Name of dog that prompted you to apply:
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All members of the household are in agreement about adopting a dog
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All adults in the home are available to participate in the interview and meet and greet process
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You have budgeted for good quality pet food and supplies
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You have budgeted for regular vetting and medical emergencies
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You have thought about where the dog will go when you are away on a trip or if the dog requires a dog walker/daycare during the day
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You have time during the transition period to work on your bond with trust-building activities and any behaviours that may come up during the adjustment period, including but not limited to: separation anxiety, accidents in the home, proper introductions to people and dogs, nervousness in a new environment, crate training etc
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You have the appropriate amount of time to spend with the dog (minimum 2 outings per day, regular training time, etc)
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If adopting a puppy, you have a plan to ensure frequent guidance, potty breaks, feedings
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You have budgeted for professional training which is required for all SOS dogs. This can range from $250 to $1,000+ depending on many factors (dog's needs, human's skills/experience, location, etc)
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You have budgeted for the cost of the Tractive GPS subscription, which can cost up to $144.
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You have you read the dogs bio you are applying for in full? We ask that you read the dogs bio in full, as the details matter. If you haven't done so yet, please do so prior to applying
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Do you have any trips and/or life changes happening within the next 1-3 months? Please note after submitting this application, the dog will be ready to go home within a week or two. We cannot place dogs on hold for adoption. If you have a big life event happening within the next few months that will prevent you from bringing home a new dog now, please wait to apply until you are 100% ready.
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If you would like to discuss this with our team before submitting an application, please email adoption@saveourscruff.org
Full Name
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Personal Pronoun
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What about this dogs bio makes you feel they are a good fit for you?
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Based on their bio, what types of challenges do you think you will face with this dog that you will have to work through? How will you support them and do you have any experience with these types of challenges?
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Please be as specific as possible!
Are there any requirements in the bio that you may not meet? If you don't meet some of the requirements, it might still be a fit. Before taking your time to complete the application, you can send a quick email to adoption@saveourscruff.org to check in.
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What made you choose SAVE OUR SCRUFF as the rescue you want to adopt from?
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Email Address
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Phone Number
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Address
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Please note: we cannot facilitate adoptions outside of Ontario at this time.
Address 1
Address 2
City
State/Province
Zip/Postal Code
Country
Unit #
How long have you been looking to adopt a dog?
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How old are you?
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Please give us an idea of what an average day looks like for you.
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We are looking for things like: How do you plan to incorporate a dog into this routine? What about evenings and weekends? Are you away for 5+ hours? How busy is your routine? Do you often have people over?
If you are a student...as you know, having a dog is a huge commitment on a number of levels, including financially. In addition to regular expenses, like annual vetting and good quality food, adopters need to be prepared for emergencies which could arise at any time and may end up being quite costly. Please let us know how you have prepared for these circumstances while you are in school.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or animal cruelty, neglect or abandonment?
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If you answered yes to the above question, please explain in more detail.
Why would you like to adopt a dog? Why have you chosen to apply for a rescue dog? Do you have any concerns with adopting a rescue?
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Have you ever had a dog that had a litter of puppies? We are looking for more information on your past experiences with mothers, young puppies, and your thoughts on unplanned litters.
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If you answered yes to the above question, please explain in more detail.
If you answered yes to the above question, please explain in more detail.
Please list the full names, personal pronouns, age and relationship to yourself of everyone living in your home.
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If you have children living at home, what is their experience with dogs?
Will the children in your home be part of the caring for dog? Will they be home alone with the dog? How will you ensure this is a safe environment for the children & your dog?
If the ownership and care giving of the dog is shared between two or more individuals (married, not married, roommates, etc) and the decision was made to split up and go your separate ways, what would happen to the dog? Has this been discussed?
Do you or any members of your household have allergies to dogs? If so, how do you plan to manage this?
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Have you ever adopted or applied to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue?
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If yes, please elaborate on the experience with that organization. Was it a positive experience? What did you learn through this experience?
Please list the names, breeds, and ages of all pets currently in your home and tell us a little more about them (personality traits, exposure to other dogs/cats/animals, we want to know the good, the bad and the ugly!)
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Are they... (select all that apply)
If you answered "Other" to the previous question, please explain further:
Tell us about any pets you’ve had in the past. How many have you had? Were they family pets? Were you the primary caregiver? Can you let us know how you lost your past pets?
Have you ever re-homed an animal? If yes, please explain in more detail below. We understand that every situation is different and would like to better understand what helped you come to that decision.
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Have you ever had to advocate for a dog in an uncomfortable situation? If so, tell us about it.
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Are you open to training ideas, balanced training methodology, and virtual or in person workshops from SAVE OUR SCRUFF?
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If you answered no to the previous question, please explain in more detail.
In your own words, what makes a “Responsible Pet Owner"?
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Is there anything else you'd like to share about your dog experience that you feel like we should know about?
What kind of neighbourhood do you live in?
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What's your living arrangement?
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Select all that apply.
If you answered "Other" to the previous question, please provide any other relevant information on your living arrangements:
Do you rent or own?
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Did you know? “No pets” clauses on residential leases are not enforceable in Ontario. There are very few circumstances under which a landlord can legally prevent a tenant from having a dog in the home. Outside of these specific circumstances (severe allergies, condo association rules, etc.), tenants do not need their landlords permission in order to own a pet. If you receive pressure from your landlord, you can file a complaint with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). We’ve had cases where this kind of pressure led to adopters giving up their pets, which is a terrible outcome for everyone. It’s crucial that you educate yourself about your rights, recourse and resources, so that you’re able to stand up for yourself and your dog if you find yourself in this situation. You can learn about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant with pets by reading the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. If you need help understanding this document, or have questions about it, you can call the LTB’s help line or look at their website for lots of helpful information. http://tribunalsontario.ca/ltb/ or (416) 645-8080
If you are a renter, have you read and understand the above?
