ADOPT

If you think you would like to adopt a dog from IRR or you have a particular interest in a dog that is available, please complete an Adoption Application Form. Once we receive your application form you will be sent an automated acknowledgement. 

Please give as much information as you can in terms of the kind of dog you think will be happiest in your family.

Details of dogs that are currently available, and photos of dogs who are being assessed and those who will be travelling soon are available to view on our website homepage or on our Facebook IRR dogs for adoption page.

We are NOT able to provide any information on ‘dogs travelling soon’ as they will not have been assessed. 

Due to time constraints as we are all volunteers, we cannot answer questions regarding specific dogs until they are listed as available.

We do NOT operate a ‘first come first served’ system – we are committed to finding the best home for each dog. 

We will contact you to discuss a dog’s suitability to your circumstances.
For example:
• Do you have children in your family or have any who visit regularly?
• Do you have animals already and require a dog who will be happy to live alongside them
• Would you prefer a younger/older dog?
• Would you be happy adopting a dog who has medical issues?

We do NOT operate a ‘first come first served’ system – we are committed to finding the best home for each dog, taking into account theirs and your unique needs.

Once we have discussed suitability with you we will arrange for a Home Check to be carried out but as we rely on volunteers using their own time and fuel so a Home Check will only be arranged for potential matches.

A Home Check will ALWAYS be carried out prior to adoption.

A Home check will ALWAYS be carried out prior to adoption but depending on the availability of our network of volunteers it may take longer at certain times or in certain areas.

The home check volunteer will contact you to arrange a mutually convenient time to visit. 

They will need to meet everyone in your household in order to complete their evaluation. They will be keen to see where the dog will sleep, and if the environment is safe and secure and conducive to a dog’s happiness. 

They will also ask a variety of questions. For example:
• How long a dog is likely to be on its own during the day.
• How you would deal with different situations which may arise.

These questions are not intended to ‘catch you out’ but to allow us to place dogs in the best family for theirs and your needs. 

Once we have matched you with a dog we will put you in touch with the foster family, and you can arrange to meet the dog and hopefully adopt him/her. We ask you do this relatively quickly to give our fosterers some free time before fostering another dog for us.

You will be asked to complete and sign an Adoption Form and offered the opportunity to complete a Gift Aid Form if you are a UK taxpayer. This allows IRR to claim another 25% on your donation at no cost to yourselves.

We also ask for a minimum donation of £400, payable either before you take the dog home or prior to arrival if you have visited the dog before and know you will be adopting him/her.

This donation helps defray some of the expenses associated with rescuing (such as transportation, microchipping, spaying/neutering and any other veterinary costs). 

If you are adopting a dog with ongoing medical needs which IRR have agreed to cover you will also be required to sign a Medical Declaration in duplicate. You will retain a copy and we hold one on our files. This allows IRR and yourself to have a record of what has been agreed. Only conditions specified in your Adoption Agreement/Medical Declaration will be covered for life. All other medical or behavioural costs are the responsibility of the adopter.

All forms plus the donation (if not already paid) should be given to the fosterer. 

When you complete the Adoption Form, it will ask if you would like to take advantage of 5 weeks free pet insurance with Agria Insurance and also receive a free dog tag with your details. Please complete if you would like to implement these.

Once forms and the donation have been received by IRR we will register the appropriate details as requested and Agria will contact you directly. The tag should arrive within a couple of weeks.

We will also register your details against the microchip and you will receive confirmation, by email and post, from the microchip company within a couple of weeks. 

We love to receive updates from our dogs on their new lives and you can request to join our very friendly Facebook page IRR Pictures & Chat. Here we discuss all things Golden, support each other and have updates on what is happening within IRR including fundraising. 

Hopefully this will explain the process of adoption to you but if you have any questions please contact us on .