ADOPTION GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTING FROM KYRA’S RESCUE
ATTN: DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, CERTAIN OF OUR BELOW PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE KYRA'S RESCUE TEAM AND OUR POTENTIAL ADOPTERS. THESE CHANGES WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
• IMPORTANT RESTRICTIONS: In general, we are not able to observe our dogs around cats or children prior to their arrival in the U.S. Therefore, we do not adopt to households where there are children 4 years of age or younger. On rare occasions our dogs are fostered by volunteers in Turkey, some of whom have cats and are able to tell us if the dogs are cat-friendly. Unless the the dog you are interested in is listed as cat friendly, we are not able to review applications from applicants who have cats.
• We do not have a facility/shelter that you can visit. We are a very small network of volunteers and foster homes scattered in DC, VA, MD, and those dogs who are already in the U.S. are being fostered in our volunteers' homes while we find them forever homes. The remainder of our dogs are in a boarding facility in Turkey while they wait for their chance to come to the U.S.
• All current companion pets over a year old must be altered, current on vaccines (vaccine protocol includes rabies vaccine and distemper/parvo, and the Bordetella vaccine is recommended), and be on heartworm prevention which includes an annual heartworm test. If your current pets are not altered and there is not a verifiable medical reason for not altering, your application will not be processed until that is completed.
• Heartworm testing and prevention: We require that current dogs have an up to date heartworm test and be on prevention. The more comprehensive heartworm test also checks for tick-borne (Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Erlichia, etc.) diseases. Using a heartworm and flea/tick preventative is much more cost effective than treating an infection, not to mention easier on your dog.
• Dogs who are adopted through Kyra’s Rescue should be kept on a leash/lead at all times unless they are in a securely fenced yard. Some of our adoptive dogs have a requirement for a fenced yard--in those situations we will only consider those homes with a securely fenced yard. Priority is always given to homes with a structurally fenced in yard.
• Dogs are not meant to be surprise gifts for people. The application must be in the name and address of the potential adopter and they need to be involved in the process. We are regularly contacted by people who want to adopt a dog for their parents or grandparents, etc. We are big believers in the positive effects of companion animals, but the adopter needs to be involved in the process. All family members are required to be present for a home visit and are therefore aware of the potential adoption.
• We understand that the home life standards and situations of owners and their dogs vary greatly. However, in general, when an applicant already has a dog in their home and wants to adopt a KR dog as a second dog, we look for and prefer a fenced yard which allows them the freedom to run and play safely in their own space. This, coupled with frequent, routine walks, provides the necessary exercise and mental stimulation that makes for a healthy and happy dog.
• We do not adopt outside of a 100 miles radius of the DC Metro area. We do, on occasion, adopt out of state in the following locations to outstanding applicants when a KR volunteer is available to conduct a home visit with the prospective adopter: Richmond VA, Chesterfield VA, Virginia Beach VA, Charlottesville VA, and Wilmington DE. However, please understand that it can take additional time to complete the processing of an out of area application and to schedule and conduct the home visit. We do not ship or transport our dogs. If you are out of state and interested in adopting, you must be willing to come to the Washington DC metro area, or the location of the dog’s foster home, to pick up your new family member.
ADOPTION PROCESS
• THE FIRST STEP in the adoption process is to submit an online application. We do not answer specific questions or respond to call requests until your application is submitted. “Arriving Soon” dogs are still in our boarding facility in Istanbul while they wait for their opportunity to come to the U.S. All of our “Available Now” dogs are in private foster homes throughout the Washington DC metro area and surrounding states. We do not have a facility that you can visit. We do not have a shelter. We do not schedule meet and greets until after an application is approved and a home visit has been conducted.
• The adoption application is located on our website under “Our Dogs” and needs to be completed online. We highly recommend using a computer (versus a tablet or phone) and a browser such as Chrome or Firefox to complete the application. Do not include more than one email address on the application, and please avoid using semicolons.
• A Kyra’s Rescue volunteer reviews each application for completeness. If the application is incomplete, we will move on to the next application. Failure to provide references or veterinary contact information will stop the processing of an application. We generally have dozens of applications that are currently being processed so we cannot afford the time to ask for additional information if not provided.
• Based on information provided on the application, the Kyra’s Rescue volunteer performs an initial assessment as to whether the applicant is a good match for the specified dog and proceeds to clarify any unclear information on the application.
• Kyra’s Rescue regularly receives multiple applications, sometimes dozens and dozens of applications, for a single dog. We do not adopt on a first come, first served basis. We always try to determine which home will be the best fit for the dog. We cannot stress this enough and ask you to not take offense if you are not contacted about the dog you applied for. We simply cannot approve every application we receive due to such high volume.
