Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue

Application — Adoption Questionnaire

You've seen a dog you like and now you're interested in adopting...

	Fill out an Online Application (below) or contact us at the address at the bottom of this page for a print application you can receive in the mail. Our adoption fee is $200. Click here for information on our adoption fee and all the benefits that it includes.
	You will receive a confirmation email from a volunteer stating that you will be contacted within the next few days by Elizabeth Riddle, rescue president.
	You will find out if your application has been accepted by Elizabeth Riddle when she emails you back. In this email, she will ask you what dog(s) you are interested in meeting and when you would be available to travel to Urbana, IL to meet the dog(s) If you have a dog currently, you will be asked to bring the dog with you, to meet the dog you are interested in adopting.
	Once you have found a dog you would like to adopt, a volunteer will bring the dog to your home and do a home visit. This volunteer will sit down with you and go over the adoption packet. This packet will include specific information about the dog you have adopted (such as when he/she is due for their next shots or heartworm tablet etc.).
	We always enjoy hearing from our adopters, and of course love to receive pictures and updates about our dogs. You can send pictures and updates to us at . Don't forget about step 5! We will remind you!

Our adoption fee is $200. Click here for information on our adoption fee and all the benefits that it includes.

Are you from out of town?
Persons living more than one hour away from Urbana, IL are welcome to adopt, but must be prepared to provide their own transportation to visit the dog and pick up the dog. In place of a required home visit, applicants must provide at least one letter of recommendation from a pet professional (ie: veterinarian, animal trainer, or local humane organization) on letterhead. If you have other pets, copies of vaccinations and proof of spay/neuter is required prior to adoption. If you have children and/or other dogs, it is recommended that you bring the whole family to the appointment. In the case of other dogs, prior arrangements for a neutral meeting place will be made.

Are you a renter?
Renters need to have copy of their lease allowing them to have large dogs and/or a copy of a letter from their landlord giving permission to have a large dog or showing receipt of a pet deposit. This must be on letterhead.

Our adoption fee is $200
This cost helps defray the German Shepherds' medical costs, feed costs and housing costs.

Some of the medical costs that are encountered when we rescue a dog and prepare it for adoption include the following:

an initial exam
Rabies vaccination
DHLPP-C vaccination
Bordetella vaccination
heartworm blood test
skin scrapings or ear swabs (if necessary)
fecal tests
heartworm treatment (if necessary)
other medication (if necessary)
five day treatment of Panacur intestinal worming
heartworm prevention medication
flea prevention medication

spay/neuter (if not already done)
dewclaws removed (with spay/neuter)
dental cleaning (with spay/neuter)
hernia repairs or other medical procedures (if necessary)
pre-anesthesia bloodwork (on dogs having a spay/neuter or other medical procedure requiring anesthesia)
nail trims
thorough ear exam
range of motion exam of joints
AVID identification chipping

Hi! I'm Abby! If you add feed costs, kennels, bowls, leashes, collars, and tag fees, each dog costs between $125-$650. As you may guess, the $200 adoption fee may not always cover expenses.

In addition, there are other benefits that come with adopting from the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, such as:

knowing your dog has been behaviorally evaluated around people, cats, and other dogs before he was made available for adoption.
knowing that, if for any reason, you can no longer care for the dog you adopted from the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue, you may return your dog to us (regardless of age or how long it has been living with you).

For more information of the adoption fee, see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.

See also our Policies page.

Your answers on this questionnaire will help us to match your needs with the German Shepherd Dogs in our program. If we do not currently house a German Shepherd Dog that you would like to own, please notify us at if you would like to remain on a waiting list for future puppies or adults.

IMPORTANT: you may use the TAB key to move to the next answer box in the form below. The ENTER key will submit the form. Do not hit ENTER until you have completed the form!

