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Welcome to Canine Castaways Inc.
website!
RESCUE INFO
Adopting a pet is a lifetime
commitment and is a responsibility that
should be taken very seriously. Our dogs may have been lost, abandoned,
abused or surrendered by a previous family and may require time to
adjust to a new home. Many times there will be more than one
application for a dog but we strive to match each dog with the most
appropriate family.
Filling out an
ONLINE ADOPTION APPLICATION is the first step in
adopting a new furry family member. Once your application is received,
it will be forwarded to a volunteer to set up a home visit and check
your references.
It is important that all applicants understand that it
is the policy of Canine Castaways, Inc. that all pets in a possible
adoptive home be spayed/neutered prior to adoption unless there is a
medical reason for not doing so. Once you are approved for a
dog, you
will be invited to meet the dog at a date and time convenient to the
foster family or at an adoption event. It is very important that you
read and understand the ADOPTION
CONTRACT prior to
adoption. At this
time, adoptions are limited to within the state of Florida.
Our goal is to place healthy, well-adjusted dogs. All of our dogs are
vet checked including spayed or neutered; heartworm tested (preventive
dispensed if negative and treatment started if positive); up to date on
vaccinations (rabies, parvo, distemper, kennel cough); basic blood test
performed; placed on flea/tick preventative; dewormed and provided with
any other medical care necessary (dentals, surgeries, etc). All dogs
have a numbered stainless steel Canine Castaways ID tag and are also
microchipped for permanent identification. All vet records are provided
to the adopter at the time of adoption along with a single dose of
advantage / frontline and the remainder of the 6 month supply of
heartworm preventive dispensed. Our adoption donation, which is
normally $250 for an adult dog or $300 for a puppy, is to help offset
these veterinary expenses. We also have reduced donations for senior dogs 8
years and older ($150). Our adoption contract allows for a dog to be
returned within 14 calendar days for a full refund regardless of the
reason; otherwise, all donations are non-refundable after that time. If
any significant pre-existing undiagnosed medical problems arise within
the first month after adoption, Canine Castaways will pay for treatment
at Animal Ark in Arcadia. If for any reason you decide you no longer
can keep your adopted dog, the dog MUST be returned to Canine Castaways.
BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU ADOPT
Adopting a dog is a lifetime commitment and should be taken very
seriously. Not all rescues operate in the same fashion. Just because a
rescue is asking a large adoption donation, doesn't mean that they have
fully vetted the dog. It is very important to ask the following
questions before you consider adopting a new dog into your household:
What veterinary records will I receive with this dog?
What vaccines (distemper, parvo, rabies, bordatella, etc.) have been
done within the last year? Will proof be provided that these vaccines
were given by a licensed veterinarian?
Has this dog had a heartworm test within the last SIX MONTHS? If so,
what were the results? If positive, is the dog being treated? If
negative, what preventative is the dog currently taking?
Has the dog been treated with a tick/flea preventative within the last
month? If so, what is the brand name?
Is the dog spayed/neutered?
Is the dog microchipped? If yes, will I have to pay an additional fee
to register the microchip?
If I discover that the adopted dog is not "working out" at my home, can
I return it? Are there any conditions under which I will receive a
refund of my adoption donation?
If the adopted dog becomes seriously ill immediately following
adoption, will the rescue help with veterinary expenses?
Is the organization an IRS recognized 501c3 non-profit organization?
Is the organization registered with the State to solicit donations of
any type?
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ADOPT A RESCUE
DOG
THINK ABOUT THIS: Your new dog may
have been abandoned, abused or
surrendered by a previous family. The dog had to adjust to life at it's
foster home with Canine Castaways and is now going home to a new,
unfamiliar place with strangers. Kind of scary if you think about it!
Being gentle, considerate, kind and patient will help ease your new dog
into its new family.
SCARED: Your dog might be afraid and unsure of his new surroundings. If
he appears to be scared, keep him in a small, quiet area to start, and
take it slow. Don't allow children to bother the dog if he is afraid;
fear can result in nipping. Instead, give your dog plenty of time to
adjust to his new surroundings, taking it one step at a time. Don't
give up!
EXPECT MISTAKES: Even a potty trained dog can make mistakes in a new
home. He doesn't know which door to go to or how to ask his new family
what he wants. Keep a very watchful eye on your new friend and confine
him when you can't watch him.