If you are a renter, are you willing to stand up for yourself and your dog, including potentially making a complaint to the LTB, if your landlord pressures you regarding your newly adopted pet? Please explain further.
Where will your newly adopted pet stay when you're not home?
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Where will your newly adopted pet sleep during the night when you first bring them home?
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If you answered "Other" to the previous question, please explain in more detail.
Once fully adjusted, where would you eventually like your new pet to sleep during the night?
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If you answered "Other" to the previous question, please explain in more detail
Who in your household or community will help you take care of your dog?
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Select all that apply.
If you go on vacation, where will the dog stay?
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Would you consider using a dog walker or daycare when you are away for long stretches of time? (8+ hours)
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Which member of your household will be primarily responsible for feeding, exercising and training the dog?
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Please outline (realistically) what your activity level will look like with a new dog in your home and/or what your activity level looks like with your current dog. Describe the quantity, duration and type of physical exercise you can provide daily. Please also describe the amount of mental stimulation you can provide daily (training, relationship building, engagement exercises, games, etc)
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Are you ready & willing to commit to this dog for 15 years (more or less, depending on the age and type of dog you're applying for)?
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Have you thought about situations like: what if you decide to move to a completely new area or country? What if you have kids? What if you go on a month-long + vacation? What if you get a big promotion that keeps you away from home for long periods of time, or alternatively lose your job and need to move into a new place?)
Do you or anyone in your household smoke inside the home?
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Tell us about some of your non-negotiables/must-haves as you are looking for a dog (personality, temperament, size, age, breed mix, activities the dog enjoys, etc.)
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Ideally, how old would you like your dog to be?
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You can select multiple!
Please note, we require all adopters to bring dogs to post adoption training.
What size of dog is ideal for you?
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You can select multiple!
What energy level is ideal for you? Please keep in mind that a dogs' energy level is heavily influenced by the amount of physical exercise and mental stimulation the dog receives, as well as how structure and routine is set in the home..
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You can select multiple!
What might make you feel that a dog is not a good match for you, your family or your environment? (for example, personality traits, allergies, behavioural concerns, energy level, upcoming move, big life change, etc)
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Are you willing to support a dog with their journey directly on intake through our foster-to-adopt program, or would you prefer that the dog you adopt is already in foster care? Note that with our FTA program, the dog goes directly into your home once they come into our care (via plane, long-haul transport or local transport). You are expected to help the dog with all basic training and acclimitization to living in a home environment. Dogs in foster care will have spent some time (typically 4-8 weeks) with a foster to learn the basics, but you should still expect to do a significant amount of work with training and relationship building.
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Tell us about your expectations or plans for vetting with your new Scruff. How often will you take them to the vet? Approximately how much do you expect to spend per year on this dog for regular/routine vet care?
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Non-routine vetting can get expensive! Tell us about how you plan to budget and pay for non-routine (such as broken bones, surgeries, ingesting objects, dog altercation at the dog park) vetting expenses? (for example, pet emergency fund, pet insurance, go fund me, etc)
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How much do you expect to spend a month on non-vetting expenses? (food, trainers, dog walkers or boarding, grooming, treats or toys, city licence, etc)
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The health of our dogs is very important to us and we do veterinary reference checks for fosters and adopters. In general, we require any current pets in the home to be up to date on vaccinations and spayed/neutered, unless there is a medical reason or it is on vet recommendation. Is this true for all pets in your home?
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If you answered no to the prior question, we'd like to continue the conversation on this! Please explain in more detail
Veterinarian Name (current or past veterinarian, required if you have been the primary caretaker of an animal)
Vet Clinic Name
Contact Number
Email Address
Personal Reference #1: Name
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Personal Reference #1: Relationship to you
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Personal Reference #1: Phone Number
Personal Reference #1: Email Address
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If you own a dog, can this person speak to your dog's behaviour/personality?
Personal Reference #2: Name
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Personal Reference #2: Relationship to you
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Personal Reference #2: Phone Number
Personal Reference #2: Email Address
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If you own a dog, can this person speak to your dog's behaviour/personality?
Personal Reference #3: Name
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Personal Reference #3: Relationship to you
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Personal Reference #3: Phone Number
Personal Reference #3: Email Address
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If you own a dog, can this person speak to your dog's behaviour/personality?
Anything else you think we should know that wasn't covered?
Did anyone recommend SOS to you or where did you hear about us? Who should we thank?
I understand that Save Our Scruff is a non-profit organization whose main goal is to help bring people and dogs together. The adoption fees are as follows: $950 for puppies up to 1 year old, $850 for dogs 1 year and older (If a dog is adopted under the age of six months and is not altered, Save Our Scruff will cover the cost of the spay/neuter when the dog is of age if it is done through Lakeview Animal Hospital.
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I understand that any misrepresentation of the above information authorizes Save Our Scruff to deny my application, and/or reclaim the dog that is in my home. I acknowledge that Save Our Scruff cannot guarantee any dogs against parasites, diseases or destructive behaviour. I will not hold Save Our Scruff responsible, nor seek any compensation for damages, medical fees or other liabilities incurred by the pet I adopt.
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Thank you for filling out this application! After all these thoughtful and important questions, are you EXCITED and do you think you are ready to adopt a dog?
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