Thank you for your interest in adopting or providing foster care for one or more of our dogs. We welcome adoption applications from both in and out-of-state residents and foster care applicants from anywhere within South Carolina or southern North Carolina. Please read our current policies:

• To adopt or foster, you must be at least 21 years old, financially able and emotionally ready to take on the responsibility of a dog.

  ~ Adopters: bear in mind that, depending on a dog's breed and health, your companion will likely live to be 10 to 15 years or older. Dogs are sentient, social beings who form strong attachments. Be sure you're ready for a long-term commitment.

  ~ Foster parents: we will pay or reimburse you for any vet exams, medical treatment or medications needed while a dog is in your care, but we ask you to provide food and other day-to-day necessities. Because Save the Strays is a public charity, you may deduct these costs on your income tax return.

• An adult who will actually own, provide care and be responsible for the dog must complete our application. We do not permit adoptions on behalf of / as surprise gifts to others (except by parents for their minor children). You may complete an application for another adult who does not have access to / feel comfortable using a computer, but we must be able to contact that person to verify that they actually want to adopt a dog and are willing and able to take on the responsibility. It's not fair - to the person or the dog - to surprise someone with a pet they didn't want.

• We require adopters to sign a contract agreeing to spay or neuter the pet by the age of six months, if it was too young to be altered at time of adoption; to return it to Save the Strays if, at any time, for any reason, they are unable to keep or no longer want it; to provide regular veterinary check-ups, vaccinations and all necessary care for their pet; and to keep dogs on heartworm prevention year-round.

• Out-of-state adopters are responsible for their adopted pet's transportation. If you cannot drive here to pick up your pet, you can hire a professional pet transport service. In some cases, we may be able to arrange volunteer transportation to your general area (although we cannot guarantee this). If we are able to arrange volunteer transportation, you will have to pay for your pet's health exam and health certificate; harness, leash and collar; and a gas surcharge, in addition to the adoption fee. You may also be expected to drive an hour or more to meet the volunteer transport at its final destination.

• We offer discounted adoption fees to retirees 65 years and older; to people who adopt more than one dog at a time; and to repeat adopters.

• To ensure that both our dogs and our adopters are happy with their new living arrangements, we consider the first two weeks following adoption a trial period. Your entire adoption fee is fully refundable if you bring an adopted pet and all of its records/paperwork back to us during that time.

Ready to proceed? Just click below to complete our brief online application. We will acknowledge your application by return email as soon as we receive it. (If you do not get an acknowledgement within 24 hours, please resubmit your application or call us at 843-334-8459 to make sure we received it.)

                            

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