These are some commonly asked questions regarding our adoption process, what we look for in a potential adopter, and so forth. We hope this helps to answer your questions.
There is a one-time $15 application fee, which is refunded if your application is not approved.
When you adopt, you will pay an adoption fee, which depends on the age of the dog you're adopting (view adoption fees).
Adoption fees can be paid via PayPal or check. Check is preferred to keep our administrative costs down.
Each puppy and dog that comes into our rescue receives a comprehensive medical evaluation and any necessary treatments, surgeries, or medications. All dogs receive necessary vaccinations, microchipping, blood tests for heartworm and tick-borne disease, and if not yet altered, spay/neuter procedures.
SOLR works with trusted and experienced veterinary partners, all of whom graciously reduce service costs to support our mission. However, the average cost of care for a SOLR dog is still about $700.
Your adoption fee covers only a portion of that cost. Donations from our supporters ensure that we are able to provide all of the needed care for each and every dog.
Once you’ve submitted your application, our Application Review Team will determine whether your application meets our initial requirements. There may be some unanswered questions or additional information that is needed, so always check your email, including your junk folder, for any emails from solr.appreview@gmail.com.
Once the team is satisfied with the application, it is assigned to our Home Visit Team. A home visit volunteer will then reach out to schedule your virtual or in-person home visit.
You can expect to hear from your assigned Home Visit Team member within two weeks after you submit your application. It probably feels like a long time to wait, but please remember that our Home Visit Team members are all volunteers who dedicate a portion of their week to helping create happy endings for our Labs.
SOLR only adopts to those who live in the state of Arizona, as we require a home check. While we may offer some home visits virtually, we prefer in-person home checks and typically will not finalize the adoption until the foster or a SOLR volunteer has visited the home.
This is often impossible to do with an out-of-state adopter. We assess seasonal residents on a case-by-case basis.
If you have a dog door, the minimum fence height required is 5 feet. If you do NOT have a dog door, the minimum fence height required is 4 feet. Short fences make it rather easy for athletic dogs like Labs to escape. It also allows wildlife such as coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions to enter the yard.
Additionally, if you are adopting a puppy:
If you have a dog door AND a pool, the pool must be fully fenced to ensure the puppy will not have unsupervised access to the pool.
We regularly adopt to families where all adults are working full-time out of the home. However, we do not adopt to homes where the dog will be alone for more than 10 hours a day.
Your dog should not be crated for more than five hours per day, which means you'll need a dog door, family member or friend, or a dog walker to stop by to ensure the dog has access to potty outside.
SOLR is always here to support our adopters and their Labs! The beginning may not always go as smoothly as we all want as each dog decompresses and adjusts differently.
You should always reach out to your foster, and between your foster and our team of knowledgeable volunteers, we will do our best to provide advice, assistance, and any resources that may help.
If the adoption just doesn't work out, you must contact SOLR so that we can bring the dog back into our organization.
Some dogs need a doggy sibling in order to thrive in their new, adoptive home. These are dogs that may have unhappy pasts that require another dog to help it build confidence or to feel safe.
When a foster requires a doggy sibling, it is because they feel it is the best chance at a successful adoption for their foster.
Puppies are adopted through a special program called PAWS. This allows us to let puppies as young as eight-weeks old go to their forever homes while still ensuring that they are fully vaccinated (including their rabies vaccine) and spayed/neutered.
We will not adopt a puppy into a home that has a dog door AND an unfenced pool due to a puppy's innate curiosity and tendency to get into trouble.
We will not adopt a puppy into a home where the puppy will be crated for extended periods of time, e.g. a three-month old puppy should only be crated three hours (excluding nighttime) per day. No dog should be crated for more than five hours per day.
All dogs in our care will be spayed or neutered before finalizing their adoption. This includes puppies who participate in our special, foster-to-adopt program (PAWS). Spaying and neutering can reduce some health and behavioral problems.
There is an overpopulation of dogs, including labs, and we want to be part of the solution of minimizing the number of dogs left in shelters, who are often euthanized due to space.
Heartworm is a parasite that is spread through the bite of a mosquito. Many dogs do not display any symptoms, especially in the early stages of the parasite entering their body. Untreated, heartworm can kill your dog, which is why prevention is so important. Preventing heartworm is as easy as giving your dog a tasty heartworm prevention tablet, prescribed by your veterinarian, at regular intervals. Annual heartworm tests should also be run when your Lab has his/her annual checkup.
SOLR gives every Lab in our care a heartworm test commonly known as a 4DX. If they are heartworm positive, SOLR will complete treatment. Heartworm treatment is very effective, but your dog will need to be kept calm and cannot have exercise for 1-2 months after the treatment.
In Arizona, there is no such thing as flea and tick season; it is a year-round endeavor. Fleas and ticks can transmit several different diseases to your dog. Fleas can even cause anemia. Prevention is the key to keeping your dog healthy. Monthly topical prevention is easy, and it is a low-cost way to keep your Lab free of discomfort and disease. There are also several oral options. Controlling fleas on your dog also makes it easier to avoid fleas within your home.
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