets come to the meet and greet to ensure it's off to a good start.
- You set an adoption date. This cannot be the same day as the first meet and greet, unless approved in advance for adopters coming from out of town. We do not hold dogs for long periods.
- Please bring a collar and leash or kennel to transport your new pet in.
- Please bring the exact adoption fee. (Our fosters are not able to make change)
- You will have to sign a contract when you adopt your cat or dog. Your name, number, address, and microchip information is included.
- We will register the microchips.
- You should get a vet sheet with your dog's vetting information to take home.
- Most of our dogs are vetted at Tea Vet Clinic. You will be expected to call there and transfer your dog into your name.
- Congrats on the adoption!
Other FAQ's?
What if there are multiple apps for the same dog? First and foremost, we do our best to choose the home that we feel is the best fit for the dog. This does not mean that you aren’t a good adoptive family; we just may not think the dog would do well in your home. We may not decide until we have done home visits for multiple families and we appreciate your cooperation and patience. We often do home checks for multiple applications before deciding which home may be the best fit for a dog. This may be a lengthy process, and appreciate your patience and understanding.
I live out of state, but would like to adopt? We have done many out of state adoptions, as long as a home visit can be completed, and the adopter is willing to travel to South Dakota to pick up their new dog, there is no reason not to. If for some reason the adoption does not work, the adopter will be required to drive the dog back to South Dakota.
When can I meet a dog? We do require that you are pre-approved before meeting a dog. Once you are approved, you can send us an email letting us know who you are interested in if we haven’t found out already!
Do you require a fence? Not always. Some dogs do need a fence to be adopted. However, we do have a lot of dogs who are ok with being on a leash and being supervised when being outside. We do request that dogs are never left unattended outside, anything can happen at any time.
How do I check the status of my application? Simply send an e-mail to info@almosthomecaninerescue.com and we will get you updated as soon as possible.
What form(s) of payment do you accept? AHCR accepts cash or check. Please keep in mind, if you pay by check it could take up to 2 weeks for the check to be deposited. If you are paying in cash, please have the EXACT change, our fosters do not carry extra cash for us to be able to make change. *If the check is returned, you will be charged $40 fee*
What does the adoption fee go towards? AHCR is 100% volunteer run, funded by adoption fees, fundraising, donations, etc. The adoption fee generally does not cover what we put into each dog before they go to their forever homes. (See list above for included items) Each dog is altered, rabies vaccine, DHPPC vaccine, Heartworm tested (if old enough), on flea & tick preventative, heartworm preventative and more. This also helps us cover the many major medical cases we taken in each year.
Where do we do the actual adoption? Generally, it is up to the foster. We expect that the adopter be willing to drive to the foster families home, however if the foster prefers they can suggest somewhere that is close and public as well.
What if I have a dog and want to adopt a second, how do I Integrate? Two week shut down period and slow introductions. Please don’t hesitate to e-mail info@almosthomecaninerescue.com for tips to do this, we are here to help make this as smooth and successful as we can for everyone involved. Helpful Link - https://www.marshmallowfoundation.org/info/file?file=20866.pdf&fbclid=IwAR1FMVwq1_oSUJQ 4gK80PUILyiH1Vn8rAg4sBlX-QmEMTN_ySk35R5HiAOE
How do I register the microchip? AHCR does that work for you! When you fill out the adoption contract we ask for 2 names and phone numbers you want listed - and we do the rest of the work!
What if I’m having issues with the adopted dog? If you have any issues, need suggestions, just curious on something please e-mail info@almosthomecaninerescue.com We have a great team of people and resources we can get you in touch with someone to help you with almost everything!
What happens if the dog adopted does not work in the home for whatever reason? Adopting a dog is no small decision, it is the commitment to their lifetime. If you can no longer keep the pet adopted from AHCR, you must email us at info@almosthomecaninerescue.com and we will work with you to get the do returned to our care. We do require that you do bring the dog back to Sioux Falls, if you have adopted out of the area. As stated above, adoption fees are non-refundable if for some reason the dog does not work out.