Policies: Adoption and Re-homing
July 21 2024
1 RuffCue does not re-home dogs to homes where there has been a request for food in the past year.
1a Exception: If you have picked up food for a friend or neighbor and mentioned that at the time of pick up.
2 RuffCue does not re-home to homes who surrendered dogs for re-homing in the past year, using any format or protocol including but not limited to online resources, other rescues, owned but unclaimed animals left at the pound, family members or otherwise.
2a Exception to this is community liaison.
3 RuffCue does not re-home to minors. If a youth is interested in adopting a RuffCue dog we require parental consent and co-signature if the teen/young adult is still in the parental home.
This policy holds up to age 22.
3a If the youth or young adult is living on their own and over age 17, we can discuss the process.
3b RuffCue does re-home to seniors with supports in place to meets the needs of the pet for exercise, and adventure should mishap befall you.
4 RuffCue does not re-home without the dog meeting the entire of the pack in the home, this includes all other dogs in your home, residents, room mates, and pets.
4a If you have animals you can not transport and would like to request an in-home visit, due to the need to care for all the animals in our care, RuffCue personnel can not travel more than 20 minutes out of Fort Frances for such, and there is a cost for travel.
5 RuffCue does not re-home to those who do not have transportation available to them, as sick, and injured animals need to be taken to a vet.
5a Taxis will not take a sick dog, this is not considered “available transportation”
6 RuffCue does not re-home to homes outside of our designated area as;
6a The dogs need to be able to pick their humans and if the dog is not interested, their “say” stands.
7 If there are any concerns at all, from any member of RuffCue regarding your disposition, behaviour, carriage, mannerisms which result in my believing there is any chance the animal will face or see violence in their time in your home, you will be declined. This includes your online behaviour, and all forms of communication with RuffCue and our representatives.
8 At RuffCue the dogs decide who they want to go home with.
8a No exception.
9 RuffCue does re-home to reserves
9a RuffCue also reserve the right to check the vetting status of any animal taken from RuffCue. Adopters are required to sign to allow us to have that access, if that is a problem you will be declined.
10 If at any point any party becomes belligerent, abusive, disrespectful, or improper; With or towards RuffCue or any representative thereof; Communication will be immediately terminated, and is unlikely to resume. Please be respectful, polite and appreciative of the services offered by RuffCue, and those who volunteer to provide them to you.
11 RuffCue adoption fees are posted at $600 per dog. RuffCue will accept half of the payment at the time of application being accepted, and the remainder is due at pick up.
11a At RuffCue we use the application form to find our adopters discounts. Proof of claims may be requested, for discount to be applied. Some RuffCue discounts are as follows:
Friends and family
Seniors discount
Health care services: Paramedics, doctors, nurses, dental techs, pharmacists, administration, mental health etc
Police services: OPP, Treaty 3, CN Police, border patrol, administration, liaison, etc
Out of town adopter
Farms, off grid properties, rural
And more.
12 If 2 RuffCue adopters meet and apply for the dog at the same time, both parties/families will be asked to do an in-house meeting where everyone will be present, and the dog will arrive on scene and tell us where they would best like to be. At RuffCue the dogs’ say, is final and will not be argued about. Argument will put you in contradiction of the policies under p10 and p7 so please, don’t.
12a If the RuffCue dog remains undecided both parties will be declined as there is no distinct show of interest on the part of the dog.
13 The RuffCue adopter is able to opt to pay full adoption fee, despite being entitled to discount
13a RuffCue greatly appreciates your assistance and support with the community project. All adopters who opt to cover the full adoption fee and waive their discounts, will receive and are entitled to RuffCue swag as a token of our gratitude.
13b Should a RuffCue adopter opt to cover the full posted adoption fee of their pet; only then does RuffCue reimburse the adopter $100 upon presentation to the rescue of their spay/neuter certificate.
14 While RuffCue understands crating may be necessary for a period of time (teenage phase) for pups, dogs in the care of RuffCue are not crated, kenneled, or caged. Should you undertake to crate, kennel, or cage your dog it is understood there will be training involved to ensure the animal is receptive, and keen on it.
14a RuffCue permits the use of a laundry line and a long lead to be acceptable as a secured outdoor area.
15 RuffCue urges and encourage all adopters to familiarize themselves with the following training methods or techniques: Threshold training, umbilical training, loose lead walking, how to teach a dog to fetch and return, simple command training.
15a RuffCue reminds: Attention rewards are always better than treat rewards, cost less, and are handy at all times, and places.
15c You may be asked for a quick demonstration of your planned training. Expect it, be ready to show it.
15d RuffCue reserves the right to refuse adoption to any adopter obviously unprepared for the journey.
16 At RuffCue shelter for a working, farm, or outside dog is expected. Adopters may be requested to provide photographs or allow for an onsite visit to ensure the animal remains on their premises.
16a RuffCue adopters acknowledge that such dogs adopted through RuffCue will need to be trained for their new role before being placed into it, or they become a flight risk. You may be requested to show, or inform RuffCue of how you plan to go about attaining that training.
17 RuffCue does not transport adopted dogs. You will be responsible for the transportation of your pet. You must meet your pet and be picked by them before they can be released to you.
17a See p8
17b If RuffCue, or someone affiliated with it is already planning a trip to Dryden, Kenora, or Thunder Bay and the adopter has previously completed the meeting and was “chosen” by the dog, and the application has been filled out, and monies are received, RuffCue would be able to save the adopter a drive, but only in the instances we are already planning to head that way.