Your name:
Your e-mail: (We need this in order to confirm that we have received your application and for further contact with you.)
Evening phone:
City and state you live in:
Personal references are not asked of you here, but will be requested prior to adoption.
How long have you been employed by your current employer? If not currently employed, please explain.
Do you have other pets?
who is your current veterinarian?
vet's phone:
Do you prefer a male dog or a female dog?
What color preference you have for a German Shepherd? (or give the name of a specific dog on our site that you are interested in)
What age of dog would you prefer?
Note: Those considering a senior citizen (dog over 7 years old) may qualify for medical care financial aid, please ask if interested.
Although we traditionally first contact you via e-mail, a rescue volunteer may wish to call you about setting up an appointment to visit with one of our adoptable dogs. In general, which weeknight evenings are you available to receive such a call? How late in the evening may we call you?
Who is this dog for?
Who will have primary responsibility for the dog's care?
Does anyone in your family have allergies to dogs?
Have you considered the long term commitment of time and financial resources required for dog ownership?
Have you and your family discussed the pros and cons of owning a German Shepherd Dog?
Is everyone in your family or household (including room mates) enthusiastic about getting a dog of this type?
Have you owned a German Shepherd or any dog before?
If you answered yes to the above question, please provide a brief history
What is it about a German Shepherd Dog (or a specific dog at our rescue) that interests you?
What other breeds have you considered?
What are the most important characteristics that you would like to see in a German Shepherd? (examples: active, calm, playful, intelligent, loving, protective, dominant, submissive, independent)
Note: Aggressive and severely problematic behavior animals are not put up for adoption, if they demonstrate any of these behaviors while in our care.
To facilitate the bonding process, obedience training is highly recommended. Would you like to have lessons with your new dog?
How do you plan to discipline the dog?
Which best describes your current residence?
Your home is located in a:
Note: If you rent or lease your residence, or live in a Park, proof of permission to have LARGE dogs will be required before adoption is finalized. Please provide photocopy of lease if possible.
Do you have a fenced yard and, if so, please explain the type of fence, height and number of gates it has.
Can children easily open the gate(s)?
If your yard is not fenced, do you have a secure dog run?
What improvements, if necessary, will you make to secure your yard?
If you do not have access to a fenced area at your home, how do you plan to exercise your dog and allow your dog to eliminate?
Have you checked your yard for dangerous articles, plants, or anything the dog could use to climb and/or jump the fence (i.e.. Dog House, Picnic Table), or dig under the fence?
If you have a pool, is it fenced?
Do strangers (Meter Readers, etc.) require access to the area your dog will occupy?
Do friends, relatives and children have access to your home, property and/or car without your supervision?
Are you willing to instruct your children and other people that visit your home on the proper handling and care of German Shepherd Dogs?
Are there any distractions outside the yard that may disturb and/or upset your dog? (Neighbor's dog, loose dogs on the street, neighborhood children)
Approximately how many hours each day will your dog be alone?
Do you travel out of town? If so, how will the dog be cared for during your absence?
Are you gone often?
Would you consider taking the dog with you?
Will the dog be kept primarily indoors or outdoors?
Where will the dog sleep at night?
How many pets do you currently have?
What kinds of pets to you have, how old are they, and what is their gender?
Are all your pets spayed/neutered?
Note: It is our policy not to adopt our pets to homes where the other pets are not already spayed/neutered. If you'd like to adopt, you may, but will be unable to bring the new dog home until the other pets are spayed/neutered. If you show your current pet or are involved in bona fide canine activities where the dog must remain intact, proof must be supplied of active participation in a breed club: registration and breeder references. It is the Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue's discretion whether of not we choose to adopt to the given situation. All of our dogs are spayed/neutered before they are placed.
Where did you get each of your pets and how long have you had them?
Where are your pets kept?
How many people live in your home?
How many are children?
Please list the ages of the children
How did you hear about our organization?
Would you consider volunteering for our organization? If so, in what way? Choose which way you would be most interested in volunteering. You can always volunteer for more later on!
Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. You answers will permit us to more effectively match your needs with dogs in our program. If you have any comments or concerns about adopting a rescued German Shepherd Dog, about this program and its mission, or any additional comments or questions you might have: please tell us in the space below. We are always interested and open to your viewpoint. We do reserve the right to refuse any adoption. CI GSD Rescue is a registered, incorporated, Not For Profit Organization in the State of Illinois. All Donations are tax-deductible. Note: After submitting this form, you should be taken to a page that states "Thank you for submitting your online form." If you are not taken to this page, your browser may not support this online form. Contact us if this is the case at

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You can also visit us at	Central Illinois German Shepherd Dog Rescue P.O. Box 17464 Urbana, IL 61803 E-mail: Web site: https://www.gsdhaven.org
This page was last updated April 25, 2004 . All Contents Copyright © 2000-2004 C.I.G.S.D.R. For questions or comments about the design of this website e-mail: