Lets Get Those Fosters Adopted

When I receive multiple applications for my foster pet what do I do?

We go by a first come first serve basis regarding adoption. What that means is whoever is able to meet the pet first can get the first choice to adopt. In the past we used to go based on the order of the applications coming in. But what we found would happen is the first person could not meet for a week, they would meet the pet and decide against adopting, the foster parent would reach out to the other apps but they had already adopted elsewhere since it had been a week since they first applied. Therefore we now go based on whoever is able to have a meet and greet first. A good tip is to email all the adopters at once but put their email addresses in the bcc line of the email. ( Not sure what bcc is? Check out this link that goes in depth about it). Always be sure to inform the potential adopters of this policy. It is stated on our website but at times they can miss that.

When my foster pet gets adopted what do I give to the adopters?

Things to send with the adopter

• Purina One pet food

• "transition" items for the pet (favorite toy, blanket, etc)

• The collar if the adopter does not have one.

Items that should NOT go with the pet for adoption trial

(if these items are lent, you are responsible for making arrangements to retrieve them):

• GPG crate

• Freedom harnesses

Feel free to recommend products you have found helpful with your foster pet, especially for first-time pet owners.

If the pet is waiting to be spayed/neutered, should the adopter fill out the application and pay ahead of time? Or wait til day of surgery?

They are ok to fill out the contract ahead of time as long as the pet has already been microchipped. All pets should be microchipped prior to spay/neuter with the exception of some young puppies and kittens.

What does the positive adoption promotion only policy mean?

At GPG we have a "No Negative Bio Policy". What that means is during our marketing of our adoptable pets, we do not include any negative traits about the animal (ex: dog aggressive, not potty trained, and so forth). Anything that is potentially negative about the animal is to be discussed during the adoption process. If an applicant applies for a pet and they don't fit their lifestyle because of the pet's negative traits (the applicant has dogs and the foster dog can not live with other dogs) then we matchmake them. Here is a great article about why we handle our marketing in this manor. https://animalfarmfoundation.org/2016/02/18/marketing-not-adoption-counseling/ and a webinar on the topic as well https://www.maddiesfund.org/shelter-pet-marketing-is-not-adoption-counseling.htm

How do I get my foster pet dog/cat/kid tested for an applicant?

In general, we try to dog test our dogs prior to leaving the shelter but at times they could have been missed. If you want to have them dog tested please email placement@gatewaypets.org.

We do not have the ability to always cat test our foster pets as it is too stressful for shelter cats to go thru dog testing. We recommend referring the Cat Introductions page on how to do cat introductions so the adopter can do on their own. Remember we have the 7 day guarantee so if the dog/cat does not get along with their cat they can bring them back for a full refund.

We are unable to kid test at our shelter because we do not have access to children for testing but we do have a page on Kid Introductions.

I don’t like my foster pet’s applicant can I deny their application?

If you do not think the adopter is a good fit for your foster pet, you should never flat out deny an adopter. If there is a clear reason you don’t think it’s the best match, you can explain to the adopter that another pet would be a better fit and ask if they’d rather be matched with another pet. If you have any concerns about the applicant or the fit, please email foster@gatewaypets.org and just let the adopter know that you need to check with the adoption team and someone will be in touch.

What if applicants don’t call/text/email me back?

If an applicant doesn't respond to one form of communication we recommend reaching out via another way they have provided. If they do not respond to calls/texts/emails you can leave it at that as they may have changed their mind or found another pet, which happens often.

What do I do if I received an application but decide I want to adopt them (change to my foster pet)?

If you decide you would like to adopt your foster pet, please let us know as soon as possible by putting in an adoption application. If they have any current applications you will need to give them a chance at adopting first as it can cause hurt feelings and poor publicity for Gateway Pet Guardians when adopters are passed over.

If you have no current applications or the applicants have passed, then email adoptioncontracts@gatewaypets.org Your adoption will be complete once you sign the adoption agreement and pay the adoption fee. At this point in time, your foster pet will now be your responsibility for veterinary care (with the exception of any pre-exisitng conditions still being treated such as heartworm treatment).

How long do I give an applicant to respond before going to the next one? How long can they think about it after the meet and greet before I move on?

We go by a "first come first serve basis" on adoption. This means whichever applicant is able to meet and adopt the soonest gets priority. So if you have an adoption meet and the applicant wants to think about it let them know that if you have another meet with an adopter before they decide then they may miss out adopting the animal.