Introduction - Please Read Before Submitting The Adoption Application

If you are considering applying to adopt one of our dogs, please take a moment to think carefully about the commitment you are planning to make as well as the commitment SSR will make to you. As an adopter, we are counting on you to commit to your dog in good times and in bad times, to proactively provide medical care and preventatives, to provide training and to treat your dog as truly a member of the family. While SSR commits to taking our dogs back, returns are extremely difficult for everyone involved, and we find it is far less painful to try and address issues in ways to try and keep a family together. Additionally, there are many volunteer hours are involved in moving your application forward. We start with checking on vet records, if available, interview, then do reference checks, and finally conduct a home visit. After an applicant has been approved, we assign a caseworker to help facilitate meetings between an approved family and dogs that are suitable for that home. We encourage our adopters to join our Adopters Page on Facebook, and to engage with us if there are concerns about your dog. 

We have seen many applicants fall through once they have applied. Sometimes it is because they have placed multiple applications at various places, sometimes once the desire to add a new dog strikes, it becomes such a strong desire, the applicant will want to adopt much more quickly than their file can be processed. Sometimes it is because the impulse to adopt has faded. We truly want our applicants to be ready to go through the process and to be a forever home. We find it helpful to suggest that prior to submitting an application to adopt, think about how you would answer the following questions:

• Am I interested in adopting a new dog to become a permanent member of my family, or am I ready to adopt because of a specific dog I saw? 
• Our foster homes are currently in VA, WV, MD, NC and PA. How far am I willing to travel to meet a dog that will be a good fit for my family? 
• Do I have the time to care for a new dog, while he or she adjusts to living in my home? 
• Do I have the resources to provide full medical care, including year round heartworm and flea/tick preventatives, quality food, and training? 
• How will my resident pets (if applicable) react to a new family member? Am I willing to work through this process and engage a trainer ahead of time in order to make the transition go well?
• Am I prepared to prioritize my dog if my life situation changes (marriage, divorce, birth of a new child, change in health, change in job//location)

If you answered "Yes" to each question above, please complete the form below to apply to become an SSR parent, and thank you for considering our rescue! Please note, your answers to the application questions help our caseworkers and fosters find the right match for you and the dogs in our care .