Adopt a Samoyed: What to Know
First, we really want to help you find a Samoyed. If we didn’t think this is the best breed on earth we wouldn’t be doing rescue work.
Key things to know before applying to adopt:
Our geographic area: Washington, Oregon and northern Idaho
Northwest Samoyed Rescue only places dogs in Washington, Oregon, and northern Idaho. If you live outside our area, we will be unable to consider your application. If that’s the case, please visit https://www.samoyed.org/rescontacts/ to find a Samoyed rescue in your area.
How frequently Samoyeds are available
In recent years Northwest Samoyed Rescue has placed on average about 1 dog per month. That’s an average, however, and our typical pattern is to see dogs become available in surges (even if from different sources), meaning an adoption application can be on file for several months or even over a year before there’s a match.
What types of Samoyeds are available (puppies vs. older dogs)
If you’re looking for a puppy or young dog, it’s unlikely we will be able to help you as young dogs are seldom in rescue. Many people set on a puppy will look to Samoyed breeders for their next dog (and we have some resources on finding the right Samoyed breeder). If you have room in your heart for a senior dog, or even a middle-aged dog, we really want to hear from you because those are the dogs who need homes.
What types of home are the best match
Based on our experience with the breed and the rescue / placement process, we give preference to potential adoption environments that match these criteria:
- Adopters experienced with the breed
- Homes with fenced yards (note that “invisible fences” do not qualify)
- Condos / townhomes / apartments with ready access to exercise and elimination areas
- Environments where the dog’s “home alone” time will be minimized
The adoption process and timeframe
You must agree to a home visit in advance of adoption so one of our volunteers can verify whether it will be a good environment for a rescue Samoyed, and better match the right dog with the right environment. While a specific dog on our available dogs page often catalyzes an adoption application and home visit, we are unable to promise prospective adopters any specific dog in advance.
We get far more adoption applications than available dogs, so the time between an application and a home visit and then a match with an available Samoyed can be months, sometimes even years. It can also be weeks if your application is especially well suited to a newly available Samoyed. If more than a year has passed, we’ll occasionally reach out to ask if you’re still interested in adopting.
Adoption fees
On adoption, we ask for an adoption fee of $500. If a dog has had extraordinary costs we may ask for a higher amount. Our goal is to break even. We also require a signed adoption agreement. If a dog is not yet spayed or neutered, we will ask for an additional $500 deposit to be refunded on proof of spaying or neutering post-adoption.
The fostering option
If you’re not quite ready to add a Samoyed to your household on a permanent basis, you may want to consider fostering a rescue Samoyed (more about fostering here). Fosters are among the most valuable resources in rescue, and another great way to help Samoyeds find their forever homes.
Please gauge your level of commitment before applying
Regardless of the path you take, we do ask that you consider your level of commitment in advance of applying, and discuss the prospect with your family / significant other / housemates / incumbent Samoyeds in advance. Vetting potential adopters is a significant investment on the part of rescue, and while we recognize that “life happens,” stability is an essential component of ensuring we can connect our Samoyeds to the best possible forever homes.
If, with all that information in hand, you’d like to apply to adopt, we’d love to hear from you.
Ready to adopt?