Adoption Process for Dogs - Animal Rescue Crew

adoption process

DOGS

All the dogs are currently in Romania - we will only bring them to the UK as and when we find a suitable forever home. Please note that we currently only rehome within Scotland.

Before applying, please ensure that all household members are in agreement to adopt. For anyone who rents their home should have in place either written confirmation from their landlord or housing association to confirm they are permitted to have the correct number of pets within the home, or already have this stated within their lease. The rescue may ask for this to be emailed prior to a homecheck or for this to be viewed at the time of a homecheck. We regret that we are not able to proceed with a homecheck without first having permissions in place.

For each applicant we will go through a thorough adoption application questionnaire with you making sure that we have all the necessary initial information we need to proceed and start our process. We are a rescue who looks at best suitability, which means that our end of process may match you to another dog, which may not be the dog you initially inquired as sometimes there may be a better suited dog and we want the best possible outcome for you and the adopted dog.

You can expect a call back to your application within 7-10 days usually, however this may take a little longer at peak times when our volunteers are exceptionally busy. Should you be in any doubt as to whether your application has been received you are welcome to send us an email to check and we will reply as soon as we can. Please note we do also usually send an initial reply via email so do keep an eye on your spam folder in case our email goes into this in error. We will usually always plan a call with you in advance, this will also be done via email.

Following on from the call back (which is likely to be in excess of an hour) and when you are happy with our rehoming process and that our process will meet your expectations, we will then organise for a homecheck to take place. The purpose of this home visit is to firstly make sure that your home is going to be suitable for the chosen dog - does it offer enough space for the dog to have its own area if needed, are there already too many pets in the home, is your garden secure and does it offer what the dog needs? All essential questions to be answered that one of our volunteers will assess on our behalf and pass back. The homechecker is likely not to be the coordinator dealing with your application, therefore please do not expect a decision on if your application is successful at this stage, this will come via the coordinator in a call back within a few days of the homecheck once the information is returned. There may be recommendations for improvements either within the home or garden, such as a safety gate to be fitted at the top or bottom of the stairs, fire guard to be installed, especially for any puppies, gate height to be increased, and in the case of any escape holes or spaces, these must be blocked up. We encourage you to prepare your home and garden for a homecheck looking at any potential risks.

Once a homecheck is completed and returned, you will receive a call to discuss further. You may have questions from the homecheck this is the time to ask these. It is at this stage you will be formally offered a dog for adoption. In order to reserve that dog (meaning we will no longer deal with any other enquiries, and the dogs profile removed accordingly) we will ask for a non refundable deposit of at least £200 to be paid to us by bank transfer within 24 hours of this call. The balance of the Transport Donation of £395 (as at October 2021) will be required to be paid within 7 days from then or as advised by the coordinator if the transport is sooner than 7 days. Please note our transport donation may be subject to change at any time due to increased transport and customs costs, which will be required to be covered in full by an adopter. The transport donation covers the transport costs from Constanta to England, and a contribution to the costs from England to Scotland. The transport donation also contributes towards the customs export/import charges and towards the preparation and passport costs for each dog.

our safety requirements for all dogs adopted

For each dog safety is our paramount concern. For any successful adoptions it will be a requirement for each dog to be kept on the lead and ruff wear webmaster harness for a period of at least 12 weeks from the adoption date. When you first take your dog home after collecting, you are required to use a harness with a clip lead attached to this, and the back up of a secondary lead (this should be a slip lead) to ensure that your dog is not spooked when out on walks, that they are safe and secure in all eventualities as sadly there are too many dogs arriving and being killed, even months down the line, when it could have been avoided. After the initial use of harness and a lead, before taking the step to let the dog off lead, we will ask for a further period of recall practice using a long line or training lead. This will be included on the adoption contract and personalised to each dog and adopter. Safety is at the forefront of our adoptions and we expect the same standard of safety when the dogs arrive to their adoptive families.

We will always advise having a door or gate between your adopted dog and the main door out of the property. For example please contain safely in the kitchen, lounge etc before answering your front door. Dogs can and will find the smallest space to get out and even the most settled of dogs will react differently when scared and frightened. If you are unable to meet with these safety recommendations then a Romanian Dog is not for you. When transporting your dogs, it is a requirement for in car safety to be in place at all times, such as a secured dog crate, travel harness and secure clip. Essentially something that not only prevents your dog from injury and a legal requirement in the UK, but will also prevent escape.

