Application Processing 101
Thank you for your interest in a DRSF Doxie!





We are very thrilled that you are looking to add a dachshund to your family and even more thrilled that you are looking to adopt :)  We would like to give you a bit more information about how the application process works so that you know what to expect!



                      



After submitted, your application is automatically e-mailed to our executive committee.  A DRSF representative will be in touch with you in 48-72 hours to say hello, introduce themselves, and find out a bit more about you and your family and why a specific dog caught your eye.  We thank you for your patience in receiving the initial call, as we are all volunteers and much of our work happens in the evening after families and homes have been attended to :)



                      



How does the process work?
Then what happens?
After the introductory call is made, your application is forwarded onto our Apps Team who makes the reference calls.  This process can take anywhere from a few days to a week or so depending on how quickly we can get in touch with your references.  It is very helpful to let them know we will be calling and to please return the call quickly if we miss them!  We also call your vets office for a reference for any existing pet family members.  We find some vets are hesitant to release information, so calling ahead to them can be very helpful too. Once that is done a home visit is scheduled and completed as the final step.



                      



Occasional bumps in the road and why they are worth driving around...
Unfortunately, rescue is an imperfect science and sometimes our potential families become frustrated with the process.  Here are a few bumps in the road that can come up and how our process is structured to address them:

  • "But we applied for that dog first!" - We often find ourselves in the position of having more than one family interested in a dog.  When this happens, we process both applications to see which family would be the best fit for a dog.  If both families are a good fit, we do an introduction with the foster family and dog to see how it goes as this often will resolve the situation for us in either one family does not hit it off with the dog in person or any existing pets are not a good match for the dog.  When we find ourselves in the situation of having multiple adopters who are a good match for a dog, our executive committee makes the final decision.  When this happens, the process can take longer than usual to give each family time to meet at time convenient for all parties.
  • "Why are all the dogs I am interested in spoken for??" - We have found ourselves in a wonderful position of having more applications than dogs to match them up with. There are certain demographics of dogs which are more popular and will have more applications than most (young females are the most popular) so if you might open your heart a bit further and consider some characteristics that you might not have considered before (a bit older, a different color, etc) we can help to match you up that much faster.  Some of our happiest adoption stories come from families who took a chance on something different than they were looking for :)
  • "I am tired of waiting and want a dog now" -  We understand that once you have made the decision to adopt a dog, you don't want to wait any longer than you need to, but we also believe that all good things in life are worth waiting for!  We take in new dogs every week and the perfect one for you might be just around the corner.  If you have decided you can wait no longer, please let us know so that we can close your application. 




                      



How do the applications get processed?
How do we match doxies with families?
Why does it take so long?

Read on for answers to these and other fascinating questions!