Search and see photos of adoptable pets in the Gurnee, Illinois area

Cities, Towns, and/or Counties We Serve:

Secondhand Snoots Rescue places dogs in foster and adoptive homes in the Illinois and some parts of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa and Missouri.

About Our Rescue Group:

Mission Statement:
What is your mission statement?: Secondhand Snoots Rescue is a volunteer-based, non-profit organization dedicated to saving animals. We rescue, rehabilitate and re-home all breeds of dogs and cats, while focusing a minimum of 50% of our time and resources on animals with special needs, severe injuries and those suffering from major illnesses.

Vision:
The primary focus of this Rescue will be to rescue animals from animal control facilities, provide them with temporary foster care, rehabilitate them and find suitable adoptive homes. We work to increase compassion and respect for and to find new homes for special needs and severely injured animals, and help return lost animals to their owners.

Come Meet our Pets:

News and Events

KRiSER's in Vernon Hills
Starting on January 19, 2013
Then the 2nd Sunday every month starting with February 10, 2013
1640 N. Milwaukee Ave
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
224-206-7073

The Great Lakes Pet Expo
Booth 305
February 2, 2013
10:00am - 5:00pm
http://www.petexpomilwaukee.com/
Wisconsin Exposition Center
State Fair Park
Secondhand Snoots will be doing a Deaf Dog Educational & Training Demonstration at the Expo this year

Cinco de Snoots
May 4, 2013
at Chicago Party Animals
1133 W. Fulton Market
Chicago, IL

Our Adoption Process:

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.

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 or credit card)
Puppies (under 1 year of age) – $300.00
$50 will be refunded upon proof of successful completion of a group training class.
Dogs (1 year of age and over) – $250.00
Cats & Kittens – $75.00 for one, $125.00 for two
Kittens 6 months of age 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 for adoption have been micro-chipped, received all of their age-appropriate vaccinations, are spayed/neutered (if over 6-momths old), 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.

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.

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.

Criteria such as the need for a fence, hours the animal may be left alone, level of experience required, etc. will be determined according to the specific needs of each dog or cat.

Adoption approval is at the sole discretion of Secondhand Snoots Rescue’s adoption counselors and Board of Directors.

Adoption Procedures
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? Do you know what kind of pet would be best for your household?

STEP TWO: Browse our website and choose some potential candidates and 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 check your reference and schedule and do a phone interview with you. We require a minimum of 2 personal 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 we will verify that pets are allowed by calling your landlord or management company. You will be contacted for a phone interview in which 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 and phone interview we will schedule a meet and greet with the adoptable that you are interested in. All household/family members must be present during the meet and greet. 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. Medical and behavioral history will be reviewed with you at this time.

STEP FIVE: Adoption Contract. Once approved, you will need 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 3-days, 3-weeks, and 3-months post adoption to help insure a smooth transition into your home. You always have a direct link to your counselor and he/she will be able to offer advice, or referrals at any time during your pet’s life. It does not matter if you adopted 10-days ago or 10-years ago. We are always here.

Secondhand Snoots Rescue cannot guarantee the health of any animals adopted. Any time you adopt an animal you should take it to the vet as soon as possible. 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.

Our Adopted Pets:

We have helped lots of pets connect with loving and caring owners. Check out our adopted pets list!