Subject: CLASS: Referral Forms
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 09:06:14 -0400
From: "Beth E. Widdows" - bew1234@TIR.COM

So what do you all say? Beth could use some advice and alot of people can only do referrals so we all need to help those people have a really good form to go by.

I thought I would just give you my very undigested thoughts based on an incident which I won't go into because I know you want short messages. I am thinking of a form where the owner of the dog would state the dog's personality/aggressiveness and any medical concerns. Then a couple of lines for them to check:

___ Attached are 2 copies of up to date medical records (one for new owner and one for club)

___ Attached are registration papers

___ Other (explain)

Then a signature to verify that the above statements are truthful. And a statement that the dog is being turned over and all claims to it are nulified.

Then a 2nd portion of the same form for the new owner to state that they understand that the statements come from the original owner and that the rescue has not held the dog nor have they evaluated it; that the new owner accepts the dog under these circumstances and will not hold the rescue responsible for any actions or medical concerns of the dog.

Carbons of the forms would be signed and one copy given to each of the 3 parties.

Subject: Re: CLASS: Referral Forms
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 10:46:32 -0400
From: Judy Marion - iluvdogs@HUSKYNET.COM

This sounds good but we would need to include the word "not held liable" from the referral person. I think together we can all come up with a good form for referrals.

NoVa Rottweiler Rescue League, Inc/MD,DC,VA http://waikaloa.huskynet.com/rottirescue/rescue.htm

Subject: Re: CLASS: useful forms
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 11:56:49 -0700
From: Janice Ritter - JRITTER@us.oracle.com

Hm. Here at GSD Rescue of New England, we ask a couple of questions, and just mention a couple of policies - that screens out obviously not-right people:

Judy said:
* Children, how many and how old. This also will vary as a deciding factor with different breeds.

Yep, that's one question. We don't place in homes w/toddlers or babies, either. Too many possible problems, and parents are tigers/tigresses when things involve their kids and a large dog.

We also ask:

• Fenced area attached to the house?

  (There has to be one and we'll check it later if you put it in after the home visit, before adoption can happen.)

• Have you had a GSD before?

  (get a sense of what they know or don't know, or of what they THINK they know)

We mention that all dogs are spayed/neutered before placement. That prompts a lot of "Oh...well then, we're not interested" hang-ups. :-(

We tell people that there is a written application, and then a home visit to discuss GSDs and adoption in more depth. More hang-ups as people realize that we'll be checking their fence, their story, whether they really DO have kids and what they're like, everything.

We mention that there is an adoption fee and we tell people what it is. That sometimes prompts the 'ole "What, it ain't free? Here I am, trying to help YOU. Forget it! I'll get a free one from the shelter, not 'spaded' even," type of hang-up.

When people mention "guard dog", that's kinda it, too. We get a lot of calls from people wanting guard dogs for their stores or auto shops or junkyards. :-( We try to explain why, nicely. We don't place dogs in those situations.

I think we should ask about renting or owning up front now, too.

Thanks, Judy!

German Shepherd Rescue of New England, Inc.
Janice Ritter
jritter@us.oracle.com

Subject: Re: CLASS: useful forms
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 18:27:16 -0400
From: Judy Marion - iluvdogs@HUSKYNET.COM

Ok, for tomorrow lets put together these forms that we can use while doing a telephone interview.

We need 3:

• one for referral
  
• one for small dogs
  
• one for large breed dogs

This will save all of us ALOT of time. If they don't pass our telephone interviews then onward we go. And with a stack of forms by the phone you won't forget to ask anything. Then we need to go on to doing the housecheck, also tomorrow. This will vary some too with different breeds but not that much. First lets see who can come up with forms for the telephone interviews so we can expand Debbie's website (thank you again Debbie!)

Judy
NoVa Rottweiler Rescue League, Inc/MD,DC,VA
http://waikaloa.huskynet.com/rottirescue/rescue.htm