How to Adopt

The Golden Retriever is a wonderful dog; however, they are predisposed to several conditions: ear infections, hot spots, excessive shedding, and generally a need for lots of exercise in order to be good house pets. They are not outside dogs to be tied or enclosed away from "their people" and can become quite loud, destructive, and even self-mutilating if made to live in these conditions. Many require a good amount of attention, and when not given the attention they wish, will resort to tearing up your favorite slippers, gardens, etc. in order to get your attention.

These dogs are excellent obedience candidates and can be easily trained to be wonderful companions-if you will work with them. Obedience is obtained by being fair and consistent, and offering praise when the deed is obtained. To train a dog, you have to think like a dog. Hitting etc. is considered an aggression by the animal and eventually the animal may retaliate.

This pet will cost approximately $350 a year in vet bills and $180 to feed. Additional expenses may include grooming, collars, leads, bowls, and toys. We want both of you to be thrilled with each other and would be glad to help in any way to assure this.

Questions on the adoption application pertaining to the animal's being allowed on the furniture, whether you have fencing or not, etc., are to insure that you will get a dog you can live with. Most dogs will need a fenced yard, and some dogs that have previously been allowed on furniture might be a constant struggle for you, if you do not wish to allow this to continue. Your answers will not, however, jeopardize your application.

If this animal is found in a condition in which the animal's welfare is jeopardized, we will call the first time to explain how to correct the condition. If the animal is again found in such a state, we will require that the animal be returned to G.R.I.N.

G.R.I.N.'s mission is to find forever homes for the displaced goldens we take in. We know the following phases of our adoption is long reading, but it's important for our applicants to understand the adoption process and how we strive to find the best home for the dogs and the best possible match for you, your family and lifestyle.

Please click on the following Phases to read how our application and adoption process works.

After submitting an application, a reference from your veterinarian is sought. Please be sure to give us permission to call your vet by checking the appropriate boxes on the application. You will then be contacted for a phone interview. If that goes well, your application is moved to the last and final stage - a home visit. ALL family members must be present during the home visit - NO EXCEPTIONS! Also, it is helpful that applicants do their best to accommodate our volunteer's schedules when making arrangements for both phone interviews and home visits. After your home visit, you will be contacted regarding the status of your application.

Note: This process can take up to 3-4 weeks to complete. Since all the volunteers work, have families and interests outside of GRIN, scheduling can sometimes be difficult. Please be as accommodating as you can when arranging interview and home visits.

Once you have been approved for adoption, you will be contacted regarding a possible match for your family. This may be a day later or not for several weeks - please be patient during this process. We strive to place the right dog into your home based on information provided by you in your application, phone interview and home visit and the evaluation provided by the foster home for every dog in the program. Therefore, it is very important that you establish your preferences early.

Note: We do not operate with a "first come, first serve" attitude. We are very careful to match goldens with their 'forever' homes and the first applicant may not always be the best. You may experience a delay in your adoption process if you requested specific traits in a dog, i.e., females, gold color, broad head, smaller size, younger golden or puppy.

When a match for your family has been identified, you will receive a call from the foster family. This is the time to inquire about the dog - ask as many questions as you can to get a good idea of personality and temperament. Based on your conversation, both you and the foster family can determine if you should proceed with the next step - an Introduction. The Introduction takes place at the foster home since this is the environment in which the golden is most comfortable. EVERY MEMBER OF THE HOUSEHOLD, INCLUDING DOGS, MUST BE PRESENT AT THE INTRODUCTION! We cannot bend this rule!

Do not expect to take your golden home at the first meeting. Adoptions do not occur at this time. After you have spent enough time getting to know your potential match, it is time for you and your family to go home and seriously discuss the meeting. Make sure that this is the right decision for everyone in your household. Call the Adoption Coordinator after you have had enough time to talk it over amongst the family members, including those of the canine persuasion (!), to provide feedback about the meeting. Likewise, the foster family will check in with the Adoption Coordinator with comments. If everyone agrees that the meeting went well, the adoption is scheduled. If any party involved in the adoption process does not feel the match is favorable, the Adoption Coordinator will begin the process again.

After receiving the green light from all the parties involved, it's time to set up the Adoption Meeting! Bring whomever you'd like to the meeting, but be prepared to spend some time going over paperwork. GRIN has an adoption contract that must be reviewed and signed by the adopting family as well as the GRIN representative. Come to the meeting with your adoption fee (see the schedule below) and any last minute questions! At the time of adoption, you will receive any medical information from the GRIN vet, including medications, if any. You will also receive a leash, collar and an adoption kit filled with literature and goodies!

Our job doesn't end when the ink dries! We will follow-up with you, either with phone calls or home visits, after your adoption. We want to help you make the transition of your new fur kid as seamless as possible. We'll offer any advice we can and if we don't have the answers for you, we'll put you in touch with someone who does!

Please do not ask to meet a specific dog. The website description of our dogs is only a brief synopsis of the golden; it is not meant to provide detailed information about its personality. Many times the dog in which you have specific interest may already be meeting a family. If you are not contacted about a dog in which you are particularly interested, that means that dog is NOT the right match for you. Trust us in knowing that we will match you with the right golden for your family.

When you fill out the adoption application, it is very important that the veterinarian information on the application is completed in its entirety. Without it, your application will not be considered. If a question on the application does not apply to you - please indicate "not applicable". If you do not currently have a veterinarian, please indicate that on your application. If your application is approved and you adopt one of our goldens, we will be happy to refer you to a veterinarian.

Printable Adoption Application (PDF) - Please Fax or Mail to the Address Indicated, NOT the Letterhead Address

Of course, if you have any questions about the process, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can find our contact information on our "Contact Us" page.