Thank you for your interest in the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF).

EVERY animal we offer for adoption (including kittens and puppies) is spayed or neutered and given age-appropriate vaccines and screenings prior to being made available for adoption. Some have also been treated for other medical issues such as heartworm, kennel cough, broken limbs and parasites. To help us offset these costs, we charge the following adoption fees:

  • Puppies (under 6 months of age) - $350.00
  • Dogs (6 months of age and over) - $295.00
  • Cats & Kittens - $150.00 for one, $250.00 for two 6 months of age and over, $275 for two under 6 months

All adoption fees go directly to LDCRF to help pay for medical expenses, spaying/neutering, and daily care.

Adopters must be at least 21 years of age and must bring a driver's license or other government-issued id to the adoption event

Kittens must be adopted out in pairs.

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation holds five adoption events every weekend. Potential adopters can request specific dogs or cats be brought to an event by emailing dogeventattendance@lostdogrescue.org or cateventattendance@lostdogrescue.org. Requests must be made by 10:00 pm on Thursday night for the upcoming weekend in order to guarantee attendance. If an animal is in a foster home, it will be indicated in the bio on our website and inquiries should be made directly to the foster home.

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation places dogs and cats for adoption only to homes in the immediate DC Metropolitan area. Adopters who rent their home or apartment are required to bring their lease to the adoption events. Adopters who live in condos or townhouses are required to bring a copy of their condo/townhouse rules, regulations, or bylaws.

LDCRF does NOT allow declawing of any cat adopted through LDCRF. However, we do rescue cats that have been previously declawed.

Adoption Procedures

All of our adoptions take place in local PetSmart stores. To see the schedule go to http://www.lostdogrescue.org/events.asp.

STEP ONE: Think it through? Do you have the time, energy and resources to devote to a new pet? Are you committed to caring for the pet for the next 10-15 years?

If you are ready, there are many factors to consider in determining WHICH pet is right for you.

  • Size - Is your home environment suitable for a large pet? If you live in a building with various pet controls, is there a limit to the size of the pet? If you do rent, please bring a copy of your lease indicating that pets are allowed. If you are considering a puppy, remember that the puppy?s adult size could exceed our estimate and plan for that.
  • Energy Level and Exercise Needs ? Exercise is one of the key factors in keeping a pet healthy, happy and well-behaved and the amount of exercise needed varies a great deal with individual animals. Make sure that your ability to provide exercise corresponds with the amount of exercise needed by the animal you choose. Do not rely on size alone to determine exercise needs! A 20 lb Jack Russell Terrier needs much more exercise than a 180 lb English Mastiff, so do your breed research and ask questions. Also consider whether your home and surrounding area have easy access to a safe place to exercise? If you have a yard, is it adequately fenced? Is your fence tall enough for the type of dog in which you have interest (many dogs can scale a 4 foot fence)?
  • Compatibility ? Does your new pet need to get along with children? Other animals of its kind? Other types of animals? Does your new pet need to be able to tolerate crowds and noise? Will it be walked on noisy city streets? Will it have to go up and down stairs to get outside?
  • Temperament ? Do you want your new pet to be a snuggler or the independent type? Would you prefer an animal that is very mellow or one who is extremely enthusiastic? Can you tolerate barking and meowing or do you want a quieter pet?
  • Age and Other Needs - There are many factors when considering the animal's age. Younger pets require more time and attention and older pets can have medical needs which can be a higher cost to you. Some pets have special needs ranging from medical requirements to a need for professional behaviorists or obedience trainers.

STEP TWO: Attend adoption event to meet the animal ? We hold five events every weekend. Pick one that is convenient to you and email dogeventattendance@lostdogrescue.org or cateventattendance@lostdogrescue.org to request that animals you are interested in attend a particular event. Please send your request no later than the Thursday evening prior to the event at 10 pm. Bring your completed application (Dog Adoption Application and Cat Adoption Application) or pick up a copy and fill it out at the event. Once you decide you are ready to bring a particular animal home, your application will be reviewed by two adoption counselors who will seek to determine through the application and talking with you that the animal you have chosen will be well-placed in your home.

STEP THREE: Adoption Contract ? Once approved, you will need to finalize your adoption by completing an adoption contract and paying the adoption fee in cash, by credit card, or by check (see list of adoption fees at the top of the page). At that time, available medical records will be provided along with a variety of other information.

STEP FOUR: Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation is committed to the animals it rescues for their entire lifetime. Therefore, once an animal is adopted, LDCRF reserves the right to:

  • Check on the pet at any time to ensure its well-being.
  • Remove the pet from the home if any conditions of the adoption contract have been violated or, if in the opinion of LDCRF, the environment is unsafe.
  • If at any time you cannot keep your pet, you must return it to LDCRF and not to any other individual or shelter.

ABOUT PUPPIES

Puppies are popular! In the interest of managing the volume of potential adopters, LDCRF has instituted the following procedures for puppies at adoption events when there is a high level of interest.

  • Please arrive at the adoption event 5 to 10 minutes before the start of the event and put your name on the puppy interview list at the LDCRF table in the back of the PetsMart. Bring a completed adoption application with you or complete one as soon as you arrive.
  • Adoption counselors will interview everyone who is present within a few minutes of the start of the adoption event. This can take some time, so please be patient.
  • If several equally qualified applicants are interested in the same puppy, we will ask that they consider alternatives, and if that does not produce a solution, we will choose among the qualified applicants.
  • If a puppy is in a foster home (and this will be indicated on the website write up) please correspond directly with the foster about when and where the puppy will be available for adoption. Foster contact information can be found on the website in the puppy's write up.

We cannot guarantee the health of any animals adopted. Any time you adopt an animal, you should take it to the vet as soon as possible. Your animal has been checked by a vet, but will need to be started immediately on a program of preventative vet care.

Please be aware that the animals available for adoption are rescue animals and, as such, have often been exposed to a variety of diseases. Like human illnesses, these disorders can have an incubation period of up to several weeks. If the animal you adopt shows signs of illness at any point, please take it to the vet for treatment. Once an animal is adopted, the adopter is responsible for all medical expenses. LDCRF will not pay for medical care for an adopted animal.

 

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