Adopt
Application Process
Thank you for your interest in adopting a dog through Key to Lion’s Heart Rescue! Our adoption application process consists of the following steps:
Submission of an online application.
Volunteer review of your application, including a background check of all adults living in the home, two personal reference checks, landlord or HOA check if applicable, and veterinary check for any current or previous pets if applicable.
Phone interview with a volunteer to discuss your application and your dog of choice.
Virtual home visit with a volunteer to ensure your home environment is safe for a dog.
After the above steps are completed and approved, you receive tentative approval to adopt a dog from Key to Lion's Heart Rescue! We require an in-person meet and greet between your whole family, including resident dogs, and your dog of choice to ensure a perfect match before fully approving the adoption.
Adoption Requirements
We have several requirements in place for adopters to ensure we are finding the absolute best homes for our dogs! Please make sure you meet all the requirements below prior to applying to adopt.
Adopters must be at least 23 years of age.
Professional training is required within three months of adopting.
If adopting a puppy under six months old, spay/neuter is the adopter’s responsibility and must be completed by the time the puppy is six months old.
If you are away for longer than 4 hours at a time, you would not be a candidate to adopt a dog younger than 6 months.
All current pets in the home must be altered, up to date on the rabies and distemper vaccine, up to date on an annual heartworm test, receive an annual wellness exam, and receive monthly heartworm and flea/tick prevention AT THE TIME YOUR APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED. Failure to pass the veterinary check will result in an immediate denial of your application.
We only adopt one dog into a home at a time. We ask that you take time to bond with and train your new dog for at least six months prior to adopting another dog from us.
We accept adopters from Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. We accept adopters from other East Coast states on a case by case basis.
An in-person meet and greet between the entire applicant’s family, including any resident dogs, and their dog of choice is required prior to completing an adoption.
We cannot complete same-day adoptions and require two visits to the foster home to complete the adoption - once for the meet and greet, and a second to pick up your dog of choice.
Adoption Fees
All our available dogs are up-to-date on age-appropriate vaccines and prevention, microchipped, altered if age-appropriate, and dewormed.
Puppies under 6 months old: $400
Adults 6 months - 7 years: $350
Seniors 7+ years: $250