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Samantha & Biff, adopted Feb. 2007 |
Adoption Policies
Thanks for your interest in adopting one of our dogs or cats. Please review our adoption policies.
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Adoption Guidelines
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Friends of Homeless Animals reserves the right to refuse placement of any animal. The well-being and safety of the animal comes first. Friends of Homeless Animals requires that all dogs and cats adopted from our organization be family members and thus dwell inside the home.
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We only adopt in the greater Washington DC area. See map below for details.
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We wish we had the volunteer base and resources to drastically expand our adoption area, but we just don't. Part of our approval process is a home visit - so we need to have a volunteer within a reasonable distance from you in order to complete that part of the process. There are plenty of wonderful, homeless animals in rescues and humane societies across the county looking for loving homes though, so you shouldn't have to travel too far to adopt one.
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If we do not have a volunteer within a reasonable driving distance to you in our area, we'll let you know that we are unable to process your application.
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Adopters must be at least 21 years of age.
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Adopters must have a telephone interview prior to securing an appointment to visit our shelter.
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Completing the application is the initial step in the adoption process and does not guarantee that an adoption will occur.
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The Adoption Review Committee must approve all applications.
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A home visit will be scheduled if the application is accepted.
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Vet references will be checked. All animals presently in your care must be spayed or neutered. Some exceptions may apply.
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All dogs currently in your care must be on heartworm preventative. Some exceptions may apply.
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If you are renting your home or are in a condo association, you must provide a copy of the lease or association agreement at the time of your home visit.
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Misrepresentations on an application will automatically disqualify you from adoption.
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The placement process, from application to home visit, vet check, approval, and pick up of your new pet takes at least one week. Why the rigorous process? When we accept a dog or cat into our rescue, we make a commitment to him or her, to care for them, get them healthy again and find them a wonderful, loving home. We want to make sure that our applicants understand the lifetime commitment they are making and that they can provide our animals with a great new life.
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There may be other applications on the animal for which you are applying. We will accept multiple applications on the same pet.
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Where multiple applications on an animal exist, the Adoption Review Committee will determine the best placement for the animal. It is not a first come, first serve basis. If there are multiple applications, when possible, we will let the applicants know upfront and encourage them to select another pet as a backup that they like as well.
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Once an application is placed, Friends can not hold an animal longer than a week - the time it takes to do a home visit. If the adopter can not pick up the weekend following the submittal their application, then the dog will remain available for adoption. Some exceptions may apply.
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Friends of Homeless Animals does not adopt animals as gifts.
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All adults of the household must be in agreement before adopting an animal and must be present when you fill out an adoption application. Some exceptions may apply.
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All members of the household must meet the pet before the application is considered complete. In cases of a dog adoption, this includes all canine members of the household meeting the new potential canine family member prior to adoption. Some exceptions may apply.
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All Friends animals are under the sole custody of Friends of Homeless Animals.
If you read and agree to these guidelines and would like to inquire about adopting one of our dogs or cats, call our Adoption Line at 703-385-0224 (if you’re under 18, have your parents call). Please leave a message and a volunteer will get back to you as soon as possible. Your message should include your name, phone number, place of residence, and questions about the animals you’re interested in. All adopters must have a telephone interview before visiting the shelter.
FOHA's Adoption Area
Directions To Our Shelter
Directions to our shelter will be provided to you after you’ve discussed our adoption process with a volunteer. (Our shelter is located on private property in Loudoun County, Virginia.) We are open on weekends, Saturday 12 - 5 and Sunday 12 - 4.
Choosing Your New Pet
We encourage you to visit our shelter and meet our animal friends. We have a large selection of dogs and cats to choose from. Our volunteers will help you select the right pet for your household and lifestyle. Please take time to choose your new family member carefully, and please research what it takes to care for a pet before making a lifetime commitment.
The Adoption Process
Once you have chosen a new friend, you will need to complete and sign an adoption application. A volunteer will visit your home to discuss the care of your new family member and your responsibilities as an adopter. In addition, a volunteer will contact your veterinarian to ensure your current pet is up to date on its shots and is on heartworm preventative.
Making A Successful Transition
Every re-homed shelter dog goes through a transition period that can cause heightened anxiety and stress. Every dog's transition period will be different. Help make your newly-adopted dog's transition a smooth one while also protecting your family and / or neighbors from anxiety-induced behavior (which could include growling, snapping, lunging). Friends provides tips and suggestions for a successful transition along with general guidelines for adopting a shelter dog. Please take time to read these guidelines and tips prior to adopting any dog. To download Friends' "Making a Successful Transition" in Word format, <click here>.
The Adoption Contract
Once your adoption is approved, you must complete and sign an adoption contract. A tax-deductible donation is required when you pick up your new companion. Effective May 1, 2010 our adoption donation fees are as follows:
Dogs: $250 for one / $450 for two
Puppies under 4 months: $300
Cats: $100 for one / $150 for two
Kittens: $150 for one / $200 for two
Friends Disclaimers
We care about these animals very much and reserve the right to refuse the adoption of any animal to a home that we feel does not meet our standards. If you decide you cannot keep or care for your adopted friend, you MUST return the animal to Friends of Homeless Animals in a way that will not cause it harm.
Friends requires a prescreening interview, application, vet check, and home visit for all potential adopters. Obviously, the volunteers at Friends take the adoption of our dogs and cats seriously. We hope you do, too. Remember that we are an all-volunteer organization and we want to provide the best service to our prospective adopters. Please have seriously considered whether you are ready to adopt BEFORE coming out to meet the animals for adoption. Placing an adoption application on one of our dogs or cats indicates that you are ready and eager to adopt that animal as soon as possible and make him/her a member of your family.
The adoption process—from application, vet check, and home visit to contract and taking home your new family member— takes approximately one week. On rare occasion, due to volume of applications versus volunteer availability, the process will take longer than one week. But because we always have a waiting list of dogs and cats needing the safety of our shelter, many of them at risk of immediate euthanasia, Friends cannot hold dogs or cats much longer than the usual one-week application process. If you are moving or going on vacation in the near future, please present your application for adoption AFTER you are settled in your new situation or returned to your home.
Adoption Statistics
We're pleased to report that we found loving homes for 406 dogs and 155 cats (14 of those being FIV+) in 2009! Thanks to your support, and the hard work of our dedicated volunteers, the number of animals we are able to save each year continues to grow. But as our number of adoptions increase, so do our expenses. In order for us to continue this successful trend, we need your help. Please consider making as generous a donation as possible. Your donation will go directly to help our wonderful dogs and cats. Our adoption statistics for the past several years are listed below.
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2009—406 dogs, 155 cats
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2008—380 dogs, 129 cats
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2007—356 dogs, 129 cats
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2006—393 dogs, 133 cats
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2005—369 dogs, 119 cats
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2004—351 dogs, 160 cats
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2003—401 dogs, 132 cats
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2002—372 dogs, 111 cats
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2001—305 dogs, 91 cats
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2000—219 dogs, 90 cats
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Friday, January 27, 2012
