About our Shar-Pei and the Adoption Process
Most abandoned Shar-Pei became that way through no fault of their own. Some of them were given up by owners who moved, divorced or suffered a family crisis and just couldn't keep them. Many of them are strays from animal shelters - dogs that were allowed to run loose and became lost. Wherever they came from, they are still in need of a loving place they can call home.
The great advantage of rescue dogs is that they are often beyond the difficult, hyperactive puppy stage. This saves your carpets, furniture and shoes from being chewed up and permits you to get a full nights sleep. Often, rescue dogs are already housebroken, some even obedience trained. They come to your home ready to love you and you get the warm feeling of knowing that you have given this homeless Shar-Pei a happy, safe and loving home.
We carefully screen all of our dogs for temperament and health. Our rescue provides necessary medical care and vaccinations before adoption. All the Shar-Pei adopted are spayed or neutered to make them better pets and to keep them from adding to the overpopulation problem. They are also tested for Heartworm, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme and Anaplasmosis and treated if necessary. All of our dogs also undergo a thorough examination from our veterinarian and are given all routine vaccinations and microchipped. They also undergo Entropion surgery for their eyes as well as other medical care and boarding costs as required.
There is an adoption fee of $350 collected for each rescue dog, which includes all of the medical expenses discussed above and often times much more. Our average cost per rescue dog is $875. So you are getting a great bargain, plus adopting a great dog and helping MACSPRO to continue saving these great Peis that make so many families so happy. One of those families could be you!
Rarely, we get a dog in whose expenses are less than our donation fee, but that is a rare case; the adoption fee is to provide for expense coverage of all our dogs, and not necessarily the expense of one dog. Note, if the dog is unable to be spayed or neutered due to health, pregnancy, or age, we will require that the new owners provide for that service as soon as it is recommended by the veterinarian as being safe for the dog to have the procedure. If this is not done, then the dog will be immediately returned into the possession of the rescue.
Each adopter will be required to complete an adoption questionnaire. This information is to assure that the animal is properly matched with the potential new home. We require a vet reference and a landlord's approval from all adopters. This is to assure that you've been a responsible pet owner and that there are no surprises with your landlord. You will be surprised at the number of dogs given up each year because the landlord found out about them! You will then be contacted to set up an appointment to visit our available dogs. After that, a home interview will be performed where you will be given instructions on the care of the particular dog, along with discussing options on how to integrate the dog into its new environment. Every household is different. Some have other pets or children and we can offer you advice on how to successfully bring a new dog into your home and suggest ways to reduce the stress of the dog moving into a whole new world. During the home interview, we will provide you with the medical information on the dog and any information that we know about the dog and his prior home. It is during this time where we will go over our adoption agreement with you, and ask that you sign it and provide your adoption donation. You will receive a copy of the agreement to take with you when you pick up your dog.
Sorry, we do not ship dogs. You must be able to visit the dog and have an interview before you can adopt one of our dogs. Most of our dogs are in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area. We have been expanding our rescue to other areas, and are working with other rescues to help as many dogs find homes as we can. If you are unable to visit this area, please check our web page for dogs available through private individuals, or check our contacts listing for a rescue organization in your area. If you still need help, please fill out an application and send it to us and we'll do our best to find a dog within your area that you can visit.
Shar-Pei Available for Adoption
We have several dogs that are anxiously awaiting a new family. Each of these dogs have their own stories to tell and would be interested in meeting any potential adopter families. Please complete an application for adoption and send or fax it to us. The application can be accessed on our web page (below) and you will need to print it out, then complete it. If you are unable to print the application, please call us and we'll be glad to send you one.
To view or submit an online application for adoption, click here.
To view or print a paper application for adoption, click here.
To view or print an adoption agreement, click here.
To view our dogs currently available for adoption, click here.
Picking up Your New Pet
Please bring a collar and leash with you. It is necessary that you attach a dog tag to the collar prior to taking the dog home with you. Consider bringing someone with you to sit with the dog while you are transporting him home. If you have already signed an adoption contract, bring it with you to show the foster parent. If you have not signed an adoption contract, you will be asked to sign one there, and give the donation fee. You will be given a health record of the dog and any past history information available.
Welcoming Your New Pet Home
Your Shar-Pei should be introduced to his new home slowly, without the excitement of other pets and children running up to welcome him. Keep him confined to one room for a few days so he can adjust and you will have the opportunity to observe his behavior. It's best if you can put him in a central room with the rest of the family and use baby gates to keep him from wandering through the house. This way, he'll be able to see what is going on and get a chance to meet his new family without a lot of commotion and stress. We do not recommend bringing your pet home during a busy holiday when there will be people coming in and out of the house frequently....this just puts undue stress upon the dog. You may even consider keeping the dog on a leash with you at all times for the first few days so you will be able to watch him and he'll be under control. Sometimes, even a house broken dog will not understand where he is to relieve himself and other pet smells in the carpet could entice him to have an accident.
For the first 2 weeks, make sure you take the dog out the same door every time you want him to do his business. Always take him to the same spot so he can smell the spot and understand that this is where he is supposed to go.
Introduce your new Shar-Pei to other family pets slowly. When introducing two dogs, you should have both dogs on a leash and ask someone to help you. Slowly allow the dogs to get close to each other and smell each others nose. If you have a baby gate, allow the dogs to approach each other with the gate between them. If the dogs appear at ease, you can slowly loosen the leash so they can walk around each other a get a chance to smell the other dog. Understand, that the dog may have come from a foster home that has other dog scents on him and could cause your pet to get excited.
Good, consistent discipline should be a part of your pet's life. You should teach him his name, where he is to sleep, and other appropriate guidelines for behavior. We recommend that you enroll your dog in a dog obedience class right away. Even if the dog has good house manners, this is a great way for you and him to bond together and for him to understand that you are the master of the house. Begin feedings on a regular schedule to establish a routine and to correlate to walking times.
Expect your new pet to make mistakes, especially at first. Remember, never punish him after calling him over and never strike him. Consistency and patience are the key to successful training.
