Six steps between the pet you spotted and the pet asleep on your couch. Here is exactly what happens at each one, who does it, and what we will ask you for along the way.
The application asks for a few things you may need to look up. Having them in hand keeps it to a single sitting.
Your veterinarian
The clinic name and phone number for the vet who sees your pets or who saw them in the past. A volunteer will call them.
Your landlord, if you rent
Name and phone number. The application asks for them, so we know a pet is welcome where you live.
Personal references
People who can speak to how you would care for an animal. Let them know we may be in touch.
Everyone at home
The application asks how the whole household feels about a new pet, including children and the animals you already have.
Start here
The whole process, start to finish
Every adoption follows the same six steps in the same order. Nothing here happens behind your back, and you can ask the volunteer handling your application questions at any point along the way.
1
You
Find your pet
Browse the cats and dogs currently looking for homes or come meet them in person at one of our adoption events. Every C2CND pet lives in a volunteer foster home, so the person who knows them best is the person feeding them breakfast.
You do not have to choose a pet before applying, but you must complete the application before adopting.
You can apply from a pet's profile, and they will be automatically attached to your application.
You can ask the foster anything. They have lived with the animal and they will tell you the truth.
One application covers everything from household members to veterinary care. Only the questions that actually apply to you appear, so expect to answer around 30 of them.
You will not be charged a fee, and there is no obligation to adopt if approved.
You must be 21 or older to adopt. The adoption contract is a legal agreement and 21 is our minimum age for adopters.
You will be emailed confirmation once your application is received.
A volunteer calls your current or previous veterinarian as well as your references to ensure that your animals have received proper care.
You need to let your vet know that the rescue will be calling, and give them permission to speak to us. Not doing so in a timely manner will hold up the process.
4
Together
Home visit
A volunteer reaches out to arrange a home visit, either in-person or virtual. This is not an inspection of your housekeeping. We are looking at how the adoptee will actually fit into your home.
You and the volunteer will schedule a time that works for you both.
You should select a time when all household members and pets are present.
You can use this time to ask any questions or voice concerns.
5
C2CND
The decision
Once steps 1 through 4 have been completed, a volunteer will call to share the outcome and answer any questions.
You should hear from a volunteer within a week of completion.
You may be declined for a specific animal, but not from adoption.
6
Together
Contract and adoption fee
The adoption contract is signed in-person; at the same time, the adoption fee is collected. The contract is a commitment to care for the animal for the rest of their life, and it is the point at which they become yours.
You should be prepared to take your new pet home after the signing and payment.
The fee is due at adoption, not before. See what it covers below.
✓
Home at last
You now have a new family member and have done your part to keep this rescue going. Because of you, the foster has the ability to take in another animal in need of a home.
Due at adoption, once you have been approved. There is no charge to apply.
NEEDS CONFIRMATION — this figure comes from C2CND's own adoption process letter and applies to dogs. Please confirm the current fee, and whether cats, kittens, puppies, seniors or bonded pairs are different.
What the fee covers
Spay or neuter
Heartworm test
Microchip
Age-appropriate vaccinations
C2CND is a nonprofit and the fee required is only to recover the expenses already incurred to save, vaccinate and spay/neuter the animal. The fee is necessary to save the next animal.— C2CND adoption and foster information
Every animal leaves us altered
Every pet C2CND adopts out is spayed or neutered. If an animal is too young or too small for surgery at the time of adoption, C2CND makes sure it still happens.
What we promise, what we ask
What we promise you
Every adopter gets the same from us.
An honest account of the animal, including the parts that are hard. Nothing is hidden to close an adoption.
Their medical history as we know it, and any care that is still outstanding.
Time with the person who has actually lived with them.
A straight answer if we do not think this particular animal is right for your home, and help finding one who is.
A volunteer you can reach after the adoption, not just before it.
What we ask of you
Adoption is a commitment for the animal's whole life.
Answer the application honestly. There is no wrong answer that costs you the adoption; a wrong answer that hides a bad match costs the animal.
Keep their vaccinations and veterinary care current for life.
Give them time to settle. A rescued animal in a new home is not themselves for the first few weeks.
Come back to us first if your circumstances ever change. We would always rather help than find out later.
Send us a photo now and then. It is the only payment our volunteers ever get.
Questions people ask
Do I have to pick a pet before I apply?
No. The application works perfectly well with no pet attached, and a volunteer will help you find the right match. If you already have someone in mind, apply from their profile and they are attached for you.
Is there a fee to apply?
No. Applying is free and puts you under no obligation. The adoption fee is due only at adoption, after you have been approved and met the animal.
How long does it take?
About a week is typical, but it depends on how quickly we can reach your veterinarian and your references. That is the step that most often holds things up, which is why we ask you to warn them.
Can I meet the pet before I decide?
Yes. Come and see us at one of our adoption events, or ask the volunteer handling your application. Introductions are always arranged through C2CND, so please do not approach a foster home directly to set one up.
Can I apply for more than one pet?
Apply for the one you are most interested in. Applying for one pet never rules out another, and if you see someone else who might be a fit, tell the volunteer who contacts you.
Who actually reads my application?
A volunteer, by hand. There is no system scoring you. There is a person reading your answers somewhere between their own job and their own foster pets, which is also why we ask for a few days' patience.
For the C2CND team — please review before this page goes live
This page was written from C2CND's own documents. These are the points those documents do not settle, and each one is a policy only the adoption coordinator can confirm.
Adoption fees. The $200 above is the dog fee from the adoption process letter. What is it today, and do cats, kittens, puppies, seniors or bonded pairs differ?
Eligibility. Is there a fenced-yard requirement, a landlord-approval requirement, a minimum age above 18, or a limit on how far from Charlotte you will adopt?
Timing. Is "about a week" still accurate for application to decision?
Home visit. Is it required for every adoption, or only some?
References. How many personal references, and are family members accepted?
The contract. Does it require an adopter to return the animal to C2CND rather than rehome them privately? If so, this page should say so plainly.
If it does not work out. Is there a trial period or a return window we should publish?
Declined applications. Is there a way to appeal or re-apply that we should describe?
Where people meet the pets. This page deliberately names no store. The 2015 letter says Petco in Huntersville; the current website says PetSmart. Which is it, and what are the hours?
Talking to the foster. This page tells an adopter they can ask the foster anything, but not how. Does the foster call them, do questions go through the volunteer handling the application, or does it only happen at an event or the home visit?
Sources used: C2CND's adoption process letter, the adoption and foster information sheet, and the questions the online application already asks. Nothing on this page was invented, but the documents are from 2014 and 2015.
Ready when you are
The application takes one sitting and costs nothing. If you would rather talk to a person first, that is fine too.
