The Adoption Process: Easier than it looks, harder than buying from a pet store (AHR Dosen’t support puppy mills!), adoption through a shelter or rescue is infinitely more responsible and rewarding. You are saving a life!

These Questions are Answered Below:
What is the Adoption Process?
What information do I need to provide for a vet reference?
What if I live in a remote area or out of state?
Do you adopt to renters?
What does my adoption fee include?

What is the Adoption Process?

1. APPLICATION:
Click Here to Download a Adoption Application
This is actually the hardest part! Pre-screening to help make a good match for your lifestyle is important to us and to you.
Please fill out the application thoroughly and e-mail to: (either in the body of an email or as an attachment): adoptions_ahr@yahoo.com

2. VET REFERENCE:
You may need to make a quick call to authorize your vet to release information to Almost Home Rescue. See below for what we look for.

3. HOME VISIT:
After steps 1 and 2 are complete, you will be contacted directly by a volunteer to conduct a brief (under 1 hour) home visit. Don’t clean up! Easy and comfortable, we promise!

4. APPROVAL:
After steps 1-3 have been approved, you will receive an approval letter that will outline particulars about payment and pick up, as well as tips on homecoming, socialization and training.

5. PAYMENT:
Adoption fee is due at the time of approval. Personal checks are not accepted. Cash, Money order or Paypal will be accepted.

6. PICK UP:
You are all done and can pick up your new dog. Pick up instructions will be included with your approval letter. Congratulations on your new family member!

7. UPDATES and PICTURES!:
If we could make this a requirement, we would! Updates keep us all motivated to keep doing what we are doing. Rescue is a heartbreaking venture, we see cruelty that most people don’t know exists. Please update us (3 days post adoption, 6 mos post adoption, then annually –think of it as a birthday present to your dog!). We want to hear how wonderful your dog is doing and how much you love him or her!

Vet References:
Your application should contain the name your account is in, if you have multiple animals or multiple vets, please include all the names of your vets and account names, please list all pets in the home, all pets cared for in the past and their breeds and the date you no longer had them. If they passed away, please put the year.

• All current dogs (& historically) should be up to date with Rabies, Parvo, Distemper and Heartworm Preventative (Lyme is now always recommended by AHR).
• Cats should have rabies and distemper vaccinations. Feline leukimia tests recommended.
• Vet references should also show a history of up to date vaccinations and the history and ability to care for sick or injured pets.

OUT OF STATE OR LONG DISTANCE ADOPTIONS:
• We do adopt out of state and longer distances in Maine, however, home visits are impossible for us to do in certain areas. We can do most areas south of Bangor, some areas from Bar Harbor north on the coast. Most areas in NH, MA, and CT. We can only do a few select areas of VT. Most of VT and other areas in far Northern or remote areas of ME may require a home visit reference. Most areas have a local rescue or shelter or even sometimes your vet will have someone that will do a home visit for you. If we notify you that we are unable to do a home visit in your area. The adopter is responsible for finding a representative in the animal welfare community that can do this. The representative must represent an animal welfare organization that is able to give a phone number to reach the organization. When you find someone to do this, and prior to your home visit: please give them the email address adoptions_AHR@yahoo.com and we will send out a home visit form to the representative/evaluator to send back to us. We cannot send this form to you.

RENTERS:
We do accept application from renters, you must be able to show a positive stable rental history, landlord phone number and approval as well as your plan to keep this dog for its lifetime if your rental unit becomes unavailable in the future.

What does my adoption fee pay for?

The adoption fee covers:
• Vetting services prior to and occasionally after transport
• Vaccinations (Rabies, DHLPP and bordatella, de-worming
• Spay/neuter
• Frontline/Advantage (flea and tick preventative)
• Heartworm preventative
• Capstar (de-flea)
• Microchip
• Interstate Health certificate
• Transport ($125.00 per dog) included.

IF (and there usually isn’t) there are any funds left over from your fee after paying all the bills associated with your dog, the funds will go toward extra vet bills incurred or other organizational expenses and help to sponsor a foster dog that must go into foster care.

All Arkansas veterinarian bills as well as any in foster care are submitted to Almost Home Rescue. Sometimes the cost of vetting for some dogs is more that the adoption fee, rarely it is less. At this point in time, Almost Home Rescue is running in a deficit and trying to raise funds to help save more lives. Almost Home Rescue is a 501©(3) Non-Profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.