RAIN- Rescue Animals in Need

+ Can I come and meet the pet before applying?

If the pet is at any of our adoption events, you are welcome to come by. Otherwise we do require an approved application to have one of our fosters or volunteers meet you with the pet.

+ What is the age to adopt?

RAIN requires that all adopters be 21 years of age or older with a government issued photo ID matching the name and address on the application. If you are under 21 you may still apply but will require a written and signed statement from a parent or guardian accepting responsibility for the pet if at any time you cannot care for it.

+ What are your adoption fees?

RAIN requires a non-refundable adoption fee to be paid with every pet adoption. Fees differ for each pet based on the medical care for each specific pet, as well as the care for all of the animals within the rescue. RAIN uses these fees to support the rescue and the animals we assist. RAIN also feels that adoption fees are important in preventing "impulse adoptions" as well as making sure that the adopter is financially prepared for the monthly, annual, and emergency costs a pet may incur. RAIN is not tax funded and relies solely on donations and adoption fees for support. So adoption fees are non-negotiable and may be higher than publicly run or tax funded shelters. Please email the rescue for fees on specific pets for adoption.

+ Is this First Come, First Serve?

No. While we process the applications as they are received, we are looking for the most suitable home for the pet in question as well as the best pet for the people applying. Just because you are not approved for one pet, does not mean you are denied. It just means that we have another home that we feel would be more suitable for that particular pet.

+ Do you require a fenced in yard to adopt your dogs?

No. However some dogs will do best with a fence and so consideration may be made in certain cases.

+ What if I do not own my home?

RAIN will adopt to renters or people who do not own their homes but require a letter sent from the homeowner, landlord, or property manager (signed, dated, with contact name/address/phone/email) that states that the adopter has permission to have the potential pet in the home along with any other pets currently owned. RAIN does not accept phone calls or unsigned letters/emails.

+ Can I adopt out of state?

Yes. However, the policies and procedures are the same. You will need to complete an application, questionnaire, and home check if required. Please note that you will need to complete the adoption contract IN PERSON. And RAIN policies do not allow any of our pets to be flown as cargo on airlines. You are responsible for making all arrangements for transport including Health Certificates or other documentation that may be needed beyond the contract and vet records provided.

+ Why don’t you allow declawing of your cats?

Declawing a cat is removing the first digit of the foot and is illegal or deemed cruel in some states and countries. It also can cause arthritis later in the cats life which may stop them from using the litterbox and may cause a cat to bite. There are a number of humane alternatives to declawing including; training to use scratching posts, regular nail trimming, nail caps such as Soft Paws or Soft Claws, and double-sided sticky tape such as Sticky Paws.

+ Why do I need to bring my pet to the vet within 14 days of adoption?

All RAIN pets are required to be set up and seen by your local vet of choice within 14 days to allow them to be established and in their system in case of issue. And while RAIN takes every precaution to ensure that our adoptable pets are healthy, pets can become injured or pick up parasites at any time and should be checked often if issues are noticed.

+ Policy- Crate Training for Dogs and Puppies.

RAIN feels that crate training is very important for a number of reasons. Crating provides a safe space for the pet that prevents them from damaging the home or getting into something that may injure them when not supervised. Making sure that your pet is comfortable in a crate is also important since they may need to be crated for vet care, boarding, or relocation/vacation/evacuation.

+ Policy- Children and Pets.

RAIN policies state that children may never be left unattended with a pet without adult supervision, at any time. Children cannot always read the signals that a pet shows when they need to be left alone. And children may inadvertently cause pain or injure a pet causing it to react in a negative manner. They may also allow the pet to get loose or ingest something inappropriate or dangerous.

+ Policy- Scheduled Spay or Neuter of Underage Pets Adopted from RAIN.

