LOST PAWS INC. SMALL BREED ADOPTION & RESCUE

LOST PAWS, Inc Adoption Process

Before beginning this process, ask yourself these two important questions:

Am I willing and able to make a minimum tax deductible donation?

Am I willing to be patient and understanding to the requirements of this adoption?



We are looking for “rescue partners” who understand that in order to continue doing our life saving work, we must find adopters who are financially stable, are able to make the commitment that a substantial contribution implies, and are willing to help us save the next dog.

Because many of our dogs are in foster care, boarded at veterinary clinics and facilities throughout the city, the adoption event is the "only" day when all the available dogs are in one place at the same time. We do not show them dogs prior to the adoption fair unless other wise stated on the pets bio.

We are committed to the well being of every single dog we rescue. We are financially responsible for that dog for as long as it takes to find their “forever” home. We pay boarding for 95% of our dogs (very few are in foster homes). In addition there is the cost of food, veterinary care, and occasionally training or grooming. We frequently take dogs that no one else will take because of a serious injury that requires surgery or rehabilitation before the dog is adoptable.

When you factor in these ongoing and regular expenses, our average cost to rescue and place each dog is much higher than the required adoption donation.

We receive no public funding. Any volunteer you meet, speak to, or correspond with, is giving generously of their time and energy, and frequently, a substantial contribution of money as well, to keep the Lost Paws, Inc. going. Our all volunteer organization is completely dependent on what we are able to raise through fundraising, and for day to day operations, contributions from adopters and others.

Although the ability to make a donation is not the only consideration when evaluating an application, it is certainly a very important part of our decision. The inability to make a minimum donation raises a warning flag: can the new adoptee truly afford to care for a pet?

If you can’t afford a donation, perhaps you should re-examine your decision to adopt. Vet bills can be expensive and unforeseen. Even routine veterinary and dental care is expensive, as are grooming, day care, pet sitting, etc. We need to feel certain that the dogs we place will not be affected by an adopter’s financial instability: many, if not most of the dogs we rescue wind up in the shelter due to the inability of their original owner to care for them. We intend to make sure, as far as is humanly possible, that this never happens again.

Rescue is not a convenient place to look for a bargain dog. It is a place to make a difference in your community and in the life of a dog: an opportunity to do what’s right. Think about the dog you want to adopt: we, who go to the shelter, know there is another one, just as adorable, just as deserving, who will be killed unless we have the financial resources to continue our work.

Lost Paws Inc. adoption process consists of several simple steps.

By adopting a LOST PAWS, Inc. animal, you will provide a home for a dog or cat that is in need of a loving, caring family. By taking time to read this, you have already shown that you are a loving, caring person or family to considering taking in an animal that someone else has either not cared for or given up. You and your family will have as profound an impact on the life of your new pet as they will on yours.

Before we place an animal, there are certain steps to be taken. While at first, you may feel that these aren't necessary, upon further reflection; we hope that you will understand, support and appreciate our reasoning.

First and foremost, we look for the best fit for the animals. As such, we do not have a "first come, first served" policy. LOST PAWS, Inc. absolutely wants you to have a wonderful pet; but our obligation is to ensure the safety of our animals. Therefore, we review all applications for the animals and try to affect the best match. We do so through the following procedures.




1. APPLICATION:

The prospective adopter must complete an application to start the process of making a good match. Adoption applications can be can be printed online or filled out on the day of the Adoption Day Activity, which is usually at the Petsmart in Orem or Petsmart in American Fork. Adoption applications will be filled out during the first 15mins of the Adoption Day, or if you have printed it online just turn it in within that first 15 mins. (please don't be late). At that 15 min mark applications will be picked up. This is to accommodate those looking for highly adoptable animals. All are welcome to come any time between on the normal Petsmart Adoptions Days. The Schedule link will clarify the when and where. Many factors go into determining which applicant will be matched with a particular animal. If you are not chosen for this pet, it does not mean that you are not considered a good pet owner or that your home is not acceptable. Our goal is to place this animal in the home that will best suit its needs. Please read the pet's bio that you are interested in for more specific information about application deadlines or times. These dogs are like children to us, and we will not place them hurriedly or carelessly. (Fill out now)





2. ADOPTION CONTRACT:

At the time of placement, you must complete an adoption contract, which confirms your careful consideration of and adherence to those things, which are necessary to ensure a safe and loving life for your pet. It also binds you to an agreement that you will return the pet to LOST PAWS, Inc. if you are unable to keep it for ANY reason.





3. TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION:

A dog adoption donation or cat adoption donation will be collected at the time of placement. This fee helps to defray the costs of keeping the animal in either a foster home or a kennel and any medical expenses that have been incurred. The final step is a tax-deductible donation. Look into your heart, if you are able to give more, please do. None of the dogs you see would be here today without our intervention. LOST PAWS, Inc. is supported only by individual donations. We receive no corporate or government funding, and our cost to rescue and place the average dog far exceeds the adoption donation. Please help us continue this important work with your adoption donation.




4. FOLLOW UP LETTER;

Once you have taken possession of your new family member, your relationship with LOST PAWS, Inc. is not over. We forever consider them part of our family. We would love to hear from you about how your new pet is doing and even better, would love for you to bring them to adoption events so we can visit.

We sincerely appreciate your interest and willingness to give these abandoned animals a safe, secure, loving environment where they reciprocate, in ways that only an animal can, to make our lives more complete and meaningful.





Out of State Adoptions:

Thank you for inquiring about adopting out of state. Here are our requirements and why we do it this way.

1. We do NOT ship the dogs in the cargo section of the plane. We do mildly sedate the dogs for their comfort and relaxation and want to be able to monitor them during the flight. Because of this polices we require that you purchase a plane ticket for the dog ($75) and for an adoption specialist. We do take great care in trying to keep the cost down. Right now we have been using Delta and can get on their weekend flight for about $178 round trip from Utah to east coast and $118 from Utah to the west coast.

2. If it is needed we require that you also purchase a 1 night hotel stay for the adoption specialist. We try to send adoption specialists who have family or friends in the area so they don't need a hotel.

3. The adoption paperwork, adoption donation and transportation are to be taken care of before date of travel.

4. All pets that travel on the planes must have a full health exam no earlier than 10 days prior to departure. LOST PAWS, Inc. will provide the proper documentation that is needed to travel and a carrier for the trip.

Please understand that these little critters have become family and we take great pride in finding the best form of transportation for them. If you have an excellent home to offer and you understand what we do and why we much be so careful, and if you are committed to the process, we will make every effort to work with you. If you agree to these terms, please fill out or adoption application and email it back to us.

Again thanks for thinking about our dogs.



Please note: We must give priority to local applications for obvious reasons. Adopting out of the area can be a frustrating process and takes longer than local placements.

Lost PAWS, Inc. has had many successful placements in the U.S. Some of our dogs have relocated to California, Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia and now Texas.