Adoption Process

1. If you have not owned a GSP before, please read the article "Is a GSP Right for You?" to gain a better understanding of the GSP breed and the type of environment in which it thrives.
   
2. Complete our adoption questionnaire.  Please provide as much information as you can about your family, other pets, activity level, and why you are wanting to adopt a rescue GSP. Because almost all of our dogs come to us with unknown pasts, we don't adopt to families with children under 6.
3. A note about hunting: Because we know nothing about the background of the majority of the dogs we rescue, we cannot guarantee the hunting ability of any dog. We do not have the volunteer resources to hunt test dogs. Any dog you adopt from us should be a family companion first, and if the dog is inclined to hunt that will be a wonderful bonus.
   
4. You will be called or emailed shortly after your application is received, usually within 3-5 days, to further discuss your application and what you are looking for in a GSP companion.  We will also determine whether we currently have any GSPs that we feel might fit in your family situation.
   
5. If a GSP is identified as a potential match, we will have you contact the foster home to arrange a visit with the dog(s).  The rescue dog will need to meet all members of the family, including other pets, at some point during the process.
   
6. If after meeting the dog, everyone agrees he/she is a good fit for your family, we will schedule a home visit.  The home visit will either be done by one of our volunteers or another affiliated rescue group.  Home visits are required before any dog leaves our rescue program.
   
7. Once the home visit is completed and you are approved, we will ask you to complete an adoption agreement.  If you do not agree to the stipulations in the agreement, we cannot adopt a dog to you.  Please note that we reserve the right to deny anyone the ability to adopt any dog from our rescue program for any reason.  All adoptions are at our sole discretion.
   
8. Adoption donation (these monies help to defray some of the medical and other costs we incur while the dog is in our care. All of our dogs are spayed/neutered, current on vaccinations, heartworm and fecal checked and microchipped. Occasionally, a dog requires special vet care while in our program. We will provide you with the dog's veterinary records so you will be fully informed of any known medical conditions.
   
   • Dogs under one year of age are $350.00 with a $50.00 refund upon completion of a basic positive-reinforcement training class from a trainer on our training list, or approved by us in advance.
   • Dogs one to five years old are $300.00 with a $50.00 refund upon completion of a positive-reinforcement training class from a trainer on our training list, or approved by us in advance.
   • Dogs over 5 years old are $225.00.
   • Seniors are $150 (those dogs that are designated as seniors on their posting).
9. Through a special program in conjunction with PetFoodExpress, you will receive a coupon for 20% off your first purchase when you adopt a rescue dog! All you need to do is present the coupon along with your adoption paperwork within 30 days of adoption. And, NorCal GSP Rescue will receive $10 when you redeem the coupon!
   Also check out Pet Food Express's My Mutt program, another way that Pet Food Express celebrates rescued animals and helps out rescue organizations.
   
10. Lastly, and most importantly, comes a lifetime of love and laughter with your new companion! We love to get periodic updates and photos of our rescues. They all have a special place in our hearts. If you would like to share a story and photos, please email us or "like" us on Facebook and post photos and stories there.