How long does the process take?

We will try our best to respond to you within 48 hours. Overall, it has been our experience that the time elapsed between submitting the application and going to meet the dog you applied for is 2 weeks. The most frequent reasons for delays include incomplete information on the applications that requires back and forth between us and you; difficulty scheduling the home visit due to family obligations (e.g., soccer games, etc.) or problems scheduling a meeting between the animal and the entire family, including other animals. Also, many people who are approved want to pick up the dog on a weekend so they can have as much quality bonding time as possible.  Please expect the process to take longer around any holiday.

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You said you’d be in touch within 48 hours and I haven’t heard from you?
We do our best, but it is often true that we don’t meet this goal. Occasionally, due to technical problems, we do not receive emails or applications. If you think that is the case, please feel free to follow up via email - inquiries@hedgesvillehounds.com.   

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What is your adoption fee?

We require a non-tax-deductible adoption fee of $300 for adult dogs and $450 for puppies. Please see the Medical Policy page for an explanation of what this covers.

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Do you have a shelter? Can I call you?
All initial contact about the Hedgesville Hounds must be made over the Internet. We'll call you once we have received and started to process your application. We do not have any sort of facility for these dogs, and we rarely take our pets to public adoption events.

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​Is your pet list up-to-date?
We work very hard to keep our list up-to-date. If a dog has been placed or there is an application pending, we try to indicate this right away.

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Why don't you remove the dogs right away when there is an application pending?
Sometimes these applications fall through -- people get transferred, someone gets sick, etc. As a result, we keep the dogs on the site until the contract is signed.

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This process takes a long time. What if I meet the dog and there isn't a match? Do I have to start all over with another rescue if you don't have the right dog for me?
We are happy to forward any of our approved candidates' applications to other rescues along with the results of their vet reference and home visit.

 

​What are your standards for adoption?
Here are some, but not all, of our standards for adoption:

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• Current and past pets must be spayed or neutered and have a medical history of being up to date on vaccines and preventatives.

• Fencing requirements are determined on a case by case basis, taking into account the dog and/or applicant circumstances.

• Regular veterinary care is required for all Hedgesville Hounds, including regular testing for heartworm disease and administration of preventives.

• Prior pet ownership is not a requirement for adoption and in such cases, you will be asked to submit personal references.

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Are you 501(c)3?
We are a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that donations are tax deductible.  Please see our Donate page for more information.

 

​Can I earmark money for a particular dog's care?
Please!

 

​I can get a dog for less money at my local shelter.  Why is that?
Our adoption fee covers vetting and other expenses for the dogs we rescue.  We do not receive any outside funding.  In other words, this is not "your tax dollars at work," it's "your generous donations at work." We typically do not break even when our pets are adopted. However, in contrast with most shelters, our dogs come to applicants up-to-date on shots and fully vetted, including the spay and neuter procedure.   

 

​A few of these dogs seem to be with other rescues or in a shelter -- what's up with that?
We work with many other like-minded rescues that share similar standards for placement. Sometimes they will flag us to a dog that is especially wonderful or especially needy, and we will post him or her on our site to give the dog extra "publicity."  We also do this for the shelters we work with.

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What happens if I decide not to adopt one of your dogs?  Does that put the dog at risk?
All of the dogs listed by Hedgesville Hounds will be retained by our group until a good home is found, no matter how long it takes.  

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I've never owned a dog.  How am I supposed to provide a vet reference?
You're not.  Vet references are designed to show that people with a history of pet ownership have been responsible.  Lack of a vet reference does not disqualify you from adopting with us.  If you do not have a vet reference and we decide to pursue your application, we will ask you for three character references.

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