HOUSTON COCKER SPANIEL RESCUE ADOPTION CONTRACT
Thank you for your application to adopt a rescue from Houston Cocker Spaniel Rescue (HCSR). Our goal is to place our rescued pets in permanent, loving homes. We hope we can assist you in finding a special, compatible companion to join your family.
HCSR has no background information on the animal’s previous environment, behavioral problems, including biting (if any) and medical history. We cannot guarantee the dog’s health although we do alert the adopter to any known health issues. In most cases the age of the dog is estimated but your veterinarian may age it differently. Our veterinarians may not have identified every physical problem the dog has. Some diseases or conditions have long incubation periods. A negative test is not always a guarantee the animal does not have a certain disease. Prior to placing into a home, all dogs taken in by HCSR will be spayed or neutered and vaccinations administered, including a heartworm test. If the dog is heartworm positive, it will be treated by HCSR. Sometimes if a dog is light heartworm positive, our vets recommend treating with Heartgard® (or its ivermectin equivalent) for six months and retested. Most times, the dog will test negative after six months; however, if the dog still tests heartworm positive, then the dog will receive conventional heartworm treatment by HCSR’s vet at HCSR’s expense. HCSR reserves the right to take the dog back into custody
if at any time during the six-month treatment, adopter fails to follow the heartworm protocol prescribed by HCSR’s vet. ALL DOGS ADOPTED MUST BE TAKEN TO YOUR VETERINARIAN WITHIN THREE WEEKS TO GET HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE.
The adoption fee for most dogs is $300 per dog (senior/special needs dogs’ fee is usually discounted). The fee for puppies and dogs under one year old is $350 – $450. Placement on puppies under 6 months old is only on a foster-to-adopt basis until the puppy has had three sets of puppy shots including distemper, hepatitis, parvo, parainfluenza, bordetella and rabies, is spayed or neutered, and the adopter has purchased six months of heartworm preventative. After sterilization, the adoption will be finalized upon receipt of the adoption fee and co-signing of the contract by a HCSR representative.
When you adopt an animal from HCSR, the dog will have a collar and ID tag. The tag is registered to this organization. You are strongly urged to have your own ID tag made immediately. If the dog is running loose, picked up by Animal Control or a Good Samaritan, and HCSR is contacted, we reserve the right not to return the dog to you.
HCSR does follow-ups on our placements. We call and if deem necessary, do a home visit. The adoption is not final for 30 days following placement. During that time, you are fostering our rescue but totally responsible for its care, including veterinary care. We reserve the right to void the adoption and pick up the dog if for any reason during the initial 30-day period we do not feel the dog is being properly cared for.
HCSR AND ITS OFFICERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, VOLUNTEERS, AND/OR AGENTS (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS “HCSR ET AL”) SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO ADOPTER ON ANY THEORY OF LEGAL LIABILITY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE NEGLIGENCE OF HCSR ET AL FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CAUSED BY PET. ADOPTER DOES HEREBY RELEASE HCSR ET AL FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, SUITS, OBLIGATIONS, DEMANDS, OR CAUSES OF ACTION, KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, FORESEEN OR UNFORESEEN, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING IN ANY WAY TO PET OR HCSR’S RELEASE OF PET TO ADOPTER. IT IS THE EXPRESSED INTENTION OF ADOPTER AND HCSR THAT THE RELEASE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS PARAGRAPH IS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO PROTECT HCSR ET AL FROM ANY PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS BY ADOPTER OR OTHERS AND FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY HARM, BEHAVIOR, OR OTHER ACTION BY PET, AND FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY ACT OR OMISSION OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF HCSR ET AL IN OBTAINING CUSTODY OF PET, IN PROVIDING CARE FOR PET, IN TRAINING OR NOT TRAINING PET, OR IN FAILING TO PROVIDE TIMELY OR ADEQUATE WARNING TO ANY PERSON CONCERNING PET.
Your signature on this agreement is your promise to:
1. Protect your dog from heartworms year around by using monthly heartworm preventative,
2. Keep your dog inside except for potty breaks and exercise,
3. Provide good quality dog food and water on a daily basis,
4. Provide medical attention as needed and annual immunizations,
5. Have the dog groomed on a regular basis,
6. Return the dog to Houston Cocker Spaniel Rescue if you can no longer care for the dog for any reason, and
7. Give unconditional love through sickness and health, and especially in old age.
Your signature on the adoption application certifies that all the information is accurate and truthful. If we discover the information on the application is false or misleading, we reserve the right to confiscate the dog. HCSR is an organization operating as a community service with the intent to do only good and no harm.
YOU MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE TO ADOPT. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DECLINE ANY APPLICATION.
For questions or assistance, HOTLINE number is 713-469-2414.
________________________________________________ Approved by ____________________________________________
Signature of Adopter Date HCSR Representative Date
__________________________________________________ Adoption fee: $ ___________ Cash or Check# _____________
Printed Name of Adopter
TDL ______________ DOB __________ EXP _____________
Check here if you are fostering to adopt. Except for puppies under 6 months old (as mentioned above), HCSR’s “foster-to-adopt” policy allows an adopter to try a dog for a period of no more than 2 weeks prior to finalizing the adoption. This will give the adopter a chance to see if the dog is a good fit for their household. This arrangement is sometimes recommended when there are other pets or children present in the home. If the adopter has not finalized the adoption in 2 weeks’ time, HCSR has the right to put the dog back into their adoption program. During this time frame, if another approved applicant applies to adopt the same dog, the adopter must make a decision if they want to finalize the adoption prior to the end of the two week period.