Frequently Asked Questions

 

IS THE ANIMAL I AM INTERESTED IN AVAILABLE?

  • Our website is updated daily. If the animal you are interested in adopting is listed as “available for adoption”, that means they are still in our care.
    • Even if the animal has another application or has a meeting set up, adoptions frequently fall through. So if you are interested in a specific animal, please submit an application.

 

WHERE IS THE ADOPTION APPLICATION?

 

I AM NOT QUITE READY TO ADOPT, CAN YOU HOLD THE ANIMAL FOR ME UNTIL I AM READY? 

  • We do not have a boarding facility and cannot hold any of our cats, dogs or guinea pigs. The faster we are able to adopt them out to great homes, the more lives we can save!


HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PROCESS MY APPLICATION?

  • Typically, a DPR volunteer reviews the application and calls references within 1 week.
    • To expedite this process, you may want to give your vet a call and give them permission to speak to us.
  • Sometimes, we accept applications for animals who are not quite ready for adoption yet. However, we typically wait to process those applications until the animal is ready for adoption. So, please note the date on the pet’s profile of when they will be ready for adoption.
  • Please remember we are all volunteers with full time jobs, families and many pets in our care. We do our very best to process applications in a timely manner. We appreciate your patience.

 

WHAT IS THE ADOPTION PROCESS?

For full details on the adoption process, please go to Adoption Info

 Adoption Process Summary:

  • Submit an adoption application
  • Application is received and processed by a DPR representative
  • Foster parent will contact applicant if they feel it will be a good match for the pet and person
  • Videos of the animal will be sent, or a virtual meeting will be scheduled
  • Applicant picks up the animal at the foster home, curb-side
  • All other applicants are notified once adoption has been completed

 

TO WHAT STATES DO YOU ADOPT?

  • We adopt to residents of DE, NJ, PA, MD & VA

 

WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?

  • Most of our foster homes are in West Grove PA, West Chester, and Newark DE.
  • We are not a shelter. The animals are all in individual foster homes, and therefore we do not have hours of operation.  

 

WHAT IS A SPAY/NEUTER DEPOSIT?

  • If you are adopting a puppy or kitten under 6 months of age, who is not already spayed or neutered, you will need to sign a spay/neuter agreement that states that you will get the animal altered when they are 6 months old.
  • The spay/neuter deposit for kittens is $40. The spay/neuter deposit for puppies is $50.
  • You may use any of the local low cost spay/neuter clinics in your area, or your vet.
  • Sometimes for medical reasons, veterinarians will recommend waiting longer than 6 months of age to spay/neuter the animal. Please notify us if this is the case.
  • Once we have documentation that you have had your pet spayed or neutered, we will fully refund your deposit.
  • If you refuse to spay or neuter your pet, DPR has the right to reclaim the animal.
  • The contract and deposit for unaltered animals being adopted is required by state law.

 

HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO ADOPT?

  • You must be at least 18 years of age to adopt.

 

WHERE DO THE ANIMALS COME FROM THAT YOU HAVE AT THE RESCUE?

  • The dogs and cats we rescue come from a variety of locations. Most come from shelters in rural areas in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, and other states. These shelters typically have a 72 hour "hold" period before they can euthanize the animals if there is not enough space at the shelter. We are typically contacted by volunteers from these shelters who are desperate to find a safe place for these animals to go. 
  • Some of our puppies are rescued from puppy mills in Lancaster, Ohio and Indiana. The puppies we receive from puppy mills are deemed "too old" or "too sick" to sell, and would otherwise be killed. 
  • Some of our pets are owner surrenders - meaning the owner contacts us when they aren't able to care for their pet, and we take the animal into our program. We receive most of our guinea pigs locally from individuals who are no longer able to care for them. 



WHAT IF I WANT TO RETURN THE PET I JUST ADOPTED?

  • Please contact us, and we will first see if we can provide guidance to help you keep your pet.
  • If it is not possible for you to keep your pet, we will most likely be able to take the animal back and find a new home for them.
  • Adoption fees are refundable for up to a week.

 

DO I HAVE TO SIGN A CONTRACT IN ORDER TO ADOPT?

 

HOW MUCH IS THE ADOPTION FEE AND WHY DO WE ASK FOR ONE?

  • Adoption fees are listed on each individual animal's profile page. Adoption fees vary depending on age, breed, temperament, etc.
  • Adoption fees can be in the form of cash, check (made out to "Delaware Pet Rescue" or "DPR") or Paypal (our Paypal account is "DelawarePetRescue@gmail.com)
  • Adoption fees help cover the medical care of the animal while they wait for a new home, as well as food, supplies and transportation costs. These fees also help to provide care for other animals in the rescue who may have medical bills that are much higher than any possible adoption fee. The fee acts as a donation to support the organization as a whole. Without these funds, our rescue efforts would not be possible.
  • In addition to covering our expenses, charging an adoption fee may deter some would-be-irresponsible pet owners from making an impulsive decision to adopt an animal they cannot (or will not) care for. Owning a pet costs money – food, supplies, planned and unexpected vet care – if someone is unable or unwilling to pay an adoption fee, they may be unable or unwilling to provide proper care for that pet in the future.

 

WHERE DOES THE ADOPTION FEE GO?

  • VET BILLS - Our biggest expense.  All animals are thoroughly examined by a certified vet prior to release for adoption.  All animals are dewormed and given their first set of shots and all adult dogs and cats are altered, up to date on shots, given heartworm and flea preventative, and are tested for heart worm/ FIV/ Leukemia.
    • We rescue quite a lot of puppies and kittens – with their undeveloped immune systems, these are some of the most fragile and vulnerable animals in the shelters. They often need extra vet care to get them healthy and ready for adoption. They are susceptible to viruses such as parvo and panleukopenia, which can run the rescue thousands of dollars in hospitalization and vet bills. Once we commit to saving an animal, we commit to the well being of that life and will treat and care for them as one of our own, but the costs are high – both emotionally and financially.
  • Supplies - such as food, litter, toys, bedding, crates, etc.
  • Shelter fees - Many shelters charge Rescue's for pull fees and transport costs.
  • Health certificates - Many puppy mills charge a fee per dog for health certificates and transport.
  • Transport - Our animals come not only from Delaware but from NC, SC, AL, VA, WV, GA, OH, TN and IN which involve transportation costs (van rental, driver fee's, gas, tolls). 
  • Special needs animals - DPR often takes in special needs pets.  They may range from needing extended vet care, extended foster care or specialized surgery. 

                                               

WHAT MEDICAL CARE DO THE ANIMALS RECEIVE PRIOR TO ADOPTION?

  • DPR Cats receive:
    • Initial vet visit
    • Distemper vaccination
    • SNAP testing for FIV, Leukemia, and Heart Worm
    • Broad spectrum dewormers
    • Flea/tick preventative
    • Ear mite preventative
    • Spay or neuter (if 6 months or older)
    • Rabies vaccination (if 6 months or older)  
  • DPR Dogs receive:
    • Initial vet visit
    • Distemper vaccination
    • Broad spectrum dewormers
    • Flea/tick preventative
    • Spay or neuter (if 6 months or older)
    • Rabies vaccination (if 6 months or older)
    • Testing for Heart worm (if 6 months or older) 
  • DPR Guinea Pigs receive:
    • Initial vet visit
    • Nail Trim
  • DPR Rabbits receive:
    • Initial vet visit
    • Spay or neuter
    • Nail Trim


The above is standard for the animals in our care. But many animals we rescue also require some additional TLC prior to adoption, such as antibiotics, eye ointments, wound care, fungal treatment, x-rays, or various surgeries.