All About the Adoption Process

We Take Great Pride in Matching Our Pets with Families...Forever!

We are happy you are considering adopting and adding a new member to your family. At Retrievers and Friends we have created an adoption process that not only ensures the best outcome for the pets we rescue, but for their new owners as well. Our primary goal is to assist the adopter in choosing a pet that best fits their lifestyle, home environment, and individual preferences. To best prepare you for the adoption process, we have put together some guidelines below about what you can expect when working with Retrievers and Friends and our many years of experience.

Adoption Requirements

A home check is required and will be conducted prior to approving an application
We do not offer out-of-state adoptions
A securely fenced yard is required if you're considering adopting a young active dog
We do not offer adoptions to families with children under 6 years of age. This is for the safety of the dog as well as the child
We do not offer adoptions of small dogs or puppies to homes with pools that are not securely fenced separate from the yard

Service Area & Appointments

Our rescue facility is located in Menifee. Our animals are cared for by our wonderful volunteers and a caretaker who lives on-site. If you would like to turn in an animal or visit us, please make an appointment and connect with us prior to your arrival. We do not open our gates for non-appointments in an effort to keep our animals safe and secure. At Retrievers and Friends we take pride in following up on our adoptions and their new journeys. If an adoption is not successful we are always available to retrieve the animal resulting in our desire to place our animals within our geographic area. For this reason, we do not offer out-of-state adoptions. If you do not live in our geographic area but are interested in adopting, please visit https://www.adoptapet.com or https://www.petfinder.com to find a rescue near you.

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Adoption Fees & Donations

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Unlike animal shelters, we do not receive county funding or other forms of income. We rely strictly on adoption fees and donations to cover the costs associated with rescuing and caring for the pets such as:

Spaying or neutering prior to adoption
Vaccinations (DHPP) will be given if not already current
Avid Microchipping for permanent identification of our dogs
Additional health needs addressed by our veterinarian
X-rays of hips are not recommended as routine veterinary care and are not done unless there is a suspected injury or orthopedic condition

Additionally, adoption fees and donations assist with dog food, cleaning supplies, and costs to run our rescue facility such as telephone, electricity, and gas bills.

Adoption Process

The Application Process

While we do specialize in rescuing and rehoming Retrievers, we have a number of dogs, cats, and other friends available for adoption. We hope you will consider adopting instead of shopping when it comes to choosing your new family member.

After you have reviewed our adoption requirements, you are ready to take the next step, filling out the adoption application. You will want to be specific in your application answers to give us the best possible picture of your home and family. One of our volunteers will then review your application and get back to you within 1-2 days.

Due to the high volume of adoption applications, we use email to communicate initially during the screening process. Please remember to check your email for our response, and if you do not receive a reply to your application within 48 hours, feel free to send us an email.

Application FAQ's & Tips

Are All Applications Accepted?

If we feel there is a reason the home would not be appropriate for one of our adoptees, we reserve the right to deny an application. We will always do our best to communicate this in a timely fashion if we will not be proceeding with your application.

How Do You Choose the Right Applicant?

We receive many interested applicants each day. Each application is closely reviewed and the answers provided are evaluated. Ultimately the decision is based on what we feel would be the best environment for the animal being adopted in relation to its current training, exercise needs, any medical needs, or how the dog relates to children and other animals, etc.

What Can I Expect During the Home Check Prior to Adoption?

A home check is required for an application to be approved and will be done prior to adoption. The volunteer visiting your home will check your fence and gates for security and will make sure that there aren't any safety hazards or other concerns within the home. In addition, we want to make sure that any current pets in the home are also well cared for.

Will Being Flexible Shorten the Adoption Process?

Animals in our program come from private families or animal shelters. Remaining flexible when it comes to the age or gender of the animal you are interested in can often shorten the amount of time you will need to wait prior to adoption.

Time to Adopt - Ready, Set, Apply!

Below is our dog adoption form. Before completing the application to adopt, please be sure to read more about the Adoption Process. Remember to be as detailed as possible when filling out our adoption form so we can gain the best understanding of your home and the type of pet that would work best for your family.

Cat Application

Other Friends Application

Dog Adoption Form

First name

Last name

Phone

Address

City

Zip code

State

Number of people who reside in your home:

Ages of people who reside in your home:

Your employer:

Spouse's employer:

How long at this address?

Do you rent or own your home?

Landlord's name (if applicable):

Landlord phone:

Does anyone in your family have allergies?

If yes, please explain below:

Do you have a local veterinarian?

If yes, please list name and phone number below:

Please tell us what you're looking for: Name of dog(s) you are interested in (from web site):

How soon would you like to adopt?

General Information If this dog chews, digs, or has any bad habits, what will you do?

Under what circumstances would you consider giving away your dog to a new owner?

Who will be responsible for the care and feeding of this dog?

What brand of dog food do you plan on feeding this dog?

Do you have any upcoming travel or vacation plans?

If yes, when will you be leaving and how long will you be gone?

How will you exercise this dog?

Does the pool have it's own fencing around it to prevent the dog from going into the pool when out in the yard? Please describe:

Please describe your yard, including approximate size (small, medium, large), patios, or any landscaping or other details you feel are important.

Do you have a secure fence that encloses your yard fully?

What type of fence do you have and how high is the fence overall?

Many fences have varying heights at different points in the yard. What is the height of your fence at the lowest point (approximate measurement from the ground to the top of the fence).

What is the height of your fence at the highest point (approximate measurement from the ground to the top of the fence)

Where will this dog be kept during the day while you are gone?

How many hours are you usually gone during the day?

Where will the dog be when you are home?

If it's raining outside, is there a covered area where the dog can stay dry? Please describe.

What type of shade is there in your yard for your dog during the summer months?

Do you have a gardener or any other person that enters your yard during the day while you are not at home?

Where will the dog sleep at night?

If indoors, how do you plan on housebreaking your new dog (if not already done)?

Please provide the following information for any pets you now own or have owned in during your adult life. You may add additional pets in the "comments" section below. Pet #1 Breed

Age

Sex

Is your pet spayed or neutered?

Do you still have this pet?

If this pet is no longer with your family, please explain. (Cause of death, or to whom the pet was given and why.)

Please provide any other information that may be helpful for us when reviewing your application.

How did you find out about us?

Have you been approved by any other rescues, and if so, which one(s)?

Additional pets - Comments section

Thank you for your submission!

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