PLEASE NOTE/READ: We will contact your vet for information on your pet(s) vet hisotry: being up to date on vaccines, being on HWP and routine heartworm testing. If your pet(s) are not up to date, have had large time lapses in care or were just brought up to date for adoption reasons we may not go forward with adoption. We look for solid history when it comes to vet care as we believe the care you have provided in the past is what will continue into the future.
If you do not own your home and state that you do, we will likely deny the application. If you provide a veterinarian office that has no record of you or your dogs we will likely deny your application.
GDLCF has adopted the following polices for the best interest of the Great Danes in our care. Please review each policy and if you have questions about any policy, please ask before submitting your adoption application and processing fee. Please direct questions to Cherie@gdlcf.org.
GDLCF does not cover all areas of FL; we will only adopt in areas that we can support with our volunteers. Generally we do not cover south Florida or the southwest and northwest parts of the state. We focus on Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, the Space Coast and as far south as Port St. Lucie.
Please note that we receive multiple emails and applications for the same Dane and our first priority is placing the Dane into the home that is best suited to his/her needs. You can expect the process to take up to 4 weeks (sometimes longer) from receipt of your application to the adoption of your dog, depending on if the Dane you are interested in is a good match, or if we have a suitable match currently in rescue.
About the Process: All adoption applications are either approved or denied based on a review process that includes a vet check, landlord check (if applicable), and a mandatory home visit. Your vet history is important to us as we dedicate a lot of time and funds to vet care; we want to ensure each Dane is adopted by a family that will care for whatever future needs may arise. We do not consider getting your pets up to date only as a result of submitting your application to be a solid history and can be a reason for GDLCF to decline adoption. All decisions on placing Danes in an adoptive home are based solely on the collective input of GDLCF volunteers.
APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE: We do ask that each applicant submit a $20 application processing fee; once received we will be in contact with you. The processing fee is non-refundable. You must submit the fee before or after completing the adoption application.
By applying to adopt from us, you are agreeing to each of the outlined policies.
- Puppy adoptions. Puppies require an adult at home or some type of routine to ensure the timely care they need. We rarely have surrendered puppies under the age of 5 months. When a Dane puppy does become available, all applications will be reviewed and the puppy will go to the home GDLCF feels is best equipped to take on the pup. Thank you for understanding.
2. No gifts or surprise adoptions. All adult family members must be in agreement to the adoption and present for the Home Check. Current pets also factor into the adoption equation as it must be a match across all areas, people and pets.
3. Crating is recommended. Most Danes in rescue are crate trained. The adopter must be willing to obtain a crate and crate the dog, if necessary. This is especially important when a young dog is adopted. Crates are also helpful when potty training a dog and as tool to keep a dog safe when the owner is not present to supervise the dog.
4. Intact Dogs. GDLCF typically only considers homes with spayed/neutered dogs. If you dog is intact/not spayed or neutered we may not proceed with adoption.
5. Routine care. The Adopter must agree to properly maintain the health of the dog by placing him/her on an annual check up schedule under the direction of a veterinarian. This includes providing monthly heartworm prevention and annual heartworm testing.
6. Young child concerns. Families with children under 8 years of age may only adopt a dog with a young child history. This history is either established by the original home or the foster home with children less than 8 years of age. This is done for the safety of the children as it is too great a risk otherwise.
7. Fenced Yards: Generally we require a fenced yard at least 4 foot high for all Danes; sometimes higher depending on the Dane’s needs. Unfenced yards are sometimes considered for older, more mature adults. Generally we do not consider invisible fences as an acceptable fence system. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A FENCED YARD: EMAIL Admin@gdlcf.org to see if we have any Danes that are candidates for a home without a fenced yard.
8. Out-of-State Adoptions. Generally, we do not adopt our dogs outside of Florida. Additionally, we do not support the entire state of FL. Please inquire before submitting an application!
