Rehoming Program
We at FosterDocHouston Dog Rescue are proud to announce the launching of our newly formed Rehoming Program to provide assistance to individuals and families who are no longer able to care for their dogs. This program is designed to offer a compassionate solution for dog owners who need to surrender their pets due to unforeseen life circumstances while ensuring that the dog receives appropriate care and eventually finds a new loving home. With a rehoming fee of $1,000 to be issued by the owner, FosterDocHouston will facilitate the immediate intake of the dog. This fee enables us to provide all necessary medical care, cover operation costs for the dog such as supplies and upkeep during their length of stay, and provide general care and enrichment for the dog until they are adopted into their new forever home.
The rehoming fee may be paid in full by the surrendering owner or covered by community donations/crowd-funding (orchestrated by the owner), though the full amount must be received before intake.
Why Rehoming Support Is Important
We recognize that sometimes owners are faced with difficult decisions and need help ensuring their dog is placed in a safe and caring environment. Our rehoming program guarantees the dog will be cared for during their stay with us and will receive the best possible chance at a happy, healthy life through adoption. By charging a set fee, we can guarantee that the dog's basic needs including (but not limited to) vetting (spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchip, deworming, etc.), general wellness, and shelter are met while also ensuring the sustainability of our rescue operations.
Eligibility Criteria
To ensure that we can maintain quality of care for all animals in our rescue, dogs must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for our program:
1. Heartworm Negative: Dogs must test negative for heartworms or have previously completed treatment.
2. Medical Records: The owner must provide complete medical records to ensure full transparency of the dog's medical history. FosterDocHouston reserves the right to decline intake if complete medical records are not provided.
3. Non-Aggressive Behavior: The dog must have no history of aggressive behavior toward humans or other dogs.
4. Behavior Assessment: A basic behavior assessment will be conducted to ensure the dog can safely be handled by our staff and volunteers.
5. Possible Size Limit: On a case-by-case basis, we may limit the intake of dogs that exceed 100lbs due to safety concerns.
Terms and Conditions for Rehoming Program
The following Terms and Conditions outline the responsibilities, guidelines, and expectations for the Rehoming Program between FosterDocHouston Dog Rescue and individuals surrendering dogs for rehoming.
1. Rehoming Fee: A one-time rehoming fee of $1,000 must be made in full before the dog is physically taken into the rescue.
- The rehoming fee may be raised through personal crowd-funding or community donations, but FosterDocHouston is not responsible for managing or organizing these efforts. The full payment must be received as a single payment prior to intake.
- All payments are non-refundable once the intake process begins.
2. Eligibility of Dogs: Dogs must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the program, which include the following aforementioned points:
- Heartworm-negative status (or completion of treatment).
- Non-aggressive behavior toward humans and other dogs.
- Successful completion of a behavior assessment conducted by our team.
- Medical records provided by owner.
3. Medical Records Requirement: The surrendering owner must provide full and accurate medical records for the dog prior to intake. FosterDocHouston reserves the right to refuse intake if these records are incomplete, falsified, or deemed insufficient.
4. Right to Decline Intake: FosterDocHouston reserves the right to decline intake based on the dog's health, behavior, or other factors that may hinder our ability to provide adequate care. This decision will be made at the sole discretion of the rescue without needing to provide specific reasons to the surrendering party.
5. Transfer of Ownership: Upon intake, full ownership of the dog is transferred to FosterDocHouston Dog Rescue. The surrendering party relinquishes all rights to the dog, including the right to request the dog's return to them. The dog will not be allowed to return to the former owner or sponsor after transfer of ownership, except in certain case by case situations. FosterDocHouston retains the right to review possible circumstances in which the dog may be considered to be repossessed by the former owner, for the standard adoption fee), but FosterDocHouston ultimately makes the final decision in these rare cases.
- FosterDocHouston will provide the dog with care until it is adopted into a permanent home through our established adoption process.
6. Use of Rehoming Fee: The rehoming fee will be used to cover the costs of the dog's care while in the rescue. This includes (but is not limited to) vetting (spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, deworming) and general care such as food and shelter.
- Any excess funds after the dog is adopted will be directed toward the general operating expenses of the rescue or to cover the care of other dogs in the rescue.
7. Communication and Updates:
Once the dog is surrendered, FosterDocHouston is not obligated to provide updates to the former owner. FosterDocHouston reserves the right to provide updates at our discretion. Harassment or the repeated requesting of contact/updates after being declined will not be tolerated. Any updates provided to the former owner are considered a courtesy.
- In addition to the former owner of the dog, sponsors or donors who contributed to the rehoming fee may request updates on the dog's progress while in the rescue. Though we usually do receive updates on our adopted dogs, we cannot ensure that we will receive updates from the new owner once the dog has been adopted.
8. Program Limitations: FosterDocHouston reserves the right to limit the number of dogs accepted into the program based on available resources, space, and the specific needs of the rescue.
9. Liability: FosterDocHouston is not liable for any injury, illness, or unforeseen complications that may arise during the dog's stay in the rescue.
- FosterDocHouston is also not responsible for any financial loss or other issues arising from the rehoming process to the former owner after the dog has been adopted or transferred.
10. Indemnity: FosterDocHouston reserves the right to refuse intake or terminate the rehoming process if it is discovered that information about the dog's health or behavior has been misrepresented. The original surrendering owner will not be held liable for any additional costs beyond the rehoming fee, but the rescue may cancel the intake if deemed necessary.
11. Medical Responsibility Post-Intake: Once a dog is taken into FosterDocHouston under this program, the rescue assumes full responsibility for any future medical expenses and care required by the dog. The surrendering owner is not responsible for any costs, medical or otherwise, beyond the initial rehoming fee.
12. Force Majeure Clause: FosterDocHouston shall not be held responsible for delays or inability to fulfill the rehoming process due to events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, or other significant emergencies.
13. Changes to the Program: FosterDocHouston reserves the right to modify or terminate the Rehoming Program at any time without prior notice. Any changes will be reflected in these Terms and Conditions.
14. Acceptance of Terms: By surrendering a dog to FosterDocHouston under the Rehoming Program, the surrendering owner agrees to abide by all terms and conditions outlined here.
- The surrendering owner acknowledges that once the dog is taken into the rescue, all rights to the dog are permanently relinquished.
For any questions or concerns regarding this program or our Terms and Conditions, please contact us at fosterdochouston@gmail.com. If you are interested in receiving help through this program or want to learn more about the program, you can email us at the email address listed above and we will respond in a timely manner.
This program is an important step towards ensuring that our rescue not only survives, but continues to grow in our effort of saving dogs and helping people for years to come. Thank you for your support!