BEAGLES TO THE RESCUE ADOPTION PROCESS

1. Fill out an Application – The first step towards adopting your new family pet is completing our application.  There is a non-refundable $15 application fee. 

2. Interaction with Prospective Pet – Everyone (including children) who lives in the household must come in to interact with your prospective pet(s) before you will be approved to adopt. You'll need to bring any current dog(s) to BTTR with you to meet the new dog. We are not looking for the dogs to clearly be best buddies for day one... simply ignoring one another is alright, but we want to give them an opportunity for observed interaction on neutral ground and ensure there isn't any instant aggression.

3. Home / Yard Check – BTTR requires a home and/or yard check. This is NOT some major inspection. We are only interested in making sure that your new pet is going to a safe and appropriate environment.

4. Final Approval – Once your application has been verified, all interaction requirements have been met, and the necessary home and/or yard checks have been completed, you will be notified by BTTR of your approval. At the time of approval, you may provide a check or money order to place a 48 hour hold on the animal. We cannot accept holds until your application has been approved.

5. Adoption – In order to complete the adoption, you will be asked to sign a legally binding adoption contract and pay an adoption fee. BTTR charges a $29.00 fee for any returned check.  

BTTR ADOPTION FEES

Dogs one year and up: $150 & Puppies under one year: $200

Adoption Fees include all animals being spayed/neutered and up-to date on all shots before adoption.  Keep in mind that we are unaware of the past history of most of our dogs, because of the fact that many of them were abandoned or lost dogs. Without a vaccination history, most of our dogs receive initial vaccinations, which require boosters after a shorter period of time than the next set of shots (for example, a one year Rabies vaccine instead of a three year vaccination, which you should obtain the following year).  Anyone wishing to schedule a local veterinary checkup at his own expense BEFORE acquiring a dog or puppy may do so by coordinating the appointment with BTTR.  Otherwise, we STRONGLY encourage you to take your new dog or puppy in for a  veterinary checkup as soon as you can, after adoption.

IMPORTANT FACTS!!!

FENCE REQUIRED
Our policies require that applicants have a fenced in yard -- the Board of Directors must meet and vote to exempt anyone from this policy. Such exemptions require very unusual circumstances and are not normally authorized. For purposes of our definition of fenced in yard -- an "invisible" or "electronic" fence does not qualify as a fenced in yard.

AUTHORITY OF HOME INSPECTORS
The home inspector cannot make a decision to exempt an applicant from any BTTR policy. They basically check marks off a form (example "Yard Fenced = Yes / No"), and do not decide if you can have a dog.

ADOPTION CONTRACT FEE REFUNDS
We do NOT give adoption contract fee refunds after 7 calendar days from the day you adopt your dog. This first week gives you a chance to get an idea how the dog will do in your home. We strongly urge you to take your new dog to the vet during that week. Under the terms of our adoption contract, you are required to return any dog you adopt from us if you are no longer able or no longer want to care for the animal.... no matter how much time has passed since the animal's adoption from BTTR. But the 7 day rule applies to obtaining a refund of your contract fee.

BOUNCED CHECKS
We will assess a $29 fee for any check dishonored for any reason.

OUT OF AREA ADOPTIONS
We are willing to adopt out of the area, but restrictions apply. 

We are located in CHESAPEAKE, VA, which is not too far from the VA / NC border. Long-distance applicants, please understand that, while we will consider out-of-town applicants on a case-by-case basis IF we have the ability to do a home-check, we generally won't adopt out to a home more than 50 miles away. We have to consider the cost of gas, as well as what will happen if an adopter from out-of-town decides to relinquish the dog.
Our sister beagle rescues north and south of us have their own great beagles available for adoption, and if they are closer to an applicant, the logical thing is to refer the applicant to the closer rescue group. We *understand* that almost every out-of-town applicant could and would provide a GREAT home for a rescue dog. We try to facilitate that by sending you to a closer rescue group.

Sometimes when we refer an applicant to another beagle rescue we are told they are contacting us because we have puppies available at a time when the other shelter does not. We have many more applications for puppies than we have puppies. If choosing among equally well qualified applicants, the fact that one is local will tip the scales in their favor.

Finally, we WILL NOT put a puppy or an adult dog on an airplane. Don't even ask.

If you are an out-of-town applicant, please call or email us before applying to adopt. Talk to us first. If you do choose to send in an application, please keep in mind that all application fees are NON-REFUNDABLE. Please check with us before even applying, because if we cannot help you we can save you some effort. Also, we may be able to refer you to a closer beagle rescue.


FIRST COME IS NOT ALWAYS FIRST SERVED
We are trying to find the best homes for our dogs. That means we want to find the family best suited for each individual dog. Our desire is that the DOG be as safe and happy as we can make him or her.  Sometimes more than one family applies for a given dog or puppy.  Being first in line MAY not mean you get a particular animal, if we feel that the dog will be a better "fit" for another family. Please keep in mind that these dogs -- by virtue of being rescue dogs -- have either never had a home or have lost at least one home. Our priority is the welfare of the dogs.