About the Adoption Process
We are a very small non-profit operated by two volunteers who happen to be avid dog lovers. After volunteering for larger rescue non-profits, we decided to start our own to minimize costs and layers of bureaucracy. Our motto is saving one dog, one day at a time!
Robin lives in Alabama and Brett lives in Maryland. Typically Robin fosters (because veterinary costs are significantly cheaper there), and Brett handles the adoption process. Please understand that Wags to Riches Rescue and Rehab is not a shelter. Most of our dogs are rescued from around Blount County, Alabama. Unless you are within driving distance of Blount County, Alabama, you must be comfortable adopting a dog without a prior face-to-face meeting. However, you should feel comforted in knowing that Robin treats every dog she finds like her new baby, with that dog receiving hands-on devoted TLC daily! She will send you pictures and videos of your new baby on a consistent basis, so you will feel like you know your child even before he/she finally arrives!
The first step in the adoption process is to complete and submit our online application. List the dog(s) that you are interested in by order of preference. Keep in mind that we often receive many applications as soon as a dog is posted so check back regularly; we update often.
You will be contacted by Brett or Robin when a decision is made on your application. Again, it’s just the two of us and, although our ultimate dream is to “JUST drink wine and SAVE dogs”, we both currently have full-time jobs to support our dog hobby! ? Therefore, although you should hear back within 24 hours (ideally), this could take up to several days, so please be patient! Once your application is approved, you will have an opportunity to talk with Robin or Brett to ask any questions you have. This will allow both you and us to determine if the dog is the right fit for your family. If everyone comes through that conversation with warm and fuzzy feelings, we will then proceed to finalize the adoption and arrange transport!
We rely on a third-party company to transport our dogs and the cost is typically $120-$170 per dog. The transport truck runs every 2-3 weeks, going as far north as Newtown, PA with stops in Hagerstown, MD and other points along the way. When you pick up your dog, you should be prepared with a leash, carrier, and treats/water.
Finally, the total adoption fee is $350. This covers TRANSPORT, rabies vaccination, de-worming (if needed), required vaccination series (including all core vaccines but excluding Lyme), flea/tick prevention (given in Alabama), and alterations (spay or neuter). Again, we try to keep costs as low as possible. To do that, we do require a $100 non-refundable deposit to hold your dog, which goes towards the 3rd party transport fee.
We look forward to finding forever homes for these dogs and meeting everyone in person with your new child!
– Brett & Robin