Adopting a Dalmatian
About adoption
It is our opinion that whilst a Dalmatian can make a fantastic pet or companion dog they are not suitable for everyone to own. Anybody thinking of getting a Dalmatian must consider if their lifestyle and ability are compatible with a Dalmatian's needs.
Owning any dog is a serious commitment, but Dalmatians in particular are lively demanding dogs who thrive on human companionship and require lots of exercise along with consistent, firm and fair handling if they are to be happy and well-adjusted members of the family.
Before getting in touch with us about adopting one of our dogs, please do some research into the Dalmatian breed and consider if one would be compatible with your lifestyle. There are plenty of books published about Dalmatians and lots of information can be found online. We also have some information here on our Dalmatian help and advice pages.
Scottish Dalmatian Welfare shall assess the suitability of everybody who applies to adopt one of our rescue dogs and will not re-home dogs with anyone who we feel may be unable to provide a Dalmatian with the care and attention it requires.
Owning any dog is a serious commitment, but Dalmatians in particular are lively demanding dogs who thrive on human companionship and require lots of exercise along with consistent, firm and fair handling if they are to be happy and well-adjusted members of the family.
Before getting in touch with us about adopting one of our dogs, please do some research into the Dalmatian breed and consider if one would be compatible with your lifestyle. There are plenty of books published about Dalmatians and lots of information can be found online. We also have some information here on our Dalmatian help and advice pages.
Scottish Dalmatian Welfare shall assess the suitability of everybody who applies to adopt one of our rescue dogs and will not re-home dogs with anyone who we feel may be unable to provide a Dalmatian with the care and attention it requires.
Please note that we have a STRICT policy of not re-homing any of our dogs with families who have children under the age of 12.
Outline of adoption process
As part of the adoption process Scottish Dalmatian Welfare shall:
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Following adoption, Scottish Dalmatian Welfare shall:
- Carry out a follow-up check to ensure they are settling in well with their new owners. We shall also provide ongoing assistance and support to any new owners who request it.
Adoption procedure
Our adoption process involves matching the right owner with the right Dalmatian. To do this we follow an established procedure, as follows:
Temporary accommodation:
Where possible any dog who is to be re-homed shall remain with it's current owner until a new home is found. For dogs rescued or recovered by Scottish Dalmatian Welfare, suitable temporary accommodation and care shall be provided and any costs met from the charity's funds until a permanent new home is found.
Veterinary care:
Dogs taken into the care of Scottish Dalmatian Welfare shall be provided with any required veterinary care and treatment for the period that they remain with us and all costs met from the charity's funds.
Individual assessment:
All Dalmatians who come to us for rehoming are individually assessed to help us identify their individual characteristics and any health issues that may exist. If it is the opinion of our coordinators that professional advice is required then a veterinary surgeon or behavioural specialist shall be consulted. Costs of professional consultations at this stage shall be covered using charity funds.
These assessments are carried out to help identify the sort of owner and home that would be most suitable for each individual dog. Some dogs will have special requirements and in such cases we shall indicate this on the Dogs Waiting page and disclose full details to potential adopters.
These assessments are carried out to help identify the sort of owner and home that would be most suitable for each individual dog. Some dogs will have special requirements and in such cases we shall indicate this on the Dogs Waiting page and disclose full details to potential adopters.
Application to adopt:
Home check:
If you are interested in being considered as an adopter, then please start by giving us a call on 07757 723207.
We will have an initial chat with you on the phone to gather some more information about you, your family, your working situation, your dog experience and anything else that we think might be relevant. We will then keep your details on file.
When a potentially suitable dog is available, we will then contact you to arrange a Home Check Visit. This visit is intended for us to assess the applicant's suitability to give a home to a Dalmatian. In carrying out this assessment we shall consider the applicant's lifestyle, home, local area/facilities and so on. During the visit we will complete a short questionnaire and provide an opportunity to ask any questions about our adoption process or about Dalmatians in general. All of our volunteers are Dalmatian owners who can give a good insight into the breed and what Dalmatian ownership demands.
Where it is our opinion that an applicant is not suited to owning a Dalmatian we shall let them know the reasons why.
If an applicant has enquired about adopting a specific dog, we shall consider their suitability to adopt that dog and also make them aware of any special needs, characteristics or health issues the dog may have. Where everything is satisfactory we shall proceed to the next stage of the adoption process.
