Welcome to Pups 2 Luv - Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much does it cost to adopt a dog?

The adoption fee for puppies under six months is $125.00 plus $125.00 for the spay or neuter deposit. This deposit is refunded upon certification by a vet that the puppy has been spay/neutered. (This price will cover the reduced S/N from one of our three participating veterinarians).

The adoption fee for an older puppy or adult dog - $250.00 - one that is already spayed/neutered.

Where do rescue dogs come from?

We get frequent calls to take in litters of puppies, some with/some without the mother dog, and we have bottle-raised many puppies found on the road, in the woods or when the mother dog was unable or unwilling to raise them.

Why should I adopt from a rescue? Why not just get a puppy from a pet store?

Please don't buy from a pet store, and be very wary of websites and newspaper ads. Above all, don't ever buy a dog if you can't physically visit every area of the home or breeding facility where the dogs are kept. Puppy mills will continue to operate until people stop buying their dogs. Read more here

How long does the adoption process take?

Normally less than one week. Possibly more if we need to coordinate our calendars with the home visit.

Can I adopt a dog for a Christmas or birthday gift?

It is generally not a good idea to adopt a dog as a present. We encourage everyone in the household to come visit the puppies/dogs that we have available. Every dog has his/her own personality, and we would like ALL members of the family to meet the new pet prior to the home visit. It is very important to match the temperament, disposition, and activity level of each dog to your ENTIRE FAMILY and your lifestyle.

The holidays are also usually a very hectic time- travel, relatives, etc. The time to introduce a dog to his new home is when his surroundings are calmer than holidays can be.

January, right after the holidays, is always, sadly, a busy time at animal shelters. Dogs that were adopted/purchased in haste as gifts are returned a month or two later.

Most reputable adoption groups do NOT adopt puppies, and sometimes even adult dogs, between mid-December through the Christmas holidays. This avoids them going home during these normally stressful and extremely busy family times. It is a much better idea to wait until after the holiday season has passed, kids are back in school, and routines are back to normal before bringing a new four-legged family member into the household.

What should I do to prepare for my new adopted dogs' arrival?

It is best to have everything pretty much ready before you bring your dog home - Crate, toys, dishes, food. The household should be calm and quiet as possible for a few days after bringing the dog home. Let him get comfortable with his surroundings before bringing over the neighbors, friends, and extended family. Let him get used to who his new "pack" will be. A good schedule and routine should be established right away for feeding, potty breaks, naps (time for a puppy to have time in his crate to sleep without people playing with him), bedtime, etc.

What breed dog is right for our family?

Deciding on a breed of dog is at least as important as deciding on the right wardrobe for business, the right car, the right school for the kids. A dog is a part of the family for a dozen or more years; the commitment to feed, shelter, and nurture a family friend for that amount of time should be based on rigorous analysis of an appropriate breed for the family circumstances. Many dogs in rescues and shelters are mixed-breeds. They may have the personality of more than one breed. Mixed breed dogs often do not have the health problems associated with pure breed animals.

What if my dog is not a good match for our family ?

Here at Pups 2 Luv, we devote a lot of time to get to know each of the dogs we have in our rescue. Each dog has his own distinct personality. When we place our dogs and make home visits, we are simply wanting to find the best possible match between the dogs and potential owners. In this way, we reduce the chances of having to re-adopt the pet when it is not a good match.

We will take a dog back if the match does not work out. Please call us and let us know if you are having problems with your dog PRIOR to returning him. Sometimes behavioral problems can be fixed quickly before they become so large that you would need to return him. We must know if there were any aggression problems in your dog if you return it to us.

Why adopt from an Animal Shelter or Rescue Group?

A more economical alternative. Rescued animals are a bargain. Pet stores will charge you hundreds of dollars for (perhaps) a purebred animal whose history is unknown. Animals in shelters are evaluated for health and behavior problems, and are given all their shots, wormed, and in most cases, spayed or neutered. The adoption fee varies from $35 to $200 and almost always includes all medical treatment (vaccines, spay/neuter, etc.). Additionally, animals kept in "foster homes" (temporary homes while a permanent home is sought) are often given additional training and the foster parent can tell you all about the animal's character, preferences, and other very useful information.

Save a life. Every year between 4 and 8 million animals are euthanized in animal shelters across the United States. Many of these animals are strays; but an astounding number are animals given up or abandoned by people who no longer want them. You can save one of these lives, and give love to an animal who has been sadly neglected. The rewards of helping an animal in need are enormous.

Support a community service. Local animal shelters deserve your support. They operate on low budgets, working tirelessly to take in and help animals who are abandoned, neglected, and even abused. They provide many educational and health services to the public, often at low or no cost. Such groups are dedicated to the furthering of humane treatment of animals, but they do need the support of the public. Please adopt your next pet!

Stop Puppy Mills From the Humane Society of the United States:

If you want a dog in your life, please don't buy a puppy mill puppy. Pet store clerks and other sellers will never admit their dogs come from puppy mills. How do you separate fact from fiction? The facts:

Pet stores cater to impulsive buyers and consumers seeking convenient transactions.These stores don't interview prospective buyers to ensure responsible, lifelong homes for the pets they sell, and the stores may be staffed by employees with limited knowledge about pets and pet care.
A "USDA-inspected" breeder does not mean a "good" breeder. Be wary of claims by pet store staff that they sell animals only from breeders who are "USDA-inspected." The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) enforces the federal law called the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which regulates commercial breeding operations. But the act doesn't require all commercial breeders to be licensed, and the USDA establishes only minimum-care standards in enforcing this law. Breeders are required to provide food, water, and shelter—but not love, socialization, or freedom from confining cages. Many USDA-licensed and inspected puppy mills operate under squalid conditions with known violations of the AWA.
Many disreputable "breeders" sell their dogs directly to the public over the Internet and through newspaper ads. They often sell several breeds of dogs, but may advertise each breed in a separate place and not in one large advertisement or website. These breeders are not required to be inspected by any federal agency and, in many states, are not inspected at all.
Reputable breeders care where their puppies go and interview hopeful adopters. They don't ever sell through pet stores or to families they haven't thoroughly checked out.
Purebred "papers" do not guarantee the quality of the breeder or the dog. Even the American Kennel Club (AKC) readily admits that it "cannot guarantee the quality or health of dogs in its registry."
Puppy mill puppies often have medical problems. These problems can lead to veterinary bills in the thousands of dollars. But pet retailers count on the bond between families and their new puppies being so strong that the puppies won't be returned. And guarantees are often so difficult to comply with that they are virtually useless. In addition, poor breeding and socialization practices at many puppy mills can lead to behavioral problems throughout the puppies' lives.

Pups 2 Luv
PO Box 55
Springfield, VA 22150-0055
(703) 644-1292

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