Melanie Houndilton

Our adoptions are a 3-step PROCESS and TAKE TIME. *You WILL NOT find same-day adoptions here* Applicants must be 21 years of age and not currently a first-time student. Our dogs are scattered in loving foster homes across the Southeast Louisiana area getting the care and socialization they need. We ONLY reach out to our Foster Families to arrange a meet and greet in Step 3 of the application process - and we strive to do this only once per pet. Step 1: Potential Adopter completes and submits a written application - available here on Petfinder and also available on our website. Direct link here (cut/paste): trampledroserescue.com/adopt We process applications in the order they were received, but this DOES NOT mean the early bird gets the worm - we select Adopters who are best suited for that particular animal's temperament, energy level, medical needs, etc. After the application is submitted, we will verify the Potential Adopter's home ownership or speak with their landlord to ensure the pet they're applying for is allowed. We will call any and all vet references to make sure they are (or were with past pets) up to date on vaccines, flea and heartworm prevention and are an all around stellar pet parent. We'll then call the Potential Adopter for a phone interview and tell them our personal experience with the pet of interest and answer any questions, comments or concerns. Step 2: If (and ONLY if) Step 1 goes swimmingly, we will schedule a day and time for one of our Team Members to visit the Potential Adopter's residence and make certain it's a good fit for the pet applied for. Some pets will require VERY securely fenced yards or other provisions and we hope to address all of those concerns as we physically see them, BEFORE any tragedies can occur. We also like to meet family members (including current pets!) and partners and make sure EVERYONE is on board with the new addition. Seeing how the Potential Adopter cares for their current pets gives us a great idea of how they will care for our beloved rescue. Step 3: If (and ONLY if) Step 2 goes swimmingly, we reach out to our foster parents to schedule a meet and greet with the Potential Adopter. We feel it's VERY important to include our Foster Parents in the decision-making process, as NOBODY knows the pet better than they do. This is a great opportunity for the Potential Adopter to speak to our Foster Parents personally and learn more about the rescue pet. If all goes well, a 1-week Home Trial Visit will be setup so the Potential Adopter can take the rescue pet for a 'test spin' to ensure that their personality is a good fit for their lifestyle. If at any point during the Home Trial Visit, the Potential Adopter decides the rescue pet is a yay or a nay, we plan accordingly. Adoptions are finalized with a contract and an adoption fee. We will then transfer microchip information to the new Pet Parent and send over any and all medical records. This can all be done remotely via DocuSign and email. We believe that important decisions should take time and that if it’s meant to be, it will be. We have great financial and emotional investments in our animals. Please do not consider our applications to be personal evaluations. Our decisions are ALWAYS made in the best interest of the rescue pet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *PLEASE NOTE* We get DOZENS (and sometimes HUNDREDS) of messages via Petfinder, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, phone, text and email about EACH of our rescues DAILY. We do the best we can to respond to them all, but ultimately, there's just not enough hours in the day. If you're seriously interested in a dog, the best course of action is to submit an application and BE PATIENT. We DO go through EVERY application that we receive on a first-come first-served basis and will select the home BEST SUITED for that particular rescue. We almost exclusively deal with special needs dogs and there is an ideal lifestyle we have in mind for each of our rescues. If you DO NOT receive a call it DOES NOT mean you were forgotten or declined. We very likely had a barrage of applicants before you and one of those was a clear winner. Please keep in mind, we all have full time jobs, families, fosters and permanent pets of our own, so PLEASE be patient and allow us ample time to do this volunteer work in what little free time we have. Pets, and especially rescue pets who may have been through the ringer in their past home, are a lifelong commitment and we have implemented this 3-step adoption process to help ensure that the rescue pet's next home will be it's LAST home. Thank you for choosing to rescue <3