Standards for Adoption

1. Adopter agrees to a home check as a condition for adoption.

2. Adopter shall keep the adopted dog as a household pet at adopter's residence and not use it for breeding or as a guard dog or hunting dog.  A fenced yard is required except for the case of an apartment/condo dwelling.

3. An invisible fence is not acceptable.  Scent hounds and sight hounds will go right through it.
   

4. Adopter agrees to provide proper food, fresh water, adequate shelter and  indoor sleeping quarters for the dog. All dogs are spayed/neutered prior to adoption.

5. Adopter shall provide the animal with necessary veterinary care upon sickness, disease or injury,  yearly innoculations as recommended by attending veterinarian, provide monthly heartworm preventative,  and license adopting dog in accordance with state and local laws.

6. Adopter acknowledges that beagles cannot be trusted off-lead except in enclosed areas.  Adopter will NOT permit the dog to run free or off-leash or out of immediate control.  The adopted dog will never be "tied out" or "staked out" or "penned out".  

7. Prior to this adoption, adopter will provide adequate fencing around any  swimming pool to prevent adopted dog's entry into the pool.

8. Adopter  will NOT transport the dog in an open pickup truck bed or boat.

9. Adopter agrees that adopted dog will wear a collar with current rabies tag and ID tag.

10. Adopter agrees that adopted animal shall not be used for medical or any experimental purposes.

11. Adopter agrees to notify  Beagle Maryland^� at least ONE week prior to any change of address.

12. If adopted dog is lost of stolen,  adopter shall notify Beagle Rescue of Southern Maryland, Inc., within 3 days. 

13. If for any reason , adopted dog cannot be kept by adopter, adopter agrees to return it to Beagle Maryland^�.  Adopter agrees that adopted dog cannot be given away, sold or exchanged, leased, or in any way be out of the direct care of the adopter without prior written permission of Beagle Maryland^�. 

14. Beagle Maryland^�  requests a donation of $400 to cover veterinary and other expenses involved in the rescue and placement of dogs.

15. Adopter releases Beagle Maryland^� from all liability for injury or damage sustained while adopted dog is in possession of adopter. 

16. Adopter must be an adult.

17. We WILL conduct background checks including; criminal, property, and vet checks along with a home visit.  No exceptions! We will NOT place any dog into a situation where violence is part of the family history, or a home where pets have not been routinely kept current on their vaccines and heartworm testing and preventative.