Pittie in Pink

YAY!  You’ve decided you want to adopt a dog – that’s awesome! Whether you have a specific dog in mind, have met that dog at an event or are waiting to meet them, you need to start with the Adoption Application.  Click here to download the application. When you're done, email it to PittieInPinkRescue@gmail.com

 

Your application will come to our adoption volunteers who will begin to process it within 24 hours. We read your answers and try to evaluate if the dog you’re interested in is a good fit for your home and your lifestyle. We call your references and your veterinarian and ask them to tell us why you’re a great dog owner. We check with your landlord (if applicable) to make sure he or she is on-board with a dog moving into your rental. If we have any questions or need more information, we’ll contact you.

 

"Whoa, hold up.  Why are you asking me so many questions, I just want a dog."

Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad pet owners out there.  We love our dogs and we want the best for them.  For more information on why we are more stringent than animal control, please check out this article: "Those Darn Dog Rescues With All Their Rules and Questions"

 

Once the application is approved, we contact your dog’s foster and schedule a meeting for you, the dog, and us.  If all goes well, we will then schedule a home visit. The home visit allows you to see how he or she will fit in with your family and in your home. All family members as well as resident pets should take part in the home visit. This is an important part of the adoption process that allows both parties to make sure the dog is a good fit.  If all goes well, we will do a "trial period" with the dog.  This is a risk-free way for you to see how amazing your life will be with thi furry little friend.  If it's not working out, we'll come get the pup and you can try again with a different dog if you'd like.  Keep in mind, it normally takes both dogs and humans about 3 weeks to fully adjust to a new routine so don't worry if you're a little stressed about a new dog in your house, it's totally normal!  

 

After you've fallen in love with your new best friend and everyone is feeling great, we will finalize the adoption.  We require a $250 donation for all adoptions which helps us cover some of the cost of saving, feeding, and vetting the dog while in our care.  We are 100% non-profit and typically spend more than $250 on each dog in our care.

 

While this may seem like a lengthy process, it’s really only a few diligent steps on our part to make sure we’re setting you and your dog up for the best possible success. The entire process usually takes 2-3 weeks (including the Trial Period).  Here are some tips you can follow to make sure things go as smoothly as possible:

 

Tips for Filling out Your Adoption Application

 

• Fill out your application with the most complete information possible! The more information you give us, the faster we can process your application and avoid delays. Don’t skip any of the questions

or leave them blank.

 

• Let your references, landlord and veterinarian know we will be contacting them. The biggest cause of delay is when references don’t answer or get back to us quickly enough.

 

• Make sure our emails to you and your references are not getting caught in your spam filters. Lost emails are another source of delay, check your filters if you think you’re waiting for an email from us.

 

• Have a backup plan if the dog you are interested in isn’t available. Sometimes we get multiple applications for the same dog on the same day. We process applications in the order they are submitted so there is a chance the dog you are looking at may not be available. Are you possibly interested in another dog as well? Include all dogs that you are interested in on your application so we can quickly move your application if necessary.

 

• Don’t ask for a status update on your application on Facebook. We don't see every post or message, we’re busy processing applications!

 

• Be patient. All of our volunteers are just that – volunteers! We make every effort to start processing your application within 24 hours, but sometimes work, family and life get in the way. We’re dedicated to finding these dogs homes and we’ll work on it as quickly as possible.  That said, if you haven't heard back from your initial application within 5 days, please email us.  We are human and may have missed it!

 

 

 

ADOPTION FAQS

 

What is your adoption fee?
Adoption fees for all dogs in the rescue are $250, regardless of age, breed or gender.

 

What is required for the home visit?
Most people are nervous about the home visit because they think their homes will be critiqued and judged. This is far from the case! When we conduct a home visit we are looking to see that you have a safe environment for your new furry friend.  We don't care if your house is a little messy (you should see ours!).  We just want to make sure your house hasn't been featured on the TV show "Hoarders!"

 

Are adoptions permitted from outside of Nashville?
In general, we like to keep adoptions close to Nashville. Home visits are done by our volunteers and we don’t have many outside the metro area. However, we do make exceptions whenever possible and welcome applicants from other neighboring areas. We’ll make every effort to accommodate your application!

 

Do you require adopters to have a fenced-in backyard?
No, a fenced yard is not a requirement for all dogs. If you do not have a fence, you should explain how you will exercise the dog adequately in your application. There are some dogs in rescue for which a fence will be required based on their temperaments and energy levels (unless you're a marathon runner!). We evaluate all applications on a case-by-case basis

 

Do insurance companies care about me adopting pit bull?
YES!  Many home insurance companies have breed restrictions and will not cover dog-related liabilities if you own a pit bull. Part of being a responsible dog owner is having the proper insurance.  We don't endorse any specific companies but at the time of this writing, State Farm, USAA, Farmers, and Travelers do not have restrictions on pit bulls (check with your agent, some policies vary by agent). There are also some smaller companies that do not have restrictions as well.

 

Can we adopt siblings or multiple dogs at one time?
We generally do not adopt multiple dogs into the same household at the same time.  Bringing home a new dog is a major life change.  We encourage you to bring one dog into the home at a time so both the dog and owner can establish relationships and routines before adding another new dog.  The major exception to this is when two dogs have bonded and need to go together.

 

Am I ready to adopt a dog?

We can't answer that one.  We hope so, it is an incredibly rewarding experience and your new pit bull will love you unconditionally for the rest of his or her life.  That said, pit bulls generally live to be 10-15 years old so adoption is a long-term commitment.  If your current situation isn't consistant enough to adopt a dog, consider Fostering a Dog.  You'll save a life and fostering is much more flexible than adopting.