· Is (fill in name of animal here) housebroken?
Again, we've listed everything we know about the animal. If we were told he/she is housebroken, crate trained, paper trained, or anything like that, we'll make sure to include it in the description. If we don't know, we're not going to guess, as that wouldn't be fair to you!
· Is (fill in name of animal here) still available?
As long as the animal is listed on Petfinder with "Adoptable" on their page, they are still avaialable. We use Petfinder's system, and mark animals with "Adoption Pending" when we've invited someone to come meet an animal. Please don't email to ask if any animal is still available...if it says they are, they are! Our volunteers spend more time answering these questions than any other!
· Can I come meet (fill in name of animal here) before I do anything else?
Unfortunately, since we do not have a shelter facility, we cannot do any advance meetings. After you complete an application, we will take them (in the order received), and start calling your references. If you sound like a good candidate, we will set up a time for you to come and see if the animal adopts you. To be honest, if you need to see the dog first, and see if it fits with you, you really don't understand how rescue works! Our goal is to find the proper home for these (frequently) abused and ill-treated animals, not to find the perfect dog for you. Their life has been difficult enough without putting them in an incorrect home for the rest of their life. Thank you for your understanding, and your patience!
· I've completed an application, and hit "submit". What happens next?
We will review the application you just submitted just as soon as we can, and will get back to you if we feel you are the "best fit" with the rescue you are interested in. As it says above, we take applications in the order they are received, and work through them one-by-one. Please note: A completed application DOES NOT guarantee adoption.
· "I completed your application, and I haven't heard anything back from you. What is your problem?"
Yes, that IS an actual quote from an email we received. We are an all volunteer rescue organization, not a large corporation. We are doing the best we can. As such, we cannot always get back to everyone or reply to every application. We just don't have that many hours in our day, between feeding and caring for the animals, and more importantly, feeding and caring for our families! Some animals will recieve hundreds of applications, and we simply cannot reply to every one of them!
· "Do you adopt to (fill in name of your home state here)?"
A good home is a good home, no matter where it is. We don't have any rules about where these animals go...if you can come meet us here in northern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, you can adopt an animal. We do not ship animals, as it's important to have you meet the animal, and see how they react to you! For example, we had a miniature poodle that clearly did not like a family that he met, then literally jumped into the arms of the next family that came to meet him. It's obvious when a home is right for an animal.
· "Why do you charge an adoption fee?"
Adoption fees help offset he expenses we incur for every animal brought into the rescue. We do not receive any funding from any government or foundation, relying strictly on donations and adoption fees. Please note that the adoption donation requested for each animal is a minimum donation, and is not necessarily for any individual pet. It is used as an offset for the ongoing Veterinary care and expenses required to operate this entire rescue program (like paying for a boarding kennel to house some animals if needed). We have some animals that have been with us for over a year, and they must continue to be fed, housed and cared for. We appreciate your help in this very necessary task! Please Help Us Help Them!
· "How do we become a foster home?"
We're always looking for new foster families and individuals to open their homes for an animal while we're working to find it a forever home. To become a Plain & Fancy Foster Family, please complete our online foster application.
