After adoption, an Adopter has four ways of getting his or her new dog. These options should be discussed during the adoption application screening process so that there is full understanding between all parties (applicant, foster parent, and Adoption Coordinator).
1. Pick Up at Foster Home. For distances up to 60 miles, it is generally the responsibility of the Adopter to travel to the dog’s foster home to pick up the dog.
2. Informal Transfer. The Foster Parent and the Adopter mutually make transport arrangements between themselves, without involving New Rattitude’s Transport Team. This could involve meeting each other directly or arranging an informal transport with the help of family or friends. An informal transfer is generally appropriate for distances between 60 and 150 miles. No Health Certificate is required for an informal transfer and there is no charge to the Adopter.
3. Ground Transport. For distances of approximately 150-600* miles, the Adopter may request that New Rattitude set up a formal ground transport. A Health Certificate is usually required, which will be paid for by New Rattitude. The Adopter pays a $75 fee, either concurrently with the adoption fee or separately on our Pay Transport Fee page. The Foster Parent is generally expected to drive the first leg of the transport, and the Adopter is generally expected to drive the last leg. Each leg of a transport is normally at least 60 miles. Ground transports are almost always scheduled for a weekend because of the availability of volunteers. The longer the transport, the more time is generally required to set it up; at least 5 days is standard. The Foster Parent initiates the request for a Ground Transport by submitting a Transport Request Form after the dog has been approved for adoption. The $75 Transport Fee must be paid by the Adopter before the Transport Team will begin work on setting up the ground transport, although the transport request form may be submitted in advance for planning purposes.
4. Air Transport. For distances of over 600 miles* the dog will usually need to travel by air, at the Adopter’s expense. This cost includes New Rattitude’s $75 Transport Fee (which would be applied toward the cost of the required health certificate), a travel crate (generally $60-80), and the actual charge for the airfare (generally $300-$400). After consulting with each other, the Foster Parent or the Adopter may make the actual arrangements, including the plane reservation, or may request assistance from New Rattitude’s Transport Team or another experienced New Rattitude volunteer. Air transports can be scheduled relatively quickly (usually 2-4 days); however, if the Foster Parent is not within reasonable driving distance of a participating airport, other arrangements for temporary transfer may be necessary. In addition, there may be travel restrictions imposed by the airline due to weather, temperature, or other constraints. The Adopter would pick the dog up at the destination airport.
*In some circumstances, transports of 600-750 miles may be possible by ground if the Adopter is willing/able to drive the extra distance above 600 miles in addition to the normal expectation of at least 60 miles. For example, a 650-mile transport may be possible by ground if the Adopter is willing/able to drive at least 110 miles (one way). It is important to be aware, however, that the longer the transport, the harder it is to recruit and retain volunteer drivers, so more lead-time is required and there is a higher risk of the need for cancellation/rescheduling.