Adopt an English Setter

Before you apply

Adopting is a very serious commitment that involves a lot of time, energy, patience and love. There is also a financial commitment to bringing a dog into your life and providing proper nutrition, animal care services such as grooming, day care, and veterinary care. Please consider this before applying.

Prerequisites

We require that our dogs have a safe and effective form of a containment system in place in their new home. This can be a physical fence or an invisible fence. Dogs can go to homes without a fence, but only if adequate exercise plans and safety precautions are in place. Please note that each dog is different, and requirements can vary from dog to dog. We will do our best to disclose this information in their bio.

We mandate any canines currently in an applicant’s home have proof of a heartworm test being done in the last 12 months and proof of heartworm preventative being given.

Adoption fees

Puppy under 1 year: $475.00
Dog ages 1 – 5 years: $400.00
Dog ages 6 – 9 years: $300.00
Senior 10 and over: $200.00
Bonded Pairs*: See Note 1
Special Needs Dogs**: See Note 2

Health Certificate(s): $50 required for transport.

*Note 1: For bonded pairs, the Board of Directors will determine the appropriate adoption fee based on age and medical condition of both dogs.


**Note 2: Dogs with medical conditions on a sliding scale to be decided by the Board of Directors. 

Transport

We will do our best to set up a volunteer transport of your adopted/foster dog up to 1000 miles from their current location. If you wish to transport your dog by commercial flight, you will be responsible for making the reservation and payment for the flight.

We attempt to transport our dogs as quickly as possible. It should not take more than 2 weeks for us to see that your dog arrives safe and sound.

We do require the FULL adoption fees be paid and signed contracts to be submitted before transport or transfer of a dog. We do not accept payments at transport.

Tips to Expedite your Application:

  1. Please be sure to answer all questions in detail, and do not leave any questions unanswered.

  2. Contact your Veterinarian and Personal References in advance letting them know we will be contacting them, and requesting information about you and your pet.
    *We do not accept family members as a personal reference

  3. Please double check phone numbers and email addresses for accuracy. We will ask for missing information via email only once and start the process of reviewing only after all information is received.

  4. We mandate any canines currently in an applicant’s home have proof of a heartworm test being done in the last 12 months, and proof of heartworm preventative being given. Please make sure your pets are up to date on wellness checks and preventatives for Heartworm, Fleas, and Ticks.

  5. Please keep in mind that the people screening your application all have families, careers, and their own dogs, making their lives very full. Sometimes, the screening process can take a little time, and we appreciate your patience with this.

Adoption Process

FILL OUT APPLICATION
We have a rigorous adoption process to ensure these dogs are well cared for. Please ensure you have read all the steps before continuing.

CLICK BELOW TO BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION!

STEP 1

STEP 2

PHONE SCREENING
After your application is received and screened for completion, a team member will contact your personal and veterinary references. A short phone interview will follow. This will be documented and submitted to the board for review.

STEP 3

HOME VISIT
Upon approval, a virtual home visit will be scheduled by a Home Visit Volunteer at a mutually beneficial time for the applicant and home visit volunteer. The volunteer will then submit a report to the board.

STEP 4

BOARD REVIEW
The OESR Board reviews this information and approves or denies the applicant. Once approved, an applicant can have direct contact with a foster home to seek detailed information about a specific dog in the program.

STEP 5

TRANSPORT
We attempt to transport our dogs as quickly as possible. It should not take more than 2 weeks for us to see that your dog arrives safe and sound. FULL adoption fees must be paid and signed contracts submitted before transport or transfer of a dog. OESR will assist in transporting an adopted dog up to 1000 miles from their current location.

FAQ

  • The Adoption Process can take up to 4 weeks to complete, although we do strive to process the applications as quickly as possible.

  • A volunteer will conduct a virtual home visit at a mutually convenient time to confirm that information you have provided about your home is correct. This is not a white glove test! This is only to ensure that one of our dogs will live in a safe and happy environment. We do request that everyone living in the home is present at the home visit.

  • Applicants who have been approved by other breed rescues within the last 12 months should inform OESR of such at the time of submitting their application. While some screening steps can be transferable, we reserve the right to perform our own screening protocol for adoption approval.

  • Former OESR adopters seeking to adopt again do not have to go through the screening process if they have adopted a dog in the past five years, and they have not changed their physical address.

    OESR retains the right to contact your current veterinarian to verify the status of vet care and preventatives for any current pets.

  • As soon as possible after the home visit report is submitted for board approval. This usually takes no more than 3 business days after the report has been submitted.

    PLEASE NOTE: OESR reserves the right to cease the screening process and decline an application at any time if we feel the applicant has falsified any information on an application.

    Sometimes, applicants are approved, but the dog is not the right fit for their life. In this scenario, we invite the approved adopter to consider another dog in our program or wait for one to become available that interests them.