How to Adopt or Foster a Golden from RAGofAZ

First, we recommend that you read several documents from the e-Library (located under the Info tab on the website): A1-FAQ; A2-What is FWITA?; A4-Fostering; and A5-Anatomy of a Rescue. These documents provide detailed information about our organization and how it works. Downloading other topics of interest from the e-library is also strongly encouraged.

Briefly, here are the steps you’ll need to follow to either foster or adopt:

Step 1- Complete the application, located under the “Adoption Info" tab of the webpage. Either submit it online; or print it out and fax/mail it in.

Step 2- Home Visit. A local volunteer will contact you to schedule a home visit to discuss the process and gather specifics about the type of Golden you are interested in.

Step 3- If approved, you will receive a welcome letter and Foster Manual.

Step 4- When you are matched with a dog, a volunteer from the Placement Team will contact you with a full description of the golden. We cannot guarantee that you will be matched within a particular time frame.

Step 5- If you accept the dog, a volunteer from the Transport Team will bring the golden to your home. At that point, you will sign either the adoption or foster contract. If adopting, you would be considered a FWITA (foster with intent to adopt). Adoption payment is collected at this point.

Step 6- Within the first 48 hours, you will be contacted by a member of the Follow Up team for an update on the dog. Behavior, medical concerns, and other issues will be addressed.

Step 7- After the dog has been medically cleared and you have evaluated the golden’s adjustment to your home for approximately 3 weeks, you will be able to finalize the adoption of the dog. If fostering, you may be asked to talk to a prospective family and/or drive the foster dog to meet a prospective family.

Step 8- Enjoy the lifelong love from your rescued Golden Retriever.

FYI

How much does it cost to adopt from RAGofAZ?

It depends on the age of the dog. When adopting a pair, the second dog is half price.

The adoption fee includes: a health evaluation by a RAGofAZ veterinarian, spay or neutering, testing for valley fever and heartworm, microchipping, and vaccinations (rabies and DHPP). Additional treatment is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Age 0 to 3years,11months $400 Pairs -- second dog is half price.

Age 4 to 7years,11months $300 *both dogs younger than 3y11m, $600

Age 8+years $250 *one dog younger than 3y11m; one between 4 and 7y11m, $550