Adoption Process

All of our animals live in foster homes.

We do not have a physical facility where adopters can visit and meet multiple animals at once, although we do sometimes have adoption events where a number of animals may be present.

While in foster care, we are constantly getting to know and assessing each animal so we can best match it into the ideal home for its individual personality and needs.

Many of our new animals will be introduced on our Facebook page when they arrive, then added to our website as they become available for adoption.

The length of time between when the animal arrives and when it is put up on the website varies. Puppies and kittens born in care are generally not listed until 4-6 weeks of age, at which time they become available for PRE-adoption, then adopted at 8-12 weeks.

Dogs or cats that have behavior or health issues may not be listed on the website for an extended period of time. Healthy, well-behaved animals typically will be put on the website within a week of arriving into their foster home.

Adoption is not based on first-come-first-serve, and we review ALL applications prior to selecting an adoptive home.

Please note: We frequently move animals off the website when they have received a large number of applications. If you have applied but no longer see the animal listed, then we may just be in the process of reviewing applications.

Application Process:

Once you find an animal you’re interested in adopting, the first step is to fill out an application.

Please fill out the application thoroughly. Answer all applicable questions and tell us why your home would be the best place for this pet to go. Remember, the more information we have, the better we will be able to assess if your family is the best match. Please note – if your application isn’t filled out completely it may result in the application stalling. If you have trouble filling out the online application, please email us and we can assist you or send you a paper application.

If you do not have a specific animal in mind and would like our guidance in choosing who might be the best fit for your household, activity level, and personality, please fill out an application and select “**Undecided on Specific Animal**,” or any other undecided option listed.

Once your application has been submitted, please be patient. Remember we are all volunteers with jobs, families, and other obligations. It may take up to 10 days to review your application and check all references. We always try to answer every application regardless if you have been chosen to adopt, but human error does occasionally occur, so if you haven’t heard from an adoption counselor or foster family within the allotted time, we encourage you to email us.

Our adoption process includes checking public property records to verify ownership, or checking with landlord or rental company to confirm the animal is allowed. This is as much for your benefit as it is the animal’s to help ensure the animal won’t have to be returned due to a leasing agreement issue or cause any problems with a landlord.

We also do check veterinary records of current and recent pets. Please be sure you have provided us with an accurate number for your veterinarian. You may even choose to call them so they are expecting us. Some vets require a waiver signed to release records. After reviewing your application, we will contact you by email or phone.

After your application is processed and approved, your application will be sent to the foster home. The foster will contact you with any questions and to get to know your family better to assess if that particular animal seems to “fit” in your home. This is also a great opportunity to ask any questions about the process and voice inquiries specific to the animal’s background, personality, or any concerns you may have.

Based on what we know about the animal, if you seem to be a good match, we will schedule a meet-and-greet with the animal. If it’s not a good match, we will recommend other animals that may be.

Once an applicant has been chosen, but before the adoption is finalized, we will mark the animal as “pending” on our website.

We encourage interested applicants to review our adoption contract; you can view the cat contract here and the dog contract here.

We encourage you to bring your current dogs to a meet and greet when adopting a canine.

We generally don’t ship or transport our animals without observing an introduction.

Adopters from out of town are absolutely encouraged to adopt from us but will need to make the road trip to Virginia to meet the animal, and if all goes well, take it back home with you that same day.

We do offer a trial period of one week for adult dogs and cats and kittens/puppies over four months old, but to discourage animals from being shuffled from home to home without careful thought and consideration, we have a non-refundable deposit. If the animal becomes your family, the deposit is applied toward the adoption fee.

You will need to sign an adoption contract and pay the adoption fee. We accept cash, check, PayPal, or Venmo. If an animal does not work out for any reason, our contract requires that the animal be returned to our care.

Once that animal has joined your family, don’t ever hesitate to reach out to us. Training questions, medical questions, behavioral quandaries….we are here for the life of your pet.

Adoption Fees

How much is the adoption fee?

Our average adoption fee for puppies, purebred, and common small breed dogs is $300 (occasionally a more rare breed will have a higher adoption fee). Average adoption fee for medium and large mixed breed canines is $250. Senior adoption rates vary from $75-$100.

Cat and kitten adoptions are $75, 2 for $100, or 3 for $125. Many of our long-timers are $40. Cats (especially kittens) do so much better in pairs!

What's included in the adoption fee?

Spay or Neuter
Microchip
Rabies Vaccine
Vaccines: FVRCP (cats), DHPP (dogs), Bordatella (dogs)
Testing: FeLV/FIV (cats), Heartworm & Tick Disease (dogs)
Deworming
Heartworm & Parasite Prevention

Requirements of Adopters

Resident animals must be spayed/neutered (if age appropriate).**

Spay/neuter is highly recommended by veterinarians for dogs between 4-9 months of age and cats between 2-4 months of age.
Spay/neuter helps pets live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
Spay/neuter prevents ovarian, mammary, & uterine cancers and pyometra in females.
Spay/neuter prevents testicular tumors (the 2nd most common tumor in male dogs).

**Exceptions: not appropriate age; medical/health reasoning or as recommended by a veterinarian.

Resident animals must be vaccinated for rabies (if age appropriate).**

Rabies vaccine is legally required in the state of VA for both cats & dogs 16 weeks in age and older.
Rabies vaccine should be given every year or every 3 years (as directed by veterinarian).
Rabies vaccine must be administered by a licensed veterinarian.

**Exceptions: not appropriate age; medical/health reasoning with a veterinary letter.

Resident dogs should be vaccinated for Distemper & Parvovirus (DPP/DAPP/DHPP).**

Vaccinations boost the immunity of your dog and protect against severe diseases.
DHPP is a combination vaccine that protects against Distemper (D), Hepatitis/adenovirus (H), Parvovirus (P), as well as Parainfluenza (P). Distemper and Parvovirus both can be fatal in dogs.
When adopting a dog, resident dogs must have a DHPP/DAPP/DPP vaccine within the last 3 years.
The Bordetella vaccine helps control & prevent the spread of bacteria that causes kennel cough.
Bordetella vaccine is not required but is recommended if dogs are in social settings like boarding.

**Exceptions: not appropriate age; medical/health reasoning or as recommended by a veterinarian.

Resident cats should be vaccinated for Calicivirus, Distemper & Rhinotracheitis (FVRCP/HCP).**

Vaccinations boost the immunity of your cat and protect against severe diseases.
FVRCP is a combination vaccine that protects against Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), Feline Calicivirus (C) and Panleukopenia aka Distemper (P). Feline Distemper can be fatal in cats.
When adopting a cat, resident cats must have a FVRCP/HCP vaccine within the last 3 years.
When adopting a dog, resident cats are recommended to have a FVRCP/HCP vaccine, but not required.

**Exceptions: not appropriate age; medical/health reasoning or as recommended by a veterinarian.

Resident cats should be combo tested for FeLV & FIV.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a highly contagious and often fatal disease in cats.
There is a FeLV vaccine available; this is not considered a core vaccine & is not required for adoption.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is normally transmitted through bite wounds; FIV+ cats and FIV- cats can live together safely in a home as long as there is no fighting.
When adopting a cat, resident cats must be combo tested for FeLV/FIV.
When adopting a dog, resident cats are recommended to be combo tested for FeLV/FIV, but not required.

Things to Remember

If your application is not selected, it doesn’t mean we think any less of you or your home. Most likely we had an abundance of amazing applicants and yours simply was not the one chosen for a reason specific to the animal’s needs or temperament. If you are approved to adopt but we feel the desired animal is not the best match, we encourage you to be patient and stay in touch with us through the process of finding the best furry family member for you.

Each and every person involved in CVRR is a volunteer. We have no paid staff. Your adoption fee goes toward covering your animal’s expenses. Once those needs are met, any remaining money is invested in our special needs animals, our seniors (who often cost us more than double the amount we ask in an adoption fee), or to help pay important things like insurance.

As a rescue, we do not adopt out canine littermates (meaning you cannot adopt two puppies from the same litter). We do this because we feel that it’s best not only for the puppies, but also for you. Littermates can become overly attached to one another, to the point that it can become a major problem both for the puppy and for the owner. If you would like to read more about why adopting canine littermates is not a good idea, read this post.

Thank you for considering adoption through Central Virginia Regional Rescue. We love our animals… we think you will, too.