Adopt
Please review the GPPR adoption information in its entirety before submitting application, as there is a lot of specific criteria and information to consider. We take seriously the safe, permanent placement of the pug lives entrusted to our care. We are committed to the transparency of this process, outlined below, which is intended to increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. There is a $25 non-refundable adoption application fee so make sure you meet the criteria before applying. The adoption fee can be paid on our donation page.
In order to qualify as a GPPR adopter, please note:
- You must have an application on file to be considered as a potential adopter for any pug.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be considered as an adopter.
- Applicants will not be considered if any resident of the household has been convicted of animal abuse, willful neglect, or cruelty to animals.
- Applicants will not be considered if any pet in the household is considered aggressive to humans or other animals. If any single pet in the household exceeds 40 pounds, additional consideration will be required, to include documentation of pet’s temperament during the home visit.
- We will adopt to residents outside of Georgia, contingent upon pickup by the adopter. Under NO circumstances will we allow a pug to travel via air transport without the adopter present.
- We will adopt to renters, contingent upon your landlord providing written approval for you to have a pug INSIDE your residence.
- All other pets in the home must be spayed/neutered, up to date on all vaccinations, and on a heart worm preventative.
- You must agree to feed your pug an approved, high-quality dog food.
- Pugs are considered brachycephalic (short-headed), or “flat-faced dogs”. Because of this, they are at greater risk for associated health complications such as brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. This risk can be reduced by avoiding pressure to their neck and throat area (American College of Veterinary Surgeons [ACVS], n.d.). You must agree to use ONLY a leash attached to a harness for walking and transporting your pug (in lieu of a leash attached to a collar).
If you meet the qualifications to apply, keep in mind that:
- There is a $25 adoption application fee that can be paid on our donation page.
- You must provide one veterinarian reference. If you have current pets in your home, let your veterinarian know in advance that we will be contacting them. You will need to give them authorization to discuss your current pets with GPPR. If you do not have current pets in your home, provide the name of the veterinarian you plan to use if selected to adopt. Your application will be considered incomplete until we have spoken to the veterinarian.
- You must provide three personal references and they cannot be relatives. Let your personal references know in advance that they will receive a phone call from us, and that your application will be considered incomplete until we have spoken to them.
- The information provided in your application will be used to match your family and lifestyle with the temperament, activity level, etc. of available pugs. For this reason, applications that are incomplete will not be considered.
- After your veterinarian and personal reference checks are complete, a home visit will be scheduled. For Georgia residents, a GPPR volunteer will conduct the home visit. For residents outside of Georgia, you will be responsible for identifying a local rescue or shelter willing to conduct the home visit on our behalf.
- If selected to adopt, the applicant will sign a legal and binding adoption contract.
- Adoption fees must be paid in full prior to taking possession of the pug. We accept the following payment mechanisms: Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, PayPal, money order, cashier’s check, or cash. Personal checks will only be accepted with prior approval from the treasurer.
- Adoption fees are based on the age of the pug. The fees are non-negotiable and help to offset only a fraction of vetting (spay/neuter, vaccinations, heart worm and fecal testing, medical treatment, medications, etc.). Although vetted, we are unable to guarantee that the pug you adopt will not have medical issues in the future.
- All adult pugs will be spayed/neutered before adoption. Puppies who are unaltered due to age restrictions will require two contingencies: 1) in addition to their adoption fee, a refundable deposit of $100 will be collected, and 2) the deadline for the spay/neuter will be part of the legal and binding contract. The deposit will be returned once the adopter submits veterinarian documentation of the spay/neuter.
- The pug must remain in the possession of the adopter; the pug cannot be a gift or “surprise” for another person.
- Upon adoption, copies of all available records will be provided to the adopter.
- After adoption, our volunteers will contact you to check on the adjustment of the pug and answer any questions that may arise after placement.
GPPR may decline an applicant for any of, but not limited to, the following:
- Applicant misrepresents information on the application.
- Applicant refuses the spay/neuter contract on a younger pug that cannot be altered within rescue.
- Applicant indicates a plan to breed the pug.
- Applicant refuses to attach leash to a harness, as recommended for brachycephalic breeds, and indicates intent to attach leash to a collar.
- Applicant indicates the pug will be kept outside.
- Applicant indicates the pug will be allowed to run free.
- Applicant indicates the intent to use a bark collar of any type to control barking.
- Applicant indicates the intent to use a muzzle of any type to control barking.
- Applicant indicates the intent to use behavior modification devices such as shock collars, pronged collars, choke/pinch collars, or any other device intended to inflict pain.
- Applicant indicates intent to use invisible fence.
- Applicant has no fence when it appears the pug would be at risk due to lack of fencing
- Applicant’s veterinarian indicates a history of poor care for other animals.
- Applicant has a history of relinquishing other pets.
- Applicant owns other pets that are not spayed/neutered.
- Applicant owns other pets that are aggressive.
- Applicant rents a home or apartment, and landlord cannot be contacted by GPPR for their approval.
- Applicant’s home is unkempt and potentially unsafe with clutter or items that can be considered harmful to a pug’s health.
- Applicant turns down more than three (3) rescue pugs the Adoption Coordinator felt matched their request.
- Applicant will only accept an age or pug personality the Adoption Coordinator feels is unsuited to them (i.e. elderly person who wants a very young pug).
- Applicant did not pay the $25 adoption application fee.
This is not an exhaustive list of reasons an applicant may be declined. GPPR reserves the right to decline any application based on what we feel is in the best interest of the pug.
Adoption Application
We recognize this application is thorough (a.k.a.) long. We want the best for the pugs that have been entrusted to us. The crazy people out there ruin things for everyone-it’s not you, it’s them. Please take no offense to the questions and answer as honestly as possible. A real, live human will be reviewing your application, and you can expand on anything you believe warrants additional conversations. Thank you for helping us save pugs!
Please note that this application has skip logic built in and additional questions may appear based on individual responses.