You’ve been to visit the dogs in their foster homes, and you’ve met “The One.” Here’s how we make it official:
On the day of adoption, the new owner signs a final adoption agreement and pays the adoption fee to the foster home No adoption is final until the paper work and fee are tendered, and no HSS dog will be left with the adopter until these requirements are taken care of. The contract will be forwarded to one of our coordinators who will countersign the agreement and sent a copy to the adopter, along with a copy of all medical records.
After adoption, we recommend the adoptive home take their new Sheltie to their vet to set up a file. We also recommend the Sheltie be tested for heartworm disease in 4-6 months. Even dogs who test negative when they come into the program can test positive a few months later as it takes 4-6 months for the microfilaria to become adults. To have a dog test negative when they have actually been exposed is extremely rare, but we want our homes to be aware and take those steps. After adoption, the new family is invited to our semi-annual reunion picnics (watch the web site for picnic announcements). HSS families become part of a supportive network of Sheltie lovers who look forward to seeing the dogs and sharing their stories; we also welcome new pictures of and updates about our Shelties.