Our Adoption Process
Please read this entire page prior to completing an application.
Adoption donations are non-refundable. Please be understanding, we are an all-volunteer organization and for that reason, the adoption process can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks depending on the number of applications we are processing at the time and the availability of volunteers in your area.
Completion of an adoption application does not obligate Secondhand Snoots Rescue to finalize any adoption or place an animal in a home; nor does application completion obligate the applicant to finalize the adoption. All adoption decisions are at the sole discretion of the Secondhand Snoots Rescue Board of Directors.
Note: Since animals are fostered in private homes it is not possible to simply "come and meet them." We are not able to accommodate potential adopters to meet dogs until they have been approved to adopt and the *Meet and Sniff* has been scheduled.
Minimum Adoption Donations:
(Payable by cash, check, credit card or PayPal)
All of our animals that are available for adoption have been micro-chipped, received all of their age-appropriate vaccinations, are spayed/neutered (if over 6-months old and medically appropriate), dewormed, heartworm / FIV / FeLV - tested, and treated for any medical conditions or injuries that they present with.
All adoption donations directly benefit the animals at Secondhand Snoots Rescue, they help pay for medical expenses, spaying/neutering, and daily care. Adoption donations may be tax deductible as allowed by law, you will be given a receipt. Please consult with your tax professional for available deduction.
Please Note:
We do not allow any of our animals to be adopted as gifts. We have this policy to ensure that the owner of the dog is the right match and we require that a 'meet and sniff’ takes place prior to adoption. People who receive gifts don't always like what they get and we don't want to take the risk of having any animal returned. We are more than happy to work with you and instead of going through the adoption process, we can offer an adoption gift certificate allowing the receiver to go through the adoption process themselves and your gift is the certificate covering the adoption donation. If for some reason the recipient of your gift does not qualify for adoption from Secondhand Snoots, we will refund the amount of the adoption donation to you.
Requirements
STEP ONE: Think it through. Do you have the time, energy and resources to devote to a new pet? Are you committed to caring for the pet for the next 10-15 years or more? Research the cost of veterinary care. Research what kind of pet would be best for your household.
STEP TWO: Browse our website and choose some potential candidates then complete an online adoption application. Adoption applications must be completed before meet & greets can be scheduled with any of our available animals. Once we receive your completed application it will be forwarded to an adoption counselor who will be your contact throughout the entire process.
STEP THREE: We will get your references checked. We require a minimum of 2 personal, non-related, references as well as a veterinary reference if you currently or have recently had pets. If you have previously adopted from or volunteered with another agency, please provide their contact information as well. If you rent or lease or live in a condominium we will verify that pets are allowed by calling your landlord or management company. You will be contacted for a phone or email and you will have an opportunity to discuss the adoptable that you are interested in, and ask any questions that you may have about our organization and our process. During this conversation we will better be able to determine if the adoptable that you are interested in will be a good fit in your home and make some recommendations on other animals in rescue if not. We will also discuss the medical and behavioral history, and special needs (if any) of any animal that you are interested in at this time.
STEP FOUR: The Meet and Sniff. After your reference checks we will schedule a home visit & meet and greet with the adoptable/s that you are interested in. All household/family members must be present during the meet and sniff. We highly recommend that anybody who does not live in the home, but will have regular contact with the adoptable be present for the meet and greet as well; such as pet sitters, dog walkers, babysitters, etc. Meet and sniffs are all done differently depending on the type of animal you are interested in and the personality and needs of that animal and any animals that you have at home. Known medical and behavioral history will be reviewed with you at this time.
STEP FIVE: Foster to Adopt: Once approved, your adoption counselor will set up a time to bring your new forever friend home for a 2-week foster to adopt period. We believe that the best way to insure the best fit is to start off with a trial period. Your adoption counselor will review the foster to adopt contract and procedures with you. An appointment will be made to come out and finalize the adoption in two weeks.
STEP SIX: Adoption Contract. After the two week Foster to Adopt, you will to finalize your adoption by completing an adoption contract and paying the adoption donation (see list of minimum adoption donations at the top of this page). At that time, available medical records will be provided along with a variety of other information.