• Please keep in mind that our organization consists completely of volunteers who work full-time jobs and have other commitments. We all work as quickly as possible, but it is not unusual to have in excess of 50-75 applications being processed simultaneously, so while we say that it generally takes less than two weeks to process an application/photo, it can also take several weeks. NOTE: Due to the dramatic increase in adoption applications we're receiving during the coronavirus pandemic, it may take 4-6 weeks for our review process. Please be patient.
• Because we are an entirely volunteer run organization, we ask for your patience. Each decision is made with the dog's best interest in mind and in an effort to find the best match between each dog and family. This decision is made solely at the discretion of the KR Team and is done to ensure that our dogs are placed in the most safe, caring and loving home. Please keep in mind that you are not the only person who has applied for the dog.
• THE SECOND STEP In the adoption process is to request photos of you and your home. If the application is found to be favorable, Kyra’s Rescue will request photos of you and your home. This is a very valuable screening tool for us as it helps to ensure (1) our safety, (2) that our time will be wisely spent if we choose to move to the next step of the application process (the home visit), and (3) it provides valid information as to not only where our dog will be living but also we get an idea as to your lifestyle and your home dynamic that helps us to understand whether or not your application is a good match for the dog you have applied for. Our applicants span an enormous geographical area and we spend many, many hours driving to conduct home visits. Your photos help us to visualize who our dogs will be living with, and where they will be living. Your photos are kept strictly confidential and will never, ever be shared outside of our group. If you are uncomfortable with this step, we will not be able to move forward with your application. Also, please be aware that during our home visit we may take more photos so our group can discuss the home environment. We understand that you may have sent pictures already and we appreciate that, but additional pictures often assist us in the adoption approval process.
• THE THIRD STEP is a phone interview. If your photos meet our expectations, we will conduct a phone interview. In this interview, we will answer all of your questions providing all the information about adoption approval process and the dog you applied to adopt.
NOTE: Once you receive a call from one of our volunteers, please do not use their personal phone numbers for further communication. All communication should be through email (kyrasrescue@outlook.com) or through Messenger. Exceptions to this rule are emergencies or during transportation/pick up of dogs. KR volunteers will not respond to general messages/calls on their personal phones.
• THE FOURTH STEP is calling your veterinarian and references. If the phone interview goes well and you want to proceed, we will check your vet reference and personal references. All pets in the home must be current on wellness visits and vaccines (unless otherwise recommended by your vet), have a current heartworm test and purchase of preventatives on file (or you can provide an explanation if your preventatives are purchased elsewhere), and must be spayed/neutered. Your vet will need to provide verification if they recommend against a spay/neuter. If your current pets are NOT current on vaccines or heartworm testing/preventatives, the processing of your application will not continue until we have confirmation from your veterinarian that the vaccines and/or heartworm testing/preventatives have been updated.
• Once all references have been successfully verified and, if they are favorable, a Kyra’s Rescue volunteer will contact the applicant to set up the home visit.
• THE FIFTH STEP is scheduling a home visit, if a Kyra’s Rescue volunteer is available, otherwise providing a home visit video (which we have implemented since COVID-19). All applicants, including previous adopters who adopted a dog more than a year ago, must complete a home visit or home visit video as part of the evaluation process. Note that all family members residing in the household must be present for the home visit or included in the home visit video.
• During the home visit, you will be able to meet with a Kyra’s Rescue team member and one of our dogs (either a Kyra’s Rescue alumni dog or a foster dog).
• Please be aware that during the home visit we may take additional photos based on our perspective to discuss internally with our group. We understand that you may have already sent pictures, but the additional pictures help our team to understand any positives, or on occasion, potential concerns, which helps us to determine the best home for our dogs.
• Only after completion of the home visit will we give you a verbal or written statement to let you know that you are officially approved for adoption. Simply completing an application and providing photos does NOT constitute an approved application.
• If the applicant is considered to be a good match, adoption can take place at the conclusion of the home visit if the Kyra's Rescue team member who is conducting the home visit is in possession of the dog. Due to our wide adoption radius, it is not always possible for the team member who is in possession of the dog to conduct the home visit. If the dog is being fostered by a different Kyra's Rescue team member, a meet and greet will be arranged, and the applicant will be asked to drive to the location where the dog is being fostered. **PLEASE NOTE THAT IT MUST BE MUTUALLY AGREED BETWEEN (I) THE KYRA'S RESCUE TEAM MEMBER IN POSSESSION OF THE DOG AND (II) THE APPLICANT THAT IT IS A GOOD MATCH.** If the applicant is not considered a good match for the dog listed on their application, Kyra’s Rescue may suggest other dogs that are available and considered a better match. During the phone interview/home visit period, we will also be working to provide you with additional information and photos/videos of the dog you are interested in adopting.
