ADOPTION POLICIES

Pulled From the Pits certifies that all dogs that have been imported into the State of Maine will have been tested for heartworm, ehrlichia, Lyme, anaplasmosis and intestinal parasites. They will have received vaccines against the following: Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Infectious Tracheobronchitis, Canine Parvo Virus and Rabies. This may not apply to puppies that were not old enough at time of transport to be tested or given all shots. PFTP is not responsible for other diseases or issues that may arise after the quarantine period, as we have no way of foreseeing or controlling those situations.

If adopting a puppy, adopters should be aware that they may be responsible for completing series vaccinations or vaccinations that couldn’t be given before the time of adoption due to age.

In general we do not schedule meet and greets, period.  We may choose to waive this policy should there be known issues that need to be addressed before adoption.  This is at the discretion of the rescue.  However, please note, we do NOT do any meet and greets with dogs 6 months and younger. Puppies are very adaptable to most home situationswith proper decompression and training.    We do NOT allow meet and greets with other dogs, as 5 minutes in a driveway will not tell how animals will react after proper decompression practices are followed.

All animals are also treated topically for fleas and ticks, but please keep in mind that it can take up to three weeks to take care of any issues that may be present. In the case of puppies, we may not have been able to treat them due to age. We do our best to prevent the spread of fleas and ticks. Also in the case of puppies, most under the age of 6 months are likely to have parasites, despite being dewormed. It takes regular deworming to eliminate parasites, so the adopter should plan on getting a fecal test done shortly after adoption to see if there are lasting parasites. As for older dogs, they are required to have a fecal test before transport, but they may need another round of testing and de-wormer as well, depending on the life cycle of the eggs, as the test only detects active parasites, so it make take another dose to dispel them all.

The State of Maine requires that all animals being imported into the state be quarantined for the following periods before they can be formally adopted: Animals 6 months and older 48 hours, under 6 months must be quarantined for 5 days.

Once the quarantine period has passed, as long as there has been no sign of any issues, then the adoption can proceed. The final paperwork showing transfer of ownership will be sent to the adoptive family generally within two weeks after final adoption. In the case of puppies that need to be neutered or spayed, if the dog requires boosters or there is a time sensitive issue the paperwork will be sent to the adopters beforehand, otherwise it will be sent within two weeks after the procedure has been completed. The records are emailed directly to the address on file. Hard copies are only sent upon request. They are usually sent within two weeks but may take up to that amount of time.

SPAY/NEUTER POLICY-PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

Per State of Maine regulations, Animal Rescues and Shelters are REQUIRED to charge a refundable deposit of $200 (equal to the cost of having a dog altered at our veterinary clinic) to the adopting parties for animals that are adopted out before being spayed or neutered. This deposit must be paid before the animal is released to the adopter. The adopter will be notified of the day and time of the alteration surgery, and must get the animal to the vet designated by the rescue. Once the surgery has been completed, the spay/neuter deposit amount (minus any fees charged by the processing companies) will be refunded to the adopter the same way that it was paid within two weeks after the surgery.  This is NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Pulled From the Pits determines when the animals will be altered according to information provided by our veterinarian. If the adopter does not abide by this policy and does not bring the animal to GAC at the time set, we reserve the right to take possession of the animal with no return of funds paid, inclusive of the adoption deposit, adoption fees and the spay/neuter deposit.

Should it be necessary for the rescue to regain possession of the animal, the adopter will be liable for any expenses incurred by these actions, included but not limited to fuel costs, boarding fees, or any civil or legal fees that may be created by such actions. 

If they aren’t microchipped at the time of adoption, PFTP can provide that service as a courtesy. We do not pay for an animal to be microchipped anywhere else.

Please make sure BEFORE you apply, that you have read about and understand decompression protocols. Animals need adequate time to adjust to new living situations, and behaviors can change from day to day. The rescue does it's best to provide information needed about the animal, but it should be noted that all animals can behave differently in different situations, and all animals should be supervised around children and/or other animals until such time as they are known to be comfortable and accepting of those situations.

ADOPTION FEES: All Dogs and Puppies $550 each.

AA non-refundable deposit of $100 holds the dog you choose until such time as pickup can be arranged. Payment is due in full before the animal will be released to the adopter. Electronic payments must be made at least 24 hours before pick up, cash may be paid the same day. Please read below for details on payment policies, as depending on the situation, different policies may prevail.

For dogs that are located in state already, the balance of the adoption fee must be paid before pickup. Pick up is generally scheduled within 24 hours of commitment. The deposit will be applied to the total for the animal adopted.

For dogs that are located out of state, the balance of the adoption fee must be paid before pickup, however the adopter may wait until transport has been arranged. We try to have this done asap, but must coordinate with our transport companies, so this timing is out of our control. The deposit will be applied to the total for the animal adopted.

If the adopter decides not to proceed with the adoption, the deposit is non refundable. Depending on the situation, it may be applied to a different animal. (This is at the discretion of the rescue)

Once the animal has been paid for in full, if the adopter decides to return the animal within (7) calendar days, 75% of the full adoption fee will be returned to them, unless it is determined that either the decompression policy (outlined in the initial application and available on the website at any time) was not followed, or that the animal needs veterinary attention there will be NO refund of any kind given. After (7)seven days there will be no refunds given, no matter the circumstance. If the animal is returned in good condition, the adopter may be allowed to use the deposit toward another animal in the future, however this is at the discretion of the recue, depending upon circumstances. The return of the adoption fee may take up to two weeks to process. It will be returned in the same way in which it was paid. Furthermore, the adopter MUST contact the rescue to make arrangements to surrender their animal. (Do NOT drop off an animal unannounced please). The rescue must be given adequate time to find a place for the animal to be transferred to.

We STRONGLY urge potential adopters to refer to our decompression page, as well as numerous online resources. If the return occurs after 7 days, there will be no refunds issued. Pulled From the Pits retains the right to determine whether the adopter will be allowed to transfer funds to another animal. Should the adopter and the rescue feel that the animal needs more time to adjust, the 7-day policy may be extended. This is at the sole discretion of the rescue.

No animal will be released to anyone outside of our organization until all references have been checked and the applicants have been approved, and the full adoption fee has been received. We do not offer a payment plan. We accept PayPal, Venmo or cash. We do not accept checks. Other than cash, all payments must be made in full, and the final contract must be filled out and submitted before the animal will be released to the adopter.

We also do not allow sibling adoptions. In our experience this can cause “littermate syndrome”. There are many articles on the web that fully explain this occurrance. Though there may be ways to work around this, we don’t feel that it is a good way to start new puppies in their forever homes, and the failure rate is not acceptable.

Please note, even if an applicant has been approved, this does NOT guarantee adoption. Adoption will occur at the sole discretion of PFTP, and they reserve the right to deny an applicant at ANY time during the process before the placement is complete.

POLICIES REGARDING PICK UP OF THE ADOPTED ANIMAL

If the animal being adopted is located out of state, and is scheduled for transport, we will notify the adopter of the day and time for pick up. If an adopter is unable to pick up the animal on the day they are scheduled to, they need to contact the rescue to see if boarding is available. If boarding is available, a $30 a day boarding fee will be charged for each day the animal must be kept over.

If the animal being adopted is already located in state, pick up is generally scheduled within 24 hours of the adoption being finalized. Even if the adopter knows where the animal is located, the rescue will make the pick-up arrangements. If an adopter is unable to pick up the animal on the day they are scheduled to, they need to contact the rescue to see if boarding is available. If boarding is available, a $30 a day boarding fee will be charged for each day the animal must be kept over.

If the adopter is unwilling to pay the boarding fee, the animal will be made available for adoption by someone else, and the deposit fee will be forfeit for that animal. It is up to the discretion of Pulled From the Pits as to whether the adopter will be allowed to use the deposit for an alternate adoption. The deposit will not be refunded under any circumstances. We try our best to communicate clearly when animals will be available for pick-up, but we must work within the schedule of the transport companies and the quarantine periods. This is out of our control.

Please keep in mind these animals have already been through so much, the best thing for them is to just be able to go straight home!

If it is determined that the decompression policy ( available at all times on the website) was not followed, or that the animal needs veterinary attention there will be NO refund of any kind given. After (7) seven days there will be no refunds given no matter the circumstances.

Should there be an instance that the owner can no longer take care of the animal, it is agreed that the adopter will contact and consult with Pulled From the Pits before releasing the animal into the care of anyone else.  If the rescue is able to take back possession of the animal they will do so, though adopters need to be aware this may not be possible due to space limitations at the kennel or lack of an available foster home.  We will try to the best of our ability to assist in rehoming the animal. 

If the adopter has someone else willing to take the animal, the new potential adopters need to go through our application process first before the dog is released into anyone else’s care.

Should this policy not be followed, the rescue reserves the right to reacquire ownership of said animal though legal channels if necessary, with the original applicant being responsible for any and all such costs incurred.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE CONTACT THE RESCUE WITH ANY QUESTIONS.