Our dogs and cats start their journey in Contanta heading first to Bucharest to meet the main transport van then onwards across Europe. They travel in style in a DEFRA inspected and regulated vehicle which has an onboard Nanny present throughout their entire journey to the UK ensuring they have food and water and lots of attention for the duration. Typically it takes around 36 hours from the Romania to the UK.

Once they arrive to the UK our dogs and cats spend 48 hours in a Traces Kennel in Nottinghamshire. They receive excellent care and attention during their stay ensuring they are happy and relaxed ahead of their onward journey to their final destination in Edinburgh.

Our rescue volunteers travel to Nottinghamshire from Scotland to collect our precious cargo. We use an air conditioned and fully ventillated van, with specialist designed built in transport crates for safety. Our volunteer has an APHA Type 1 Transporter Licence, and the vehicle is fully serviced and insured. The animals are given lots of attention and treats during their last journey home. The cats have toys, litter trays and beds to keep them comfy and the dogs have a comfy Scruffs bed to ensure they feel safe and secure plus treats, snuffle mats and lots of cuddles at the many stops on the drive North. Our crates are spacious and secure ensuring our passengers arrive safe and sound to their adopters.

On the Adoption Day: There will be a central meeting point in East Lothian that we will ask all adopters to travel to. All details of place to collect, timings etc will be advised in writing by the rehoming coordinator and you must ensure to bring a lead and slip lead with you. You are required to also bring a harness and slip lead with you at this time. The adoption contract will be available for signing on the collection day.

For all dogs, the Microchip details will be done under a dual registration. The main details into the adopters name and contact details however with the extra security of always having the rescue contact details on too. For example should you move and forget to change your details and your dog go missing, we would always be contactable in this instance.

We use ELI for Animals as our chosen DEFRA approved transporter from Constanta to England. ELI offer exemplary care of the animals under the monitoring of a dedicated nanny travelling with the animals for the duration of the journey. All dogs (like the cats) will arrive to the UK and spend 48 hours initially in an approved Traces kennels in Nottinghamshire before we collect them and transport to Scotland to meet our adopters.

All our dogs are required to attend formal training within 3 months from the date of adoption, details of the chosen class must be provided as soon as possible for follow up purposes. In some cases classes may not suit the adopted dog, in which case we would suggest one to one training sessions instead - we can discuss suitability with you. Please do your research and look for a positive based trainer, one that encourages the use of rewards/treats, as these work best for the dogs. Please avoid anything that uses fear or dominance to train your dog – anything Pack Leader or Cesar Milan related should be avoided. We encourage the following: PPGBI (Pet Professional Guild British Isles, IMDT (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers), APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), Victoria Stillwell Positively and COAPE (Centre of Applied Pet Ethology). We ask for this to ensure that the dogs become well balanced, sociable and well trained, remember they are street dogs who have had no training previously. A little work at the start will allow a more sociable and well balanced dog who can go everywhere with you in life.

In addition to the above each and every dog is given back up for their entire life, meaning if you are unable to keep your adopted dog for whatever reason, the dog must be returned to the care of the rescue. We hope that with our entire adoption process we are safeguarding that the dogs we rehome will be well balanced, good mannered dogs who will have a very successful transition into their new homes.

All our dogs are microchipped, 4DX tested (for heartworm disease, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and anaplasmosis), additional Brucellosis blood testing, vaccinated, flea and worm treated and will be neutered (where age and health allow) before arriving, whilst this is done at no additional cost to the adopter, donations are welcomed towards these substantial and ongoing costs where possible.

In addition to the above each and every dog is given rescue back up for their entire life, meaning if you are unable to keep your adopted dog for whatever reason, the dog must be returned to the care of the rescue and never sold or transferred into anyone else’s care.

We hope that with our entire adoption process we are safeguarding that the dogs we rehome will be well balanced, good mannered and who will have a very successful transition into their new homes.

"Although we knew we wanted a rescue dog, we did not set out to adopt a Romanian one. From my first contact with ARC I felt confident that they knew what they were doing and had the dogs’ best interests at heart at all times."

Looking for homes

MEET OUR DOGS

Some of our lovely dogs waiting for their new home.

Available for adoption

Looking for homes

MEET OUR CATS

Some of our beautiful cats looking for a home.

Available for adoption

ANIMAL RESCUE CREW