EXPECT BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS: Your dog had a whole different set of rules
in his previous home. He may have been allowed to sleep in bed or beg
at the table. It's up to you to teach him your rules. Teaching proper
behavior takes time and patience.
HOW LONG WILL ALL THIS TAKE?: Allow several weeks to adapt to his new
surroundings and up to four months to fully adjust (Adults may take
longer than pups). Adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment. We assume
that you will make a patient and concerted effort to achieve a
successful placement.
WHY NOT FREE?
WHY IS AN APPLICATION, HOME VISIT AND
ADOPTION DONATION REQUIRED?
- Rescues have learned that people do not
value
something that is free and/or easy to get and consider it more easily
disposable.
- Ethical rescues spay or neuter, give
shots,
heartworm test, and provide a loving home for these dogs while they
wait for their forever family. Keep in mind that rescues are not funded
with tax dollars to pay these expenses but are private organizations
operated by volunteers and from donations. Adoption donations do not
cover all expenses with many of the dogs but do help to defray the
cost. Consider if you were to take a dog to the vet to be altered,
health checked, heartworm tested, brought up to date on shots, etc.
What would this cost you?
- There are always people looking to take
"free"
dogs to be used for laboratory research, fight bait for larger dogs or
even the next meal on their table. Hopefully our process helps to keep
this from happening.
ADOPTION
APPLICATION AND ADOPTION CONTRACT
Adoption Contract
Online Adoption Application
SENIORS FOR SENIORS PROGRAM
We encourage the adoption of senior dogs by senior citizens. Even
though many times we have added expenses in senior dogs, we offer them
for adoption for a reduced donation of $150.
Senior Partners: Older Americans and Mature Pets
Click here to find out when and where to
meet the dogs...
VOLUNTEER TO HELP TODAY!
Canine Castaways could not operate without the hard work and dedication
of volunteers who want to help make a difference. Volunteers are needed
in all areas of the state to help with home visits and transports.
Volunteers are also needed to help at events; handle dog assignments
via the internet; fundraising; and creative writing for dog
information, press releases and public service announcements. If you
have ideas of other ways to help, we'd love to hear from you. If you
are interested in helping, please contact Kim at CanineCastaways@hotmail.com.
Fill out our Volunteer Application.
FOSTER HOMES NEEDED!
Foster homes are such a vital part of our organization since we operate
through a network of foster homes rather than a shelter facility. One
person CAN make a difference in the life of a dog. The more foster
homes we have, the more dogs we can save. Sometimes it may be hard to
let go when an adoptive family is found; however, it is very
emotionally rewarding to know that you have helped save the life of the
dog you foster. Please consider opening your heart and home to a dog
while it waits for its "forever family". Becoming a foster home is EASY
and the biggest way that you can help. First, complete our foster
application and then a volunteer will contact you for a home visit. At
that time, we will go over what is involved with being a foster home
and discuss how involved you would like to be in the adoption process.
Once you have your foster dog, it is important to be patient and allow
time to adjust to the new surroundings. As a foster parent, you will
play an important part in a successful adoption by observing the habits
of the dog and helping to determine the type of home that would be best
suited for the dog. Canine Castaways covers all medical needs and even
provides a dog crate and the first bag of food if needed. The foster
family only needs to provide LOVE. Help make a difference today!
Remember, "Saving one dog may not change the world, but it will change
the world for that dog!"
Fill out our Foster Application.
DONATE ITEMS FROM OUR WISH LIST
- Collars, harnesses and leashes
- Advantage or Frontline
- Dog Toys and Beds
- Office Supplies (Paper, Printer Ink,
etc.)
- Gas Cards
If you would like to donate any of these items, please send to:
Canine Castaways
Post Office Box 3295
Arcadia, FL 34265
or email us at CanineCastaways@hotmail.com
for more information.
MAKE A FINANCIAL DONATION
No Donation is too small. Send your
tax-deductible donation to:
Canine Castaways, Inc.
PO Box 3295
Arcadia, FL 34265
or make a donation online using paypal by clicking
the graphic link below.
If you would like to make a donation to aid specifically with our vet
expenses, you can mail a check payable to:
Animal Ark (Canine Castaways Account) to Animal Ark of Arcadia
2987 SE Hwy 70
Arcadia, FL 34266
or
call them at 863-494-2101 to donate using your credit card.