• We work very closely with our approved adopters, and we provide all the health records, videos and additional pictures of our dogs and the majority of our applicants are willing to adopt their dogs as soon as they arrive in the US.
• When we have an unplanned flight volunteer, and we do not have adequate time to post the dogs or complete the application process prior to their arrival, we place them in foster homes while we look for their perfect family.
• Kyra’s Rescue cannot hold dogs once an adoption has been approved. We are fortunate to receive multiple applications for all of our dogs. It is not fair to the dog, the foster homes, or to other adopters to hold a dog. Additionally, we have a waiting list of dogs needing to come into our rescue, so foster home availability is critical.
•Please note that on rare occasions the necessity arises to alter a portion of our adoption process to accommodate an extenuating circumstance, applicant or dog. Kyra’s Rescue reserves the right to alter the process solely at our discretion.
**Kyra’s Rescue has the right to refuse any adoption we do not feel is the best interest of the dog.**
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We are an international rescue organization rescuing homeless dogs, mostly Golden Retrievers in Turkey, and providing them with necessary health care and arranging for adoptions by families in the U.S. that are willing to open their homes and hearts to these forgotten animals. Our rescue dogs receive veterinary care in Turkey and stay in our boarding facility until they are ready to come to States.
VETTING
•Our dogs are typically rescued from the streets, forests, dumps, or rural areas of various cities in Turkey, or they are pulled from overcrowded shelters with limited resources. The majority of our dogs were once someone’s pet, but because they were no longer wanted they found themselves to be homeless. Our rescues receive a thorough veterinary evaluation which includes:
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A spay/neuter surgery (or Kyra’s Rescue will pay for the spay/neuter in the U.S. at a facility of our choice if not already performed in Turkey for various reasons).
All dogs are current with the following vaccines:
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Rabies
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Distemper
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Hepatitis
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Leptospirosis
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Parvovirus
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Parainfluenza
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Bordetella
Our dogs have been examined by a veterinarian in Turkey and tested through:
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A hemogram (blood test)
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A 4 snap test for Heartworm/Ehrlichiosis/Leishmania/Anaplasmosis
They have also received:
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A de-worming treatment
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Flea and tick preventatives
Following their veterinary evaluation and while in boarding, all Turkish rescue dogs are seen by our veterinarian weekly for wellness checks whether or not they are receiving treatment for a specific condition or ailment.
If there are any issues that are discovered during the veterinary exam or from the results of one of the tests, those issues are addressed further with additional tests such as a whole blood chemistry test, serological test, X-rays, ultrasonography, and are treated (including surgeries, dental work) before they come to the U.S.
Each dog is evaluated case by case and we bring our dogs based on our veterinarian’s written release for travel. Each dog is cleared and released by our veterinarians and each animal arrives in the U.S. with a passport which contains a record of all vaccines, de-worming and preventatives. Vaccines and treatments are “universal” and easily identified by veterinarians world-wide. Kyra’s Rescue will provide comprehensive medical records for each of our dogs to the adopter.
We obtain a permit issued by the USDA which requires a Health Certificate and Rabies Vaccination Record for each dog before they travel to the U.S.
Our U.S. rescues remain in foster care until they are adopted. Once medically evaluated and treated (as needed), they are followed by one of our U.S. veterinarians.
All of our dogs are temperament tested for food/resource guarding and they are observed by our boarding facility for any issues with other dogs. On rare occasions our dogs are fostered by volunteers in Turkey, some of whom have cats and are able to tell us if the dogs are cat-friendly. In general, we are not able to observe our dogs around cats or children prior to their arrival in the U.S. Therefore, unless the the dog is listed as cat friendly, we are not able to review applications from applicants who have cats.
PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING
We truly appreciate the outpouring of interest in our dogs. Please understand that we are blessed to have dozens of applications for each of our dogs, and we review each and every application carefully. The tremendous volume of applications and email/Facebook inquiries makes it simply impossible for our small group to respond to each of you quickly. We understand that this is a source of great frustration for many of our applicants; however, if you do not receive a response from us, please do not take it personally. If you are frustrated with us, please consider other organizations to adopt a dog. There are many dogs that need rescuing and we will be happy that they found a good home. If possible, please be kind and patient with our volunteers when you follow up on the status of your application. We work diligently to find the best possible home and fit for our rescues. That is our mission.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Those who adopt through Kyra’s Rescue get to experience the joy of watching a previously discarded dog heal and thrive in their new home. We have rescued more than 450 dogs to date and are fortunate to have a fiercely loyal extended family through our adopters.