Introduction to the Adoption Process

South Texas Aussie Rescue is a non-profit adoption and referral organization dedicated to placing Australian Shepherds who have been abandoned, neglected, or whose present home cannot or will not keep them any longer. We then evaluate these dogs, take care of their medical needs and then diligently strive to place these dogs into caring, loving and permanent homes.

South Texas Aussie Rescue is a volunteer-based organization. Most of our volunteers have full-time jobs as well as family obligations in addition to volunteering their time and expertise to our organization. While every effort is made to handle your adoption as quickly and efficiently as possible, we do ask your patience as our schedules are often as busy as yours in meeting the demands of busy lifestyles.

If you are interested in adopting an Australian Shepherd through South Texas Aussie Rescue, then please complete an adoption application. This provides STAR with basic information on your home and what type of Aussie you are interested in adopting.

Adoption Process

Application and Screening Process

Once the application is submitted, one of our volunteers will contact you within a few days to further discuss the information on the application, and to gather more information on what characteristics you are seeking in your next Aussie. At that time, the volunteer can discuss with you any dogs that are available in our program. We will be able to direct you to the best choice(s) the more we know and understand about your lifestyle.

Please help us to get to know you and your family!
Your references will be checked during the application process.

Adoption Process - Home Visit

Home Visit

If there is an Australian Shepherd that your family and our volunteer feels might be a good fit for your home, we will then schedule a home visit. Often, we bring one of our dogs to this visit to see how your family and other pets accept a “newbie” into your home.

The home visit is to not only confirm the information on the application, but to also help determine the best “fit” for your home. We of course look at safety issues within the home for your new Aussie, and discuss any ideas for the possibility of bringing your newly adopted Aussie home. We also want to answer any and all questions you have about the adoption process as well as the dog or dogs in which you are interested!

Adoption Process - Adopting

Adopting

Once the home visit is completed and everything is in place in your home, a member of STAR will contact you to set up a visit with the Aussie in which you and the volunteer have discussed as being the best fit for your home. Should you be interested in several Aussies, then arrangements will be made for you to meet the dogs in which you have expressed an interest.

Once you meet that “right” Aussie, then your family and the volunteer will discuss when would be the best time for you to bring your new Aussie home!

Additional information about Adoption

Adoption Process - Information

When you and the right dog find each other, South Texas Aussie Rescue has an adoption contract for you to sign. A copy will be provided to you at the time of adoption as well as the dog’s medical records.

Our dogs are adopted out with what are called basic house manners. What you can expect is a dog that is house and crate trained if of age, Efforts have been made by the foster home to correct undesirable behaviors as jumping and getting on the furniture. Our dogs are not obedience trained nor do we present them as such, and we strongly urge you to enroll in a clicker training class with your new adoptee within the first month or so of your adoption. This will help to shape the behaviors that are important to you and your lifestyle and to encourage your new Aussie to be the pet you want them to be.

When adopting a dog that is in our foster care, South Texas Aussie Rescue does ask for an adoption fee. This adoption fee enables us to continue rescuing and placing Aussies. South Texas Aussie Rescue is a non-profit public benefit corporation and operates solely by donations. Our minimum adoption fee is $300. All of our Aussies are fully vetted and micro-chipped. Should you wish at any time to donate more funds to help us maintain our mission, those deductions are tax deductible.

Also, please keep in mind when inquiring about adopting an Aussie that STAR does not ship dogs to people sight unseen. Once approved for adoption and if a good match is found, potential adopters are required to meet the dog in it’s foster
home in person before deciding whether or not to adopt. This is not only in the best interest of the dogs but for the adopters as well, and we appreciate your consideration and understanding on this matter.

PLEASE NOTE: At this time, STAR has no foster homes with children. Therefore, we are unable to assist in placing our dogs with families with young children under the age of 6. We sincerely wish our foster circumstances were different, but at this time, they are not. We only have the few foster homes that volunteer their time and expertise. Please be aware that we are always in need of foster homes, and continue to “lose” Aussies in the shelters due to lack of foster space. If you are able to help, please fill out a Foster Application to be a foster home!

You will receive an acknowledgement once your application has been submitted.  Please allow at least one full week to be contacted regarding your application before contacting STAR as we are volunteers with full-time careers and families.  Should you not hear from us in a week, please use the Contact Us form to see the status of your application.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.,