Your relationship with Secondhand Snoots Rescue does not end at the contract signing. Your adoption counselor will follow up with you regularly after your adoption.
Secondhand Snoots Rescue cannot guarantee the health of any animals adopted. Any time you adopt an animal you should take it to the vet within 5-days. Your newly adopted animal has examined by our veterinarians, however you will want to develop a relationship with your chosen veterinarian and start your pet on preventative veterinary care. Completion of an adoption application does not obligate Secondhand Snoots Rescue to finalize any adoption with any applicant for any reason. Completion of an application does not obligate any applicant to finalize an adoption; it is only the first step in the process. Adoptions are finalized at the final discretion of Secondhand Snoots Rescue's Board of Directors.
Please read this entire page prior to completing an application.
Adoption donations are non-refundable. Please be understanding, we are an all-volunteer organization and for that reason, the adoption process can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks depending on the number of applications we are processing at the time and the availability of volunteers in your area.
Completion of an adoption application does not obligate Secondhand Snoots Rescue to finalize any adoption or place an animal in a home; nor does application completion obligate the applicant to finalize the adoption. All adoption decisions are at the sole discretion of the Secondhand Snoots Rescue Board of Directors.
Note: Since animals are fostered in private homes it is not possible to simply "come and meet them." We are not able to accommodate potential adopters to meet dogs until they have been approved to adopt and the *Meet and Sniff* has been scheduled.
Minimum Adoption Donations:
(Payable by cash, check, credit card or PayPal)
- Dogs (1 year old and older) – $250.00
- Puppies (11 months old and under) - $300.00
- Cats & Kittens – $75.00 for one, $125.00 for two
- Senior Dogs and Cats (8 years old and older) - $150.00 for dogs. $50 for one cat / $75 for 2
- Senior Citizens (age 65 and up / with proof) adopting a senior dog or cat (age 8 year old and older) - $100 for dogs and $25 for cats
- Secondhand Snoots Rescue appreciates the service and sacrifice our first responders make for all of us. In appreciation we proudly offer a 25% discount on our regular adoption rates to all active and retired Law Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters, and Military. To receive the discounted adoption rate the adopter must present their employer issued identification card or other legal proof of employment or service.
- Kittens 6 months old and younger are recommended to be adopted in pairs or into a home with another young, playful cat or kitten
All of our animals that are available for adoption have been micro-chipped, received all of their age-appropriate vaccinations, are spayed/neutered (if over 6-months old and medically appropriate), dewormed, heartworm / FIV / FeLV - tested, and treated for any medical conditions or injuries that they present with.
All adoption donations directly benefit the animals at Secondhand Snoots Rescue, they help pay for medical expenses, spaying/neutering, and daily care. Adoption donations may be tax deductible as allowed by law, you will be given a receipt. Please consult with your tax professional for available deduction.
Please Note:
We do not allow any of our animals to be adopted as gifts. We have this policy to ensure that the owner of the dog is the right match and we require that a 'meet and sniff’ takes place prior to adoption. People who receive gifts don't always like what they get and we don't want to take the risk of having any animal returned. We are more than happy to work with you and instead of going through the adoption process, we can offer an adoption gift certificate allowing the receiver to go through the adoption process themselves and your gift is the certificate covering the adoption donation. If for some reason the recipient of your gift does not qualify for adoption from Secondhand Snoots, we will refund the amount of the adoption donation to you.
Requirements
- Adopters must be at least 21 years of age and must show a driver’s license or other government-issued identification.
- All members of the family must be in agreement about when to adopt a pet, and which pet to adopt.
- All members of the family, and anybody who will have daily access to the animal's care, must be present during the meet & greet.
- Renters will need to provide a copy of their lease, landlord contact information or written proof of permission to own pets.
- Adopters who live in condos or townhouses are required to show a copy of their condo/townhouse rules, regulations, or bylaws showing that pets are allowed.
- Adoption requirements, such as need for a fence, maximum hours the animal may be left alone, level of experience required, etc. will be determined according to the specific needs of each animal.