SPONSOR A DOG
If you are unable to adopt a dog at
this time, why not consider sponsoring a dog while it waits for it's
forever family? As a sponsor, you will make a donation on behalf of a
certain dog and will then receive updates and pictures of that dog via
email. These monthly donations, no matter how small, help with everyday
expenses such as flea preventative and are especially helpful for
special needs dogs that require extra vet care. You can even sponsor a
dog "In Memory of" or "In Honor of" a special person or pet. If you are
looking for an extra special gift for the person that has everything,
sponsor a dog with a one time $25 donation and a card will be sent to
the person along with a picture of the dog sponsored. Please email
CanineCastaways@hotmail.com
for further details.
CANINE CASTAWAY'S BOW-TIQUE
Check out some great new items for your pet through our very own
Canine's Castaway's Pet Bowtique.
GO SHOPPING
Go shopping for yourself or your pet
through one of our affiliates and earn a percentage of your purchase
for Canine Castaways.
Collect empty ink jet and laser printer cartridges for
CashforCritters.com
Cash for Critters is a fundraising program -- one of the easiest and
fastest ways to raise funds available today! With this program, your
organization collects empty ink jet and laser printer cartridges. They
pay us cash for the cartridges collected -- up to $4 for ink jets ($2
for most) and $1-12 for lasers based on styles. Please save your empty
ink cartridges to help the dogs through Canine Castaways, Inc.!
Also, remember to tell your friends and co-workers to save their ink
cartridges. If you have empty ink cartridges, please send to:
Canine Castaways, Inc.
PO Box 3295
Arcadia, FL 34265
WHO WE ARE
Canine Castaways, Inc. is a non-profit, all volunteer organization
dedicated to rescuing dogs in need, rehabilitating if necessary, and
then adopting to approved homes where they will be loved as part of a
family while also encouraging responsible pet care and striving to
increase awareness of the consequences of pet overpopulation through
educational programs and materials. We do not operate from a shelter
but rather a network of foster homes in different areas of the state so
it may not always be possible for you to meet more than one of our dogs
at a time. While this can be frustrating for a prospective adopter, the
foster home setting allows us to better evaluate the dogs' temperaments
and help them adjust to family life. We deal primarily with dogs under
30 pounds but will also take in larger dogs if a foster home is
available.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Canine Castaways, Inc. is a
non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing dogs in
need, rehabilitating if necessary, and then adopting to approved homes
where they will be loved as part of a family while also encouraging
responsible pet care and striving to increase awareness of the
consequences of pet overpopulation through educational programs and
materials.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
RESCUE -
- Work in
conjunction with area animal control and welfare agencies to rescue
dogs in need
- Focus on
dogs, primarily under 30 pounds, with no other hope
- Take in
owner surrendered dogs as needed to prevent euthanasia
- Volunteers
pick up and transport dogs
REHABILITATION -
- Address behavior and training issues
prior to adoption
- Have all dogs checked by veterinarian
for wellness, including but not
limited to spay or neuter, heartworm test, update vaccinations
- Help dogs with special needs such as
heartworm positive, mange,
diabetes
- Have dog placed with a volunteer foster
family while waiting to be
adopted
- Foster families will help work with any
behavior or health issues
ADOPTION -
- Require completion of adoption
application with references
- Volunteers to conduct a home visit and
prior veterinary check of each
applicant
- Base adoption approvals on the needs of
each individual dog and family
in order to increase the likelihood of successful permanent placement
- Volunteers to conduct adoptions at local
pet stores, vets and groomers
at least once a month
EDUCATION -
- Provide educational literature at
adoption events as well as other pet
related events on topics such as:
- Pet Overpopulation / Puppy Mills
- Importance of Spaying/Neutering Pets
- Responsible Pet Care
- Heartworm Disease and Preventative
- Animal Cruelty and Abuse
- Be available to assist adopters with
behavior and training issues
- Inform all adopters of adjustment issues
for rescued dog and new family
- Recognize and help publicize ASPCA's
Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
CONTACT INFO
CANINE CASTAWAY'S PHONE NUMBER:
(863) 491-MUTT (6888)
CANINE CASTAWAY'S MAILING ADDRESS:
PO Box 3295
Arcadia, FL 34265
CANINE CASTAWAY'S EMAIL ADDRESS:
CanineCastaways@hotmail.com
CANINE CASTAWAY'S WEBSITE:
www.caninecastaways.org
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