Where no suitable Dalmatians are currently available for adoption we shall advise the applicant accordingly and retain their details. If a suitable dog then becomes available in the future we shall contact the applicant to see if they are interested in adopting that dog.
We will have an initial chat with you on the phone to gather some more information about you, your family, your working situation, your dog experience and anything else that we think might be relevant. We will then keep your details on file.
When a potentially suitable dog is available, we will then contact you to arrange a Home Check Visit. This visit is intended for us to assess the applicant's suitability to give a home to a Dalmatian. In carrying out this assessment we shall consider the applicant's lifestyle, home, local area/facilities and so on. During the visit we will complete a short questionnaire and provide an opportunity to ask any questions about our adoption process or about Dalmatians in general. All of our volunteers are Dalmatian owners who can give a good insight into the breed and what Dalmatian ownership demands.
Where it is our opinion that an applicant is not suited to owning a Dalmatian we shall let them know the reasons why.
If an applicant has enquired about adopting a specific dog, we shall consider their suitability to adopt that dog and also make them aware of any special needs, characteristics or health issues the dog may have. Where everything is satisfactory we shall proceed to the next stage of the adoption process.
Where no suitable Dalmatians are currently available for adoption we shall advise the applicant accordingly and retain their details. If a suitable dog then becomes available in the future we shall contact the applicant to see if they are interested in adopting that dog.
Meeting the Dalmatian:
Following a satisfactory home check and assessment the next step is to arrange for the applicant to meet the Dalmatian they are interested in adopting. We try and arrange these meetings to take place at a convenient location and time but can sometimes be restricted due to other commitments our volunteers / coordinators may have.
Typically the meeting will take place at an outdoor location such as a local park or country park where the applicant can interact with the dog and we can see how everyone gets along. Applicants should bear in mind that dogs are incredibly intuitive creatures who can very quickly decide for themselves who they like and who they are not so keen on and are advised not to take it personally if a particular Dalmatian does not care to make friends.
We shall also use this meeting as an opportunity to discuss in more detail any specific individual needs, characteristics or health issues associated with the dog.
Typically the meeting will take place at an outdoor location such as a local park or country park where the applicant can interact with the dog and we can see how everyone gets along. Applicants should bear in mind that dogs are incredibly intuitive creatures who can very quickly decide for themselves who they like and who they are not so keen on and are advised not to take it personally if a particular Dalmatian does not care to make friends.
We shall also use this meeting as an opportunity to discuss in more detail any specific individual needs, characteristics or health issues associated with the dog.
Adoption contract and donation:
All being well with the home check and meeting we can finalise the adoption.
We will ask the applicant to sign an adoption contract indicating their agreement with the conditions of adoption. We will also request the applicant pays an adoption fee in the form of a donation to our charity.
Upon receipt of the requested donation we will sign the adoption contract then provide relevant paperwork and information, such as, the Dalmatian's microchip number. We shall also arrange for the new owner to be registered with the supplier of the microchip ID tag.
We will ask the applicant to sign an adoption contract indicating their agreement with the conditions of adoption. We will also request the applicant pays an adoption fee in the form of a donation to our charity.
Upon receipt of the requested donation we will sign the adoption contract then provide relevant paperwork and information, such as, the Dalmatian's microchip number. We shall also arrange for the new owner to be registered with the supplier of the microchip ID tag.
Neutering / spaying, vaccination and micro-chipping:
Prior to handing any Dalmatian over to a new owner we shall, unless there are sound medical reasons not to, arrange for the animal to be neutered or spayed, properly vaccinated and micro-chipped.
Follow up:
Once you have had some time together with your Dalmatian one of our volunteers will get in touch to see how you are getting along. If you need any help or advice at this stage we will be happy to provide it.
Ongoing support:
We are happy to provide reasonable ongoing support and advice for the lifetime of your adopted Dalmatian.
Keeping in touch:
You can choose, if you wish, to keep in touch with us. We always love to hear how our rehomed Dalmatians are getting along and to see photos of them enjoying their new lives. If you keep an eye on our website or Facebook page you will get news of events or competitions that we run from time to time that you are welcome to take part in. If you would like to make a commitment to supporting our work then please read how you can help us.
Adoption fee
We ask everyone who adopts a Dalmatian to pay an adoption fee in the form of a donation. The level of the donation will vary depending on the age and health of the dog being adopted. As a guide, the standard donation for a young, healthy, neutered dog is £400. This helps pay for the costs incurred in rehoming your Dalmatian and supports our ongoing work.