GRIN Adoption Process

8/25/2025 - Current Adoption Application Status - PLEASE READ

Thank you for your interest in adopting a dog. GRIN takes great care in matching our dogs with the most suitable families and home environments, and our adoption process has proven to be effective. If our process appears time consuming or complicated, please understand that GRIN has the dog’s best interest at heart as well as yours. 

To foster or adopt you MUST:  

• Live in GRIN's service area (see map on the right)
• Be able to demonstrate a history of proper vetting in accordance with your veterinarian's instructions including annual heartworm testing and regular heartworm If you do not meet these criteria, please DO NOT APPLY as your application will be rejected.

Note: If you are planning to be on vacation or not available to adopt in the next month or two, please wait until you are available before submitting your application.

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Before submitting the application, we need you to understand the following:  

1. Many of the dogs that come into our care are puppy mill survivors that have very specific needs. We encourage you to CLICK HERE to review this article so that you understand the special needs these dogs may have.
2. Adopters can only use positive training methods. Adopters cannot use punishment training methods (shock, stimulation, or prong collars).
3. The adopted dog must be kept in the home when the family is sleeping or away from home as opposed to an outdoor kennel, doghouse, garage, etc.
4. Applicants cannot have an unaltered dog in the home unless they are used as part of a reputable breeding operation or for show.
5. For safety reasons, GRIN does not permit doggy doors or other means for the dog to access the outdoors unsupervised.
6. Golden Retrievers have a lot of energy and require a great deal of daily exercise, mental stimulation, and affection from their people. We encourage potential adoption candidates to research the breed to ensure it is a good fit for your home and lifestyle.
7. For the safety and well-being of your family, we do not adopt dogs out to homes with children under the age of five. If there is no background on the dog, children in the home must be ten or older.
8. Fence Requirements: Our top priority is the safety and well-being of every dog in our care. For many of our dogs, especially those with histories of trauma, fear, or unfamiliarity with home environments, a secure, physically fenced yard is a critical safety requirement. However, we recognize that in certain cases, a home without a traditional fence may still provide a safe, loving environment — and we evaluate those situations on a case-by-case basis.

Physical Fence: A physical fence must be at least 4 feet high and fully enclose the yard to prevent escape. This is the standard requirement for most of our dogs, especially those evaluated as flight risks ( bolters) or who are unfamiliar with new surroundings.

Invisible Fence (GRIN-Approved Only): In some cases, GRIN allows invisible fence systems that have static boundaries that cannot be moved or modified.

These must meet all the following conditions: 

• Must be a GRIN-approved brand: Invisible Fence, PetSafe, Pittsburgh Pet Fence, or Doglok.
• Wireless invisible fences, such as Halo and RadioFence, are not approved due to safety concerns.
• A professional training package must be purchased and completed to ensure the dog is safely and effectively trained on the system.

When a Fence MIGHT Not Be Required: We may waive the fence requirement in rare cases — but only if all the following apply:

• The dog has been assessed by our team as low flight risk (not skittish, fearful, or a door-bolter).
• The adopter has a proven plan for safe containment, exercise, and supervision.
• The adopter has experience with the breed (or similar dogs) and successfully managed dogs without a fence.
• The home environment (urban, suburban, or rural) is deemed safe and appropriate for the specific dog.

Important Note: Most GRIN dogs do require a physical fence, and homes without one will only be approved in exceptional cases. GRIN makes all final decisions based on the individual dog’s needs and safety.

9. Please CLICK HERE to visit our Frequently Asked Questions section of our website for more detailed questions about our application and adoption process.

The application process consists of multiple steps, please read through those steps in the section below. The process requires the time of a number of volunteers. If you are unsure about adopting or do not meet the needs as outlined above, at this time we ask that you refrain from completing an application.

If you meet our requirements, live in our service area and are interested in fostering or adoption you can  CLICK HERE to access the online adoption application.  Please note the application process is the same for potential adopters or fosters.

Step 1: Complete the Online Application

Step 2: Vet Check/Phone interview

After submitting your application GRIN will contact your veterinarian to ensure your pet is current on vaccinations, heartworm testing and heartworm prevention. Please be sure to contact your vet to give them permission to speak with our volunteer. After an acceptable vet check, you will be contacted for a phone interview.

Step 3: Home Visit

The next step in the approval process is a home visit. All family members must be present during the home visit – No Exceptions. If all family members are not present during the home visit, your application may not be approved. We are an all-volunteer organization and will work with you to accommodate your schedule. The home visit allows for a volunteer from GRIN to see firsthand the environment your home presents for a dog. The volunteer will want to see where the dog will sleep, eat, and be kept when you are away from home. The volunteer will also inspect the fence around your home to ensure it is appropriate for containing a dog. After the home visit, the volunteer will provide a detailed report of the visit to the applications coordinator. At this time, your application will either be approved or denied.

Step 4: Making the Match

Once your adoption application is approved, you will be notified when a suitable dog becomes available for your family. The timeline may vary from a day to several weeks or months, depending on the number of dogs received and the ability to match applicants with appropriate dogs. The matching process considers both the dog's needs and the requirements stated by applicants. Information from your application, the home visit, and the foster home's evaluation are used to ensure the most appropriate placement.

Step 5: Meet & Greet

One of the most important steps in this process is the “meet & greet” with your potential new family member. When we believe we have a good match you will receive a call from a member of the adoption team who will give you a brief description of the dog.  If you are interested, we will ask the foster family to call you to share their observations and information about the dog’s habits and temperament. This is also your opportunity to ask specific questions about the dog. You and the foster family, together, determine if you should proceed to the next step – a “meet & greet”. The “meet & greet” takes place at the foster’s home since this is where the dog is most comfortable. Please note you may have to travel to meet the dog as GRIN foster homes are scattered across the GRIN service area (map to the right). Every member of the household, including your dog(s) and children, must be present at the “meet & greet.”  

Step 6: Decision Time!

Adopting a golden is an important decision and can be very emotional, so we want you and your family to think carefully to ensure it is suitable for you and the dog. During the evaluation process, the foster family will communicate with the Adoption Coordinator to share their observations. If all parties agree the “meet & greet” was satisfactory, the adoption details will be finalized.

Step 7: Adoption Day!

Be ready to review and sign the adoption contract, and pay the fee by check, Venmo, PayPal, or credit card. You'll get medical info, transfer details for records to your vet, microchip info, and take-home instructions from the foster home.

Step 8: Follow-Up

At GRIN, our support continues after adoption. We'll check in periodically and encourage you to reach out with any questions. We know bringing a new family member home can be challenging, and we're here to help. Thank you for supporting our rescue!

GRIN Adoption Fees (Effective January 2025)  

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