18 RuffCue does not release animals for adoption, previous to them having been vetted.
18b RuffCue does release animals with preliminary vetting done in the case of young puppies so the adopters get the formative time to work with and train their dogs. Puppies require 3 vet visits before they are considered fully up to date. These visits are scheduled 30 days apart and are the time when shots and deworming is completed, it is vital they are completed in a timely manner. In such cases RuffCue will release the dog to the adoptive family at or after the time of initial vetting and only when all paperwork has been completed, and monies have been received.
18c In such instances RuffCue will cover the cost of the follow up vetting, for the next appointment. All costs after that are the responsibility of the new owner.
18d Final costs for vet visit #3 is up to the adopter to complete, and it is in that 3rd visit that spay and neuter can be scheduled to be completed, this will be done at the adopters expense.
18e RuffCue reminds: Only mature animals can be released with full vetting and full spay or neuter completed. Puppies are cute, but do come with additional cost.
19 RuffCue reserves the right to refuse adoption to applicants in cases where any animal/s previously owned have been the victim of neglect, or failure on the part of the humans, this includes but is not limited to seizure by OPP or animal control, loss of the animal due to running, hit by a car, poisoned, taking off at camp, failure to train, medical concerns left unaddressed, pregnancy, being shot, being downed, being left outside unattended at length, failure to feed, failure to provide shelter, etc.
19a RuffCue also reserves the right to approve adoption to applicants who have less than ideal histories provided the applicant/s are able to show the shortcoming has been rectified, and addressed.
20 RuffCue community input is appreciated. If there is outcry about any particular adopter owning an animal, that voice is heard. If the adopter is known within the community to be an inappropriate home for the animal due to drug use, violence, abuse, neglect, do not own court order, frequent moves, or other items of concern, and there is outcry; The RuffCue application will be declined.
20a See 19a
21 RuffCue mental health policy holds that mental health in itself is not a cause to decline an application. Issues creating concern of care, are.
21a RuffCue reserves the right to assign one animal a year for “Charity Adoption.” This will be an instance where an adopter is unable to cover the initial cost of adoption but is fully able to cover the ongoing costs of the pet. Those applicable for charity adoption are seniors, those with mental health issues including depression, anxiety, or past trauma, those on disability or other stabilized income, including pensions and WSIB, etc.
21b Such RuffCue applications will be reviewed collectively and at the discretion of RuffCue.
21c The animal provided to such adopters will be chosen will be at the discretion of RuffCue.
21d There will be fees for RuffCue charity adopters, they will however be greatly reduced from the posted adoption fee.
21e If you or someone you know might benefit from a RuffCue Charity Adoption please contact the rescue with your inquiry, and information on your situation.
22 RuffCue dogs, our staff, and our facility is deserving of your respect. If at any point in the process you make, or are known to make disparaging comments about RuffCue, RuffCue policies, the dogs, where they have come from, or otherwise; RuffCue reserves the right to immediately end your presence on premise, to decline to proceed with the adoption process, and to further decline any future communications, or contact.
22a See p7 p10
23 Ongoing communication between the adopter and RuffCue should be anticipated, and welcomed by both parties. RuffCue will be available to the adopter for assistance with any medical or training concerns, and the adopter will be available to RuffCue for the occasional status update on the situation and pup.
24 RuffCue’s posted adoption fee is $600, the vet does not discount for age or infirmary, and our policy is to discount the adoption fee based on the applicants information.
24a RuffCue requires potential adopters to have a meeting with the animal to verify mutual interest, and fill out the application on site so we can discern and discuss your final adoption costs. (see p11 and 11a)
25 RuffCue is committed to making this transition period as stress free for everyone as possible which is why we require the dogs choose their new owners. It must be understood however, with all pets there is an adjustment period, and that period needs to be honored.
25a RuffCue does permit for “weekend camp outs” whereby the new owners who have completed applications, and left a deposit for the dog with the rescue are able to take their new fur friend for a weekend. This is your onsite test of fit, and all adopters are encouraged to take advantage of that “camping trip” to better learn their dog, and to see where in the home or on the property needs to be secured and dog-proofed.
25b It is highly recommended that all adopters take advantage of this offer and the time it provides to prepare, shop, and secure.
25c Should a prospective owner have a change of heart or plan during, or after any such “camping trip” the deposit will be considered forfeit, and becomes a donation to the rescue, and the dog will be re-posted on the site as available, immediately.
26 RuffCue adopters are expected to pick up their dog at the mutually agreed upon date and time. RuffCue and it’s members can not, and will not continue to house a dog who has been adopted. In accordance with RuffCue adoption policy, all animals who are spoken for must be claimed within 2 weeks of a finalized adoption agreement, or RuffCue reserves the right to relist the dog, and the owner forfeits all monies, and previous agreements.
26b RuffCue can not and must not be expected to hold your pet without agreement, understanding, and boarding compensation.
26c Failure to respond to communication from RuffCue will result in enactment of p26
27 RuffCue and all its parties reserves the right to without further warning revert to policy and paragraphs 7, 10 and 22.
This concludes our current policies on adoptions and re-homing.
This document is subject to change and revision and should be referred to regularly.
These policies are in place due to need, and are created and enacted based on the situations which have arisen in the operations of the rescue.
There are no frivolous policies in place.
The decision of RuffCue in relation to enforcement of these policies is final and the responsibility for those decisions falls to the discretion of the RuffCue representative.
Any questions in relation to the posted policies can be addressed to