Adoption Events

WHAT HAPPENS AT AN ADOPTION EVENT?

You will have a chance to meet some of our dogs in person and see pictures of others, as well as pictures of dogs that we have listed on our Courtesy Listings page. You will have a chance to talk to our volunteers and let us know what you are looking for and — if none of the currently available dogs suit — to have your requests listed in our “Wish Book”. That helps us (and the dogs) when we are selecting which ones to take out of a shelter or to take in from an owner.

The Peppertree Volunteers also get a chance to get to know you better and to see what kind of dogs you are attracted to, what your skill in handling dogs is, and how you and your children behave around dogs. We won’t sit around and “grade” you or anything, but it is important for us to know these things in order to make a better match.

But — to be quite honest — it sometimes it gets really chaotic and you may feel like you are not getting sufficient focused attention. We do the best we can. But adoption events are just a part of our placement process, so don’t be concerned that that will be the only contact we have with you.

DO I HAVE TO ATTEND AN ADOPTION EVENT TO ADOPT ONE OF YOUR DOGS?

By no means. The real work of placement takes place daily and on an individual basis — in fact we prefer to accomplish outside of an adoption event setting because everything is a bit less chaotic. The greatest value of adoption events is allowing you to meet a number of dogs at one (particularly important if you live outside the Albany area) and allowing us to publicize the option of adopting a rescue dog.

We accept applications at any time, and once yours is received it is entered into our applicant databse. If any time you see a dog on the web site that you are interested in, send us an e-mail. Your interest and application will be sent to the volunteer that knows the dog the best. If there is a likely match after, you will be informed and arrangements can be made for you to meet the dog at a convenient time. You can take a dog on trial placement at any time, not just from adoption events.

DO I HAVE TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION OR CAN I JUST COME TO THE ADOPTION EVENT?

At some point, before you take a Peppertree dog home on a trial placement, you will have to complete one of our applications. It is much easier to have this done before you come to an adoption event, but you can fill them out on the spot. You complete an application visiting our web site and going to Resources, and then Applications & Forms then finally selection Adoption Application.

If your application is completed before you come to an adoption event, we have a chance to review it, to talk to you if we have additional questions, and to let you know if there will — or won’t — be dogs at the adoption event that might interest you. We are much more likely to let you take a dog home that day if we have had a chance to thoroughly review your application.

CAN I TAKE A DOG HOME THAT DAY? — or — DO I HAVE TO TAKE IT HOME?

There is no definite answer to either of these questions. In many cases, especially if we have had your application beforehand, there is no problem with your taking a dog home from the adoption event. If we have not met you before and have not had a chance to review your application thoroughly — or if you have other dogs or children that are not there and who might not get along with the dog — we may arrange a time to bring the dog to your home, so that the decision can be made with more information.

On the other hand, if you meet a dog that you know is the right one for you (and we agree) but you are going out of town or having company visit the following week, we will hold on to the dog for a reasonable time before you have to actually take possession. You will be asked to complete all paperwork and give us the adoption fee, however. What amount of time is “reasonable” depends on the specific circumstances of the dog; if it is one that we are paying to board, we may not be able to keep the dog for very long.

WHAT IF I TAKE A DOG BUT THEN REGRET MY DECISION, OR MY CAT/SPOUSE/CHILD HATES IT? ARE ALL ADOPTIONS FINAL?

No Peppertree dog is “adopted” the minute it goes to your home. As explained elsewhere on this web page, all dogs go to their new homes on a Trial Placement basis — usually for two weeks. Although you sign the adoption contract and give us a check (or cash) for the adoption fee at the time you take the dog, you will leave with only a Foster Agreement and the dog. Your check is not cashed (or cash deposited) and the adoption contract is not finalized and delivered to you until everyone — you, Peppertree, and the dog — are comfortable with and sure about the placement.

You should also know that even after a “final” adoption, you may — and in fact must — return the dog to Peppertree if you can no longer keep it. That is part of the contract. If you have a friend or relative who loves the dog and wants to adopt it, we still have to approve and go through the application process with that person. Peppertree acts as a good breeder would — taking lifelong responsibility for its dogs.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF A PARTICULAR DOG WILL BE AT THE ADOPTION EVENT?

We do not always know until the last minute which dogs will be at the adoption event, but if there is a particular one that you would like to meet, please e-mail us or call (518) 435-7425 and let us know of your interest. If we cannot arrange a meeting prior to the adoption event, we will let you know if we are planning to have him or her there — and to the best of our ability we will notify you if those plans change.

Hope to See You There!

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