1. Complete the AEBS online adoption application at http://www.allearsbassetsanctuary.org/about-adoption/adoption-application.html
2. Speak with an All Ears representative to discuss your completed application and assess which dogs might be most appropriate for your home and lifestyle.  An AEBS representative will contact you following the receipt of your completed application.
3. Have a home visit completed by an All Ears representative.
4. Schedule an appointment to meet your dog(s) of interest.
5. Begin a life-long love affair with your new best friend!

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding adoption from All Ears:

Why do I have to complete an adoption application?
The application allows us to learn a little about you, your family and home, the adoptive dog's potential living conditions, your pet ownership experience and any preferences you have regarding your new pet. After we have received your application, an adoption coordinator will contact you to discuss your completed application. The adoption coordinator may also make suggestions as to a dog or dogs they think may best fit your circumstances and desires. The adoption coordinator will then make an appointment to complete your home visit.

Why do I have to have a home visit?
The home visit allows us to verify appropriate living conditions for your potential new pet and ensure that both your yard and home are secure.  Basset Hounds are scent hounds and therefore, escape from their home or yard will most likely lead to an indiscriminate path from which your new pet will most likely not be able to find his/her way back.  Since a large percentage of the dogs we rescue were originally strays that were most likely lost from their previous homes, we do our very best to be diligent in adopting dogs out to homes hat have a secure yard and understand the special needs of securing a hound in an effort to prevent the dog from escaping and becoming lost.

If I live in an apartment, town-home or condominium will you still adopt to me? And do I still need a home visit?
Yes and yes!  We will absolutely consider adopting to people who live in attached housing.  However, we will verify and landlord or deed restrictions prior to doing so and also work closely with you to determine which of our dogs might be most appropriate for living in close proximity to your neighbor.  If a dog is a known barker, high-energy and/or will be left alone for extended periods of time, we will suggest a dog that is amenable to your lifestyle.  We often have dogs that adapt to closer-quarter living quite well as long as the new owner is diligent about providing appropriate exercise and interaction.  Home visits are completed regardless of whether or not a potential adopter has a yard or not as we assess the overall appropriateness of the home environment.

I've completed the application and had a home visit. Now what?
Now comes the fun part! It's time for you to meet your new best friend!  Because most of our dogs live with various foster families and are not in one place, we will make appropriate appointment(s) or if applicable, you can meet several of our dogs at one time at a pre-scheduled adoption event.  We participate in various adoption events on a monthly basis. Dates, times and locations of the adoption events can be found at:  http://www.allearsbassetsanctuary.org/calendar/month.calendar/2011/12/13/-.html. If there are certain dogs you've seen on our website that you are interested in meeting, please notify us prior to attending an adoption event so we can do our best to make sure they are in attendance.

How do I know which dog to pick?
We make our best effort to offer a complete and detailed description of our dogs on our website and Petfinder.com listings.  Further, we discuss your needs and desires during our interview process.  If a dog is brand new to the sanctuary and we don't know much about him/her, we can give you a general idea of temperament, but there may be more subtle characteristics that haven't been discovered just yet.  In any event, we are happy to let you talk to the dog's foster family as they can typically tell you much more than we can put into a short biography.  We feel the best way to help you in picking the right dog is to be thorough in your application.  We ask that you work openly with the adoption coordinator as they are skilled at making recommendations based on their experience and knowledge of each dog.

What if I picked out a dog before I've completed an application or had the home visit?
Of course, you are welcome to pick out a dog before you've completed an application and had a home visit.  However, pets will not be placed into a new home until all preliminary steps have been completed.  The adoption coordinator will also make recommendations about whether a particular dog is a good fit for your unique situation and may have suggestions for other animals that may more closely suit your particular home or lifestyle.  It is our suggestion that you consider more than when dog when looking through our list of adoptable dogs.

I already have a dog. How can I make sure that he/she will get along with the one I want to adopt?
If you're coming to an adoption event, please bring your dog if at all possible.  This is a neutral place where we can see how they will react to each other. Additionally, there are some techniques that our adoption coordinators are versed with using when bringing a new dog into your home.  While our volunteers are not dog trainers, they do have experience in making introductions and we also have trainers with whom we partner as needed.  If you have a more complex situation, please let us know so that we can make every effort to ensure the safety of all involved!

I've picked out a dog and completed all the other steps. What now?
Once you take your dog home, you can do one of two things. You can adopt your dog outright (please refer to adoption fees below). We will have you complete and sign an adoption contract. We will also provide you with the dog's medical records and other pertinent information, either at the time of adoption, by mail, or they can be faxed to you or your vet. Another option is what we call foster-to-adopt. This allows you to keep the dog for up to 3 weeks to see if it's the right fit for your home and family. If you would like to try this option, you will complete and sign a foster agreement. At the end of the foster period (or any time before) you can contact us to let us know if you would like to adopt the dog. At that point, we'll mail you the adoption contract and medical records.
If during that time you feel the dog is not a good fit, we will make arrangements to get the dog from you. At that point, you can either meet other dogs, or we will keep your information on file in case you decide to try again in the future.
Please note that we do not do foster-to-adopt arrangements with puppies 6 months and younger, or with adoptions outside of New Mexico.

What does your Adoption Agreement say?
The adoption contract includes the following:

• Adopter will provide adequate food, fresh water, shelter, exercise, veterinary care, and yearly inoculations as recommended by attending veterinarian, and license of said dog in accordance with state and local laws. In addition, the adopter will provide proper sanitation, grooming and any special training for special needs of the dog.
  
• Adopter will not permit the dog to run free or off leash or out of immediate control. When outside, the dog will NEVER be staked or chained, and there will be no dangerous toxins that could be found by the dog (e.g. antifreeze).
• Adopter agrees to notify the dog's microchip provider, AEBS, their vet and local shelters immediately if the dog becomes lost.
  
• Adopter agrees to notify AEBS of phone, address, or any other contact information to allow AEBS to keep microchip data current.
  
• Adopter agrees to return the dog to AEBS if for ANY reason they cannot keep the dog. Adopter will return the dog at their expense. At such time, adopter may be asked to foster the dog up to 30 days to allow AEBS to find a foster or new adoptive home.
  
• Failure to observe any provision of the adoption contract will void the contract and AEBS may reclaim the animal and adopter will forfeit the adoption fee. If the adopter breaks the contract, AEBS may take legal measures to repossess the animal and to recover any cost incurred including but not limited to - attorney fees, court costs and bills for veterinary services.

All dogs are neutered/spayed, current on vaccinations, microchipped, and tested for heartworm before being placed into a new adoptive home. The adopter is expected to update the dog's vaccinations annually, or as their vet recommends, and keep them on monthly heart worm preventive, also per their veterinarian's recommendation.

What else do I need to know?
We do not place dogs until they have been spayed or neutered. If you have picked out a dog that still requires this procedure, we will arrange to have it done with our vet. We will then contact you to deliver the dog a few days after surgery. A follow-up exam is not required, unless there are unusual circumstances.

Please remember that AEBS is run by volunteers who also have jobs and personal lives…so, if we take a few days to get back to you it is only because we are busy, NOT because you aren't important to us! As it is possible for things to sometimes, “fall through the cracks,” don’t be afraid to email us if you have not received a response in 72 hours to remind us!

Thank you for your interest in adopting a dog from All Ears Basset Sanctuary, and in rescuing one of the millions of dogs in need of a loving home.

"Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever."