This form is not yet accepting submissions. The application below has been restored from the archive so you can read what is asked, but it is not connected to a mailbox. To apply, please email northatlanticwr@gmail.com.
Thank you for your interest in fostering or adopting a dog in need from North Atlantic Westie Rescue. Please fill out the following application to be considered for fostering or adoption. Only applications that meet our criteria and are fully completed will receive a response. Please allow 5 business days for a response, as we are run by volunteers who work full-time jobs outside of our organization. North Atlantic Westie Rescue does not accept adoption inquiries by phone.
IMPORTANT: Do not fill out this application if you do not meet the following eligibility criteria:
- You must be 18 years of age or older
- You must own your own home or would be willing to obtain a letter from your landlord stating you are allowed to have a dog
- You live in either Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Connecticut for at least nine months out of the year
We are currently not placing dogs in New Jersey or New York due to low volume of volunteers in those areas. We are hoping to re-open those programs in the coming months. If you live in one of these states, please contact our Executive Director (ksautter@gmail.com) for a referral to another program.
We also strongly encourage those prospective adopters or fosters who meet the following criteria to first send an email inquiry to our Executive Director (ksautter@gmail.com) before filling out the application. These are not “deal breakers” but require discussion before we will consider your application. We do not want to discourage your application, but we want to respect your time in filling out our lengthy application. There are applicant criteria that are flags for us, and it’s best to discuss those flags before you make the investment in our process.
- Requires a dog under the age of 5 (note that we rarely have dogs under 5 available for adoption)
- Requires a female dog (note that we rarely have female dogs available for adoption)
- Has children under the age of 10 residing in or visiting the home regularly
- Have ever lost a dog due to an accident, negligence, or theft
- Have euthanized a dog for biting, aggression, or diagnosis of a treatable condition
- Have not owned a dog previously
- Have not owned a Westie or terrier previously (if interested in adopting a Westie only)
- Owns a cat (almost all our dogs do not like or will attack our feline friends)
In placing our dogs in adoptive or foster homes, we consider the needs of our dogs before any other factor. Our adoptive placement process takes 2-3 weeks on average but can be longer depending on whether we have an appropriate dog for your situation. In some cases, you may have to wait a few months for a dog. We have more applicants than we have dogs. We are not first come, first serve. We take the responsibility of placement very seriously quite simply because our dogs have been through a lot in their lives. We want to make sure they are going to the right home.
For foster homes, you may wait several months before an opportunity to foster comes up. Assignments vary between a few days and several months. We will work with you to ensure the foster we place with you will do well in your home setting based on your time, skills, and experience. All of our foster parents have the option to adopt their foster dog with approval by the Executive Director before adoptive applicants are considered!
- 11 sectionsIn the full application
- 73 questionsIncluding optional ones
- 5 business daysTypical time to a response
- 6 statesMaine to Connecticut
What the application asks
Adoption Criteria
- Are you 18 years of age or older?*Yes · No
- Do you own your own home or would be able to obtain a letter from your landlord stating you are allowed to have a dog?*Yes · No
- Do you reside in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, or New Jersey?*Yes · No
Your Contact Information
- Phone*Short answer
- Email*Short answer
Dog Preferences
- Why do you wish to adopt a dog from North Atlantic Westie Rescue?*Written answer
- Are you interested in adopting a specific dog listed on our website, Petfinder, or Facebook?If you know the name of dog you want to adopt, please name the dog here.Short answer
- Would you be willing to adopt a dog needing housetraining?*Yes · No
- Do you prefer a male or female dog?*Male · Female · No preference
- What age range of dog are you willing to consider?*Check all that apply. Please note that our dogs are generally over the age of 6. Adopters looking for a dog under age 7 may have to wait several months before a dog becomes available.Under 1 · 1-3 years · 4-6 years · 7-9 years · 10-12 years · Older than 12 years
- Would you be willing to adopt a dog requiring basic obedience training?*We strongly encourage all our adopters to attend obedience training.Yes · No · Not sure
- Would you be willing to adopt a dog with a bite history?*Many of our dogs have a history of biting, but not all bites are created equal. Some bites are caused by human neglect or abuse.Yes · No · Not sure
- Would you be willing to adopt a dog with a chronic medical condition such as Addison’s disease, Cushing’s disease, diabetes, or skin problems?*Yes · No · Not sure
- Are you willing to consider a mixed breed dog or dog that is not a Westie?*Yes · No · Maybe
- Would you be willing to adopt a bonded pair of dogs?*Yes · No · Not sure
- Have you ever owned a dog before?*Yes · No
Where Would Your Dog Live
- Do you own or rent your home?*I rent my home · I own my own home · Someone else rents my home · Some else owns my home
- How many years have you lived in your current home?*Short answer
- How would you best describe the setting around your home?*Urban · Suburban · Rural
- Do you have a completely fenced in yard?*Only answer Yes if your fenced in space is completely secure.Yes · No
- Do you have a pool or hot tub?*Yes · No
- How many adults live in your home?Short answer
- How many children live in your home?Short answer
- Are any of the children in your household under the age of 10?*Yes · No
- Do children regularly visit you (e.g., grandchildren, friend’s or neighbor’s children)?*Age 10 and younger.Yes · No
- Is anyone in your household allergic to dogs?Yes · No
- Does anyone in your household smoke?Yes · No
- Does anyone in your household have asthma?Yes · No · Not sure
Primary Caretaker
- Who will serve as the dog’s primary caretaker?*Short answer
- Does the primary caretaker have experience taking care of dogs?*Yes · No
- Please describe the primary caretaker’s experience taking care of dogs.*Written answer
- Is the Primary Caretaker capable of exercising a dog? (e.g., taking walks)*Yes · No · Not sure
- Is the Primary Caretaker willing to take the dog to obedience training?*Yes · No · Not sure
- Does the job of the Primary Caretaker require frequent out of town travel?*Yes · No · Not sure
- Who will care for the dog when the Primary Caretaker is out of town?*Short answer
- Is the Primary Caretaker subject to relocation?*Yes · No
- What would you do with the dog if the Primary Caretaker moved?*Short answer
- Who will care for the dog if the Primary Caretaker is no longer able to care for the dog?*We ask this question because a handful of our adopters have passed away or become very ill. We encourage every adopter to make a plan for your pet in those circumstances, and to be assured that the rescue will always be available to take the dog back into our program as needed. Many people put our organization in their will to ensure their pet has a place to go in case of tragedy.Short answer
How Would You Care For Your Dog
- How long will the dog be without humans daily?*Short answer
- How long will the dog be alone during evenings?*Short answer
- Where will the dog be housed while alone?*Short answer
- Where will the dog sleep at night?*Short answer
- How often will you leash your dog when it is not in a secured area (e.g., a fenced yard or house)?*Yes, always without exception · Yes, but if the dog is obedient, I would allow it to be off leash · No, I plan to keep my dog off leash under these circumstances
- How do you plan to exercise your dog?*Written answer
- Do you plan to use a tie-out, dog run, or allow your dog the run of a fenced in/secured space unsupervised?*Yes · No · Not sure
- Please describe in detail what you will do to ensure the physical safety of your dog.*Written answer
- Do you have any objections to providing rabies vaccination or other veterinary immunizations as required by your state’s law?*NAWR advises adopters to comply with all state laws regarding vaccination, especially rabies. We also recommend your pets be vaccinated for distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and Leptospirosis. Your veterinarian will advise you whether additional vaccinations are warranted.Yes · No · Not sure
- Do you have any objections to spaying or neutering your dog?*Yes · No · Not sure
- How do you plan to care for the medical needs of your dog?*Written answer
- What would you do if your dog bit a person? Please tell us how you would handle a bite, including any individual or organization you would contact for help.*Written answer
- Would you ever euthanize your dog for negative behavior?*There are legitimate reasons where euthanasia is reasonable option to handle negative behavior (e.g., unremitting aggression toward people). There is no right answer to this question, but we require all adopters to think through the scenarios where this question is likely to come up.Yes · No · Not sure
- Please explain the circumstances that would prompt you to consider euthanizing your dog.*There are circumstances where your veterinarian may recommend euthanasia for a behavioral health condition. NAWR considers each circumstance unique, but wants to ensure our adopters are prepared for situations where this question may come up. The rescue is available for consultation if a situation arises where euthanasia is being considered. In most cases, NAWR will accept the dog back into our program if the only alternative is euthanasia.Written answer
Pets in Your Household
- Please list the breed, age, and gender of all the dogs in your household. If you do not have any pets currently, tell us about your last pet.Written answer
- Do you have any cats?*If you answered yes to this question, be aware that the majority of the dogs in our program consider cats to be prey. We will not place a dog with a household containing cats if the dog in question is inclined to harm cats.Yes · No
- Do you have any pet small animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, or mice?*Yes · No
- Are all the animals in your household current on vaccinations?*Yes · No
Veterinary Reference
- Name of Veterinarian or Veterinary ClinicWe require one current veterinary reference. If your pet is deceased, list your last known vet. If you have never owned a dog or other pet before, please skip this question.Short answer
- Vet Phone NumberShort answer
- What pet(s) would this veterinarian or veterinary clinic associate with your name?Short answer
Personal References
- Name of First Reference*Short answer
- Phone Number of First Reference*Short answer
- What is the best time to reach the First reference?*Daytime · Evenings
- Relationship to First Reference*Short answer
- Name of Second Reference*Short answer
- Phone Number of Second Reference*Short answer
- What is the best time to reach the Second Reference?*Daytime · Evenings
- Relationship to Second Reference*Short answer
- Name of Third ReferenceShort answer
- Phone Number of Third ReferenceShort answer
- What is the best time to reach the Third Reference?Daytime · Evenings
- Relationship to Third ReferenceShort answer
Fostering
- Are you willing to serve as a foster home?Yes · No · Maybe
Submit Your Application
- The information I have provided in this application is true and complete. I understand that completion of an adoption agreement and a minimum donation of $200 is a requirement of adoption. I understand that any misrepresentation of facts in this application, failure to sign and return the adoption agreement, or failure to pay the minimum adoption fee will result in removal by Westie Rescue of any dog adopted from them, and I agree to immediately surrender physical custody of the dog in that circumstance.*By checking this box, I indicate my agreement with the statement above
How to apply right now
The form above is a restored copy and is not connected to a mailbox. To apply, email us and we will send you the current application.
This page has been restored from the organization’s own website as it was archived by the Internet Archive. The information reflects the site as of March 2025 and has not been independently re-confirmed. Please contact us to check anything time-sensitive.