Adoption Information and Procedure

General information about adopting a Golden:

Thank you for your willingness to open your heart and your home to a Rescue Golden.

DFWMGRR has been providing services to Goldens since it was founded in 1986. Our mission is to provide veterinary care, comprehensive evaluation and permanent, loving, responsible adoptive homes for Golden Retrievers who are abandoned, mistreated, neglected or left in pounds throughout North Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth and the surrounding areas). Rescue services are also provided to Goldens in acute need of placement due to compelling family circumstances such as divorce, family illness, allergies, relocation to a "no dogs allowed" situation, or economic hardship. Some Goldens are relinquished to Rescue because of behavior problems due to lack of proper care, training or exercise. We extend our services to Goldens of all ages and to Goldens with special medical needs.

DFWMGRR has successfully placed hundreds of Golden Retrievers since it was founded. The Goldens' ages are usually between eighteen months and seven years though we assist many seniors (Goldens over the age of eight) and a few puppies.

All Goldens who are admitted to Rescue are given a thorough physical examination, all necessary veterinary treatment and are neutered or spayed, immunized and heartworm tested. Senior Goldens are given a complete "geriatric" blood evaluation as well. All Rescue Goldens are micro-chipped for identification.

Because we are committed to the privacy of surrendering owners, we do not transfer AKC papers (if available) for Rescue Goldens. Individuals who wish to compete with their Rescue Goldens may apply for an ILP (Indefinite Listing Privilege) from the AKC.

Our adoption procedures are a little different from most in that prospective adopters must complete our pre-adoption screening program before visiting our facility. Prospective adopters complete a written application and are interviewed in their own homes by Rescue volunteers to ensure that the adoptive families understand the responsibility of owning and caring for a Golden Retriever and the special needs of a secondhand dog. After their adoption application has been approved, prospective adopters visit our facility for scheduled hour-long adoption appointments on Saturdays.

We do not place our dogs with applicants on a first come, first served basis but choose the most compatible environment for each Rescue Golden.

• Minimum requirements for adoption include:
  • Willing to have the dog in the house as part of the family;
  • Have a fenced yard for exercise;
  • A history of responsible pet ownership;
  • Are willing to crate train their dog, if needed;
  • All pets in the household are spayed or neutered;
  • Willing to accept a Home Visit as part of the adoption approval process.

The waiting period between application approval and adoption is usually between four and six weeks. The length of the wait depends on how flexible applicants are as to the Golden they will consider and the suitability of available Goldens for the applicants' individual situations.

The procedure for adopting a Rescue Golden is as follows:

1. Fill out our online Adoption Application, or call the DFWMGRR hotline (972-608-4488) and leave your complete name and address (spelling out the names if necessary). If you reside outside the North Texas area, you will be sent the name of the rescue closest to you.
2. A volunteer will call you and, by appointment, visit your home with a dog to follow up on your written application and to tell you about how DFWMGRR operates.
3. After your application is approved, you will be contacted by the Adoption Coordinator who will schedule your visit to our facility to select your Rescue Golden. All prospective adopters must complete the application process before visiting our kennel. This part of the process could take some time - usually from four to six weeks - depending on your particular requirements and the Goldens available. As a Rescue, we cannot control the types of Goldens available at any given time.

The adoption donation for Goldens is $250.00.

These donations help us meet the boarding and veterinary expenses incurred by our nonprofit organization, although our average expense per Golden is greater than the adoption donation.

We reserve the right to refuse an application if the home or environment is incompatible with the needs of a Rescue Golden (links to specific information on this subject are listed below under "Home/Environment Information"). Our nonprofit organization is comprised of hard-working volunteers whose only reward is seeing these wonderful Goldens placed in loving, permanent homes and given a second chance for a happy life. Our process may seem slow, but if you are patient, we will try to provide you with a devoted, loving companion -- a Golden Retriever.

Home/Environment Information:

Special Note to Applicants With Children Under the Age of Ten

DFWMGRR Safe Environment Requirement (Fence Rule)

Special Note to Applicants With Swimming Pools

Additional Information:

Special Note About Senior Goldens - Those Age Eight and Older

Is a Golden Retriever the Right Dog for You?

Do You Really Want A Second Dog?

Thank you for your interest.
Return to Adopt A Golden Main Page

Dallas Fort Worth Metro Golden Retriever Rescue, Inc.
is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 1986.
Info@RescueGoldens.org

Rescue and Adoption services for Golden Retrievers for the North Texas region.
PO Box 794374, Dallas, TX 75379
Hotline: 972-608-4488

Copyright © 1996 - 2002 Dallas Fort Worth Metro Golden Retriever Rescue, Inc.