Why does BHS ask for an approved application before a meet and greet?

BHS is a foster-based rescue, which means our fosters work really hard at their day jobs, then come home and take care of their foster animal(s). We don’t want our fosters to take time away from their already busy schedules if an applicant wouldn’t be approved to adopt with us, or is not really serious about adopting. Our application does not mean you must adopt the animal you are interested in. The application simply tells us you are seriously looking for your next forever pet and that you would be approved to adopt from us.

I filled out my application, now what?

All BHS adoption applications are sent over to our adoption committee. The approval process can take a couple days based on how quickly your references get back to us, so please be patient. Once your references have been called, including your current or previous veterinarian, and your application has been approved, you will get a phone call. This call will come from a BHS representative – it will either be from the foster themselves or a member of the adoption committee. This individual will then try to facilitate scheduling a meet and greet with you and the pet you have applied for during a time that is convenient for you. They should also be able to answer any questions you may have about the animal(s) you are interested in adopting.

Will BHS hold an animal?

BHS is not a first-come, first-serve facility. We pride ourselves in finding the best fit for each of the animals in our care. Our main goal is to get them forever loving homes. With that being said, the overpopulation of animals in our area does not permit for long holds on our adoptable animals. If we hold an animal for you to adopt, then we are not able to take in another animal in need. This question is not black and white and you should list your intent on your adoption application and talk it over with the foster.

Can I adopt an animal that is not spayed/neutered outside of Bedford County?

Yes! Any county that touches Bedford County is a contiguous county and if you live in one of those bordering counties we can still adopt to you without the animal being spayed/neutered. These animals are adopted out with spay/neuter contracts that have a deadline and a deposit requirement. If you live outside of Bedford County and not in a contiguous county, then we would not be able to adopt an unaltered pet to you. We would still encourage you to fill out an application as the animal may be right at the line and possibly could be old/big enough to be altered for the adoption. We do try to hold off and make sure we aren’t altering animals too soon, as it is medically better for them.

How much does it cost to adopt from BHS?

Well that depends – this is also not going to be a black and white answer. It can cost anywhere from $175 to $275 to adopt a dog from BHS. The adoption fees can be lower or higher for seniors, breed, or medical conditions. BHS strives to set adoption fees according to the funds invested in each individual animal causing fees to vary. Our cats range from $50 to $100. If you seriously want to adopt from us and think you are the perfect fit for the animal you are interested in, we encourage you to fill out an application and discuss prices with the foster at the time of the meet and greet. Our animals are not free; no matter who you adopt, there will be an adoption fee. These fees cover the animal’s spay/neuter surgery, all vaccines, any medication that may have been needed, microchipping, and food for the animal for the duration of its stay in a BHS foster home.

Who do I contact if I have found a stray animal?

You need to contact the Bedford County Animal Shelter at 540-586-7690 or Bedford County Animal Control at 540-586-7827. BHS does not take strays of any kind. There are state required hold times for these animals and they need to be taken to or reported to the correct facility. When owners look for their missing animals they will contact these two entities to find them, not BHS. BHS only takes strays from the Bedford County Shelter once their stray hold is up, and we have paperwork transferring the animal into our custody. If you live outside of Bedford County you will need to contact the shelter for your county as strays cannot be taken outside of their jurisdiction.

Can I get veterinary care at BHS?

No, we do not veterinary care here. Any veterinary care needed for our fosters is outsourced to local veterinary clinics. We work in conjunction with these clinics to get our animals taken care of. We are not able to perform any veterinary services whatsoever. We do offer a low cost shuttle to a spay/neuter clinic; all we do is book the appointments for the shuttle and stay for animals to be put on the shuttle and picked up. Again, we have nothing to do with any of their veterinary care. If you are in need of veterinary services, you will need to contact a veterinary clinic.