ADOPTION
GUIDELINES

We care about you and we care about our dogs. Our guidelines are to make certain your adopted dog will be happy and safe in your home, and to make the best match possible for you both.  For​ our purposes, the word "trainer" means the professional person who comes into the prison to teach the inmates how to train the dogs. 

• Adopters must live within a 125-mile radius of Lockhart.​​

• The dog will be ready to go home after training is complete. If the trainer thinks the dog has learned the basics, the dog may be able to go home sooner.

• Dog adoption must be a family decision with adults committing to the care and supervision of the dog.

• Our goal is to match the right dog with the right person, couple, or family, however, we reserve the right to refuse any adoption at our discretion.

• All potential adopters must complete an Adoption Application.  

• After your application is received, a Paws in Prison representative will contact you to discuss next steps.

• If you are renting, you must supply proof that a pet is allowed, such as a letter from the landlord with contact information included or a copy of the lease.

• Unless you live in an apartment, you must have a yard with a physical fence (no electric fences). However, we do not advocate leaving dogs outdoors unsupervised.  That was the life most dogs escaped from and we don't want them to go to the lonely life of being an outside dog.  We only adopt to homes where the dog lives indoors with their new family.

• Some dogs are suited for apartment life while others are not.  We want to assist you in finding the dog that is the right match for your lifestyle.  If you do live in an apartment, you must commit to regular exercise for your dog.

• Keep in mind that dog adoption is a commitment for the lifetime of the dog. For this reason, we only adopt to the person who will be the dog owner and not someone who wants to give the dog to someone else. 

• If you currently have a dog(s), all your dogs must be current on vaccinations, on heartworm preventative and spayed/neutered.  If you have had a dog in the last 5 years or currently have a dog(s), we will do a vet reference check after receipt of your application.  We will verify all veterinary references prior to adoption.

• When evaluating our dogs, take into consideration the ages of children and the activity level of the family that will best suit the age, health, and temperament of the dog.

• After we have received and reviewed your application, a Paws in Prison representative will contact you to set up a home visit and arrange a time for you to meet the dog at the prison.  If you currently have a dog(s), you are required to bring your dog(s) to the prison for the meet & greet also so we can evaluate the temperament of the existing dogs with the new dog.

• After all adoption steps have been completed (application, vet reference, prison meet and greet visit, home visit), you will be required to sign our adoption contract.  You will also be required to pay the $325 adoption fee (includes spay-neuter, previous heartworm preventative medication, immunizations, and the microchip enrollment fee).

• Should you need to return your pet within the first 10 days of adoption, please contact us. You will need to return your dog to the prison or to a location set up by the administration.  If the return is outside of daytime business hours, please keep your dog safe and cared for until return arrangements can be made.

• If a dog is returned and you request a refund of your adoption donation, one will be mailed to you if your request is within 10 days of the adoption date.

• We never want your dog to be homeless again.  If for some reason you cannot care for your dog any longer, please return him/her to us and we will try to find a new home.  However, your donation cannot be refunded after 10 days of adoption because at that point it has been used to save more dogs.

• Because we sometimes have to assist new Owners and adopted dogs with their transition and because we have limited volunteer resources, we will have to limit all adoptions to within a 125-mile radius of the Lockhart prison.   

• Our dogs are trained by the inmates for 8-10 weeks in basic obedience skills before being eligible for adoption.  This gives them a great foundation for starting their new life with you.  Should your new pet develop any issues after adoption, you may need to seek additional training.  In prison, we cannot expose them to every possible situation that may arise in a home environment.​