1. Application (available online in doc and PDF format). It can be
emailed, mailed or given to an adoption volunteer.
2. Interview based on the application to ask follow up
questions and see what questions you have about the pet.
3. Home visit by volunteer who will point out hazards you
might not see. (For instance, one volunteer found a fence with
a hole in the bottom that a dog could easily get out. The homeowner
didn't realize it was there. He fixed it before the dog went to
live with him.)
4. Sign contract and pay adoption fee. The fee is refundable
if the animal is returned within two weeks but not refundable
after that. The contract states that the animal must be returned
to Rikki's for any reason at any time if the adoption doesn't
work out. We
retain the right to refuse adoption to anyone for any reason. Boy, that sounds harsh, doesn't it? Your first thought is probably,
"who do these people think they are and how do they think
they are going to find homes with that attitude?" Well,
you have to look at the situation from our viewpoint -- or rather
from the viewpoint of our animals. The
majority of them have already lost one family. They were promised
a happy, safe, forever home and they did not get it. We use applications, interviews and home checks to try our best to ensure
that this doesn't happen again. You
might fall in love with Fluffy, but based on the information you
give us we can tell that Fluffy would have a problem in your home
either immediately or down the road. Maybe you have small kids
and Fluffy is a herding dog. Cute as he is, his instinct is going
to be to round up your kids like they were sheep. He might knock
them over accidentally or push them with his nose to move them
along. If you said you wanted a quiet dog who would sit calmly
by your children, we know that Fluffy is not going to be the dog
for you. Please don't be offended. Some
people think we ask a lot of personal questions. Am I moving soon?
How many children do I have? What business is that of anyone's,
right? Again, our goal is to find our animals a happy, forever
home where they won't have to worry about getting sent back to
the refuge. We really do hope that you will fall in love with one of our
animals, that your personalities and lifestyles will match, and
that you will be able to provide a happy, forever home. We just
want you to be very sure about it before you adopt.
PDF
format | Word format
Adoption
opportunities are somewhat limited for our crew since they
have to be shown around the schedules of volunteers. If one
of our dogs or cats tugs at your heart strings, please call
the refuge to schedule an appointment. It might take a volunteer
a couple days to get back to you, but we will.
Please
be sure the animal you are scheduling an appointment to see
is actually a Rikki animal. We have posted many adoptables
on our website who are looking for new homes, including those
in private foster care or county shelters.
All
animals adopted through a Rikki's Refuge adoption contract must
be returned to Rikki's if the adoption is not working out for
any reason, at any point in the animal's life. Please
contact us before bringing the animal back so that we can make
arrrangements and be ready when you come. Please bring any updated
medical records and let us know any problem the animal is having
-- or might have -- so that we can be prepared to deal with it. We will also need a copy of the original adoption contract that was sent home with you or other identifying information. Adoption
fees are not refundable and you will need to sign a surrender
form relinquishing the animal back to Rikki's. Important:
We often post non-Rikki animals to our websites to help them gain
exposure. Only Rikki animals adopted out under a Rikki's Refuge
contract can be returned back to us.