RAIN mandates that all pets adopted from the rescue are spayed or neutered. Sometimes RAIN will allow underage pets to be adopted prior to the spay/neuter appointment. However, a spay/neuter addendum is required to be completed and the pet must attend a prescheduled appointment with one of our local veterinarians. The appointment cannot be cancelled and may only be rescheduled for within 10 days of the original appointment if there is a schedule conflict. If the vet determines there is a medical reason to delay the appointment beyond those 10 days, RAIN must approve the delay and reschedule. Rescheduling for any other reason is NOT permitted. If an adopter wishes to have their personal veterinarian perform the procedure, they will need to have the procedure scheduled within 10 days of the date provided on the addedum and their vet will need to provide written confirmation of the appointment and written confirmation once the procedure is complete. No refund or discount on the adoption fee will be available if the adopter chooses to use their personal vet. We understand that people have different opinions on the time that is best to spay/neuter a pet, but RAIN is firm on their policies and will only delay the procedure for valid medical reasons approved by the rescue and our veterinarian partners. Failure to maintain the appointment or follow the contract guidelines will result in termination of the agreement and immediate return of the pet.

+ Policy- Other Pets in the Home.

RAIN policies state that all pets in the home should be current on vaccines (rabies, FVRCP or Distemper/Parvo/Bordetella), have been seen by a licensed veterinarian for an annual check or wellness exam with in the last year, should have a current HW test and be receiving monthly heartworm preventative (if applicable), and should be spayed or neutered.

+ Policy- Emotional Support Animals (ESA).

If you are looking to adopt and plan on adopting a RAIN pet to act as an ESA, you will need to provide RAIN the following items prior to adoption approval: Copy of your ESA medical letter (If a person needs an emotional support animal to help alleviate the symptoms of a disability, he or she must first make the request to his or her landlord. HUD states the following in its FHEO Notice: "Housing providers may ask individuals who have disabilities that are not readily apparent or known to the provider to submit reliable documentation of a disability and their disability-related need for an assistance animal." (FHEO Notice: FHEO-2013-01 at page 3). Most sources indicate that the request should be in writing and explain how the reasonable accommodation helps or mitigates symptoms of the disability. While the tenant or owner does not need to disclose the disability, he or she will need to provide documentation from a doctor or other health professional. A physician, psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health professional in good standing with their regulatory body can provide documentation that the animal provides emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified symptoms or effects of an existing disability, so long as they have provided in-person care or services. Such information is reliable if the practitioner or provider has personal knowledge of the person’s disability and is acting within the scope of his or her practice to provide the supporting information.) as well as a letter from your Landlord or Property Manager (or HOA/COA Board of Directors if needed), signed with their contact information, stating that you may have the RAIN pet in your home (address noted in the letter) as an ESA and also noting any other additional pets that may already be in the home. > Please note that as of this time there is no ESA registry for pets. Purchasing a vest, collar, or online certification is not valid and will not be accepted by RAIN. Per FL 760.27, some sort of certificate or other online registration obtained via the internet, by itself, is insufficient to establish that the person has a) a disability or b) a disability-related need for an ESA.

+ Policy- Prohibited Supplies and Transport.

RAIN does not permit the use of shock or electric collars, prong collars, or “choke chain” collars on our dogs. We also do not allow retractable leashes to be used with our dogs in public areas. A 6ft standard lead is permitted. Adoptable dogs must have a properly fitted collar and/or harness and standard leash to leave the adoption event with the adopter. Cats must be kept in a properly sized cat carrier. Small dogs may also be transported in a carrier. Note that if you are transporting more than one pet (you brought your other dogs to the adoption event) you must have the pets properly secured in the car or have separate cars so that there will not be any risk of an issue in the confined space immediately after adoption.

+ Policy- Being Kind.

Please understand that all of our work is done by volunteers and fosters. These are unpaid people that are giving up their time and money to assist animals in need of care and homes. So if you speak with them, please be kind. All of these people are unpaid, with jobs, pets, and families of their own. They have good days and bad days, and problems and wishes just like everyone else. So if you feel the need to insult or harass our people, shout or scream, threaten them, swear or call them names, hang-up on them, send them nasty messages or emails, etc. for any reason- we will deny your application and/or terminate your adoption contract with RAIN and enforce the return of the pet. A civilized discussion is welcome. But RAIN does not support bullying or threats of any kind. So if you can't be kind to our team, please look elsewhere for your pet.