- Other animals residing in the home must be spayed/neutered, unless medically unable to withstand the surgery, and must be current on their vaccinations (Rabies, Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella)
- We do not adopt out "outdoor pets." Pets that are left outside to do not bond as readily with their owners and are prone to nuisance behaviors like barking, escaping, roaming, digging, predatory behavior and other destruction. If applicants currently have an "outdoor pet" their adoption may be denied.
- Adoption approval is at the sole discretion of Secondhand Snoots Rescue Board of Directors and applications may be denied for any reason.
STEP ONE: Think it through. Do you have the time, energy and resources to devote to a new pet? Are you committed to caring for the pet for the next 10-15 years or more? Research the cost of veterinary care. Research what kind of pet would be best for your household.
STEP TWO: Browse our website and choose some potential candidates then complete an online adoption application. Adoption applications must be completed before meet & greets can be scheduled with any of our available animals. Once we receive your completed application it will be forwarded to an adoption counselor who will be your contact throughout the entire process.
STEP THREE: We will get your references checked. We require a minimum of 2 personal, non-related, references as well as a veterinary reference if you currently or have recently had pets. If you have previously adopted from or volunteered with another agency, please provide their contact information as well. If you rent or lease or live in a condominium we will verify that pets are allowed by calling your landlord or management company. You will be contacted for a phone or email and you will have an opportunity to discuss the adoptable that you are interested in, and ask any questions that you may have about our organization and our process. During this conversation we will better be able to determine if the adoptable that you are interested in will be a good fit in your home and make some recommendations on other animals in rescue if not. We will also discuss the medical and behavioral history, and special needs (if any) of any animal that you are interested in at this time.
STEP FOUR: The Meet and Sniff. After your reference checks we will schedule a home visit & meet and greet with the adoptable/s that you are interested in. All household/family members must be present during the meet and sniff. We highly recommend that anybody who does not live in the home, but will have regular contact with the adoptable be present for the meet and greet as well; such as pet sitters, dog walkers, babysitters, etc. Meet and sniffs are all done differently depending on the type of animal you are interested in and the personality and needs of that animal and any animals that you have at home. Known medical and behavioral history will be reviewed with you at this time.
STEP FIVE: Foster to Adopt: Once approved, your adoption counselor will set up a time to bring your new forever friend home for a 2-week foster to adopt period. We believe that the best way to insure the best fit is to start off with a trial period. Your adoption counselor will review the foster to adopt contract and procedures with you. An appointment will be made to come out and finalize the adoption in two weeks.
STEP SIX: Adoption Contract. After the two week Foster to Adopt, you will to finalize your adoption by completing an adoption contract and paying the adoption donation (see list of minimum adoption donations at the top of this page). At that time, available medical records will be provided along with a variety of other information.
Your relationship with Secondhand Snoots Rescue does not end at the contract signing. Your adoption counselor will follow up with you regularly after your adoption.
Secondhand Snoots Rescue cannot guarantee the health of any animals adopted. Any time you adopt an animal you should take it to the vet within 5-days. Your newly adopted animal has examined by our veterinarians, however you will want to develop a relationship with your chosen veterinarian and start your pet on preventative veterinary care. Completion of an adoption application does not obligate Secondhand Snoots Rescue to finalize any adoption with any applicant for any reason. Completion of an application does not obligate any applicant to finalize an adoption; it is only the first step in the process. Adoptions are finalized at the final discretion of Secondhand Snoots Rescue's Board of Directors.
Copyright© 2010-2014, Secondhand Snoots Rescue, NFP - All Rights Reserved
501(c)(3) charitable organization; Illinois Department of Agriculture Licensed #14085
P.O. Box 7798 Gurnee, IL 60031 | info@secondhandsnoots.org
http://www.secondhandsnoots.org
501(c)(3) charitable organization; Illinois Department of Agriculture Licensed #14085
P.O. Box 7798 Gurnee, IL 60031 | info@secondhandsnoots.org
http://www.secondhandsnoots.org
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