New Beginnings

Things to know before you Apply

We primarily rescue Setters (mainly English Setters, but also Gordon Setters and Irish Setters) as well as other bird dog breeds, such as Brittanys, Pointers, and Spaniels. If you have never shared your home with one of these breeds before, we encourage you to learn more about the breed you are interested in prior to submitting your application. These breeds often have high energy levels, require substantial daily exercise, and can have a strong prey drive (they are often not off-leash dogs and will need a fenced area to exercise safely). 

 

Our dogs are expected to be adopted as companion animals that will live inside the home as part of a family. They are not intended to be adopted out for hunting, as many of them have ended up in rescue because they were not successful hunters.

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Requirements to Adopt

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Adopters must intend for a dog to live as a part of their family, as a companion pet, and have an understanding of the breed. If you have other dogs in the home or have owned dogs within the last 5 years, we also have health requirements that current/prior dogs must meet for you to be eligible to adopt. These health requirements are:

• Dogs must be up to date on all core vaccines including Rabies, Distemper, Parvo, and Hepatitis/Parainfluenza 

• Dogs must receive annual wellness checks 

• Dogs must be tested annually for Heartworm and maintained on heartworm prevention, unless living in an area where Heartworm is not present (Alaska, parts of Canada, etc.).  

• Dogs originating from countries where Leishmaniasis is endemic must be tested at least annually for 7 years (read more about Leishmaniasis here)

If age, underlying medical conditions or other circumstances prevent vaccination or use of heartworm prevention, we will request substantiation from your veterinarian as part of the application process.

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Requirements to Adopt

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1. Complete the application form on our website. Please complete the correct application form depending on your location.

2. Vet check: we will call your veterinarian to check records for all current dogs and prior dogs owned within the last 5 years

3. Phone screening: one of our volunteers will give you a call to discuss your application in detail and your preferences for the dog you are looking to adopt. 

4. Virtual home visit: we will ask you to complete our virtual home visit, which involves uploading photos/videos of various areas of your home where your dog will be spending substantial amounts of time (backyard, living room, dog’s sleeping area, etc).

 

Once the above steps of the application are completed, the New Beginnings Board will review the application and decide whether to approve your application for adoption.  Once your application is approved, you will receive a call from your “Buddy” who will work with you to match you with the perfect canine companion!