Frequently Asked Questions
Do you take dogs for rehoming?
All the dogs that come into Pound Hounds Rescue care are transferred to us as unclaimed stray dogs that have been held for the required period of time by the Waipa District Council or dogs that have been signed over to Animal Control by their owners. We are entirely foster dependent, so if we don't have a foster home, we cant take in a dog. Due to the sheer volume of dogs now coming through the Animal Control system, we have devoted ourselves entirely to finding homes for these Poundies and because of this, we do not take in private handovers from individuals.
How can I hand in a dog for rehoming?
I've filled in an adoption questionnaire. Why haven't you contacted me yet?
We only adopt our Pound Hounds out to the homes which best suit their needs and personalities, to give them the best chance at finding their forever home. Please do not be offended if your adoption application for a particular dog is unsuccessful.
I want a particular breed. Can you contact me when you have one?
Are the dogs free? How much does it cost to rehome a dog?
Our adoption fee is $320 - this goes a very small way to helping us recoup some of the costs of taking in and rehoming these dogs
Every dog adopted from Pound Hounds Rescue is:
- Desexed
- Microchipped on both the NDD (National Dog Database) and NZCAR (NZ Companion Animal Register)
- Vaccinated
- Vet Checked
- Registered with Waipa District Council
- Eligible for 30 days free pet insurance through Pet N Sur (only available for dogs under 6 years old)
How do I know your dogs are safe to adopt?
In all reality, just as with any dog really, you don't. However, all our dogs go through two initial temperament tests before being taken into Pound Hounds care.
Firstly they are assessed by the Animal Control team. If the dog is deemed safe by them for rehoming, then they contact us. We physically meet and assess every dog ourselves before deciding whether or not it will be suitable for going into foster care. If at any stage the dog shows aggression to humans, it is not accepted as suitable to rehome.
Once the dog is in foster care, our foster parents send us weekly updates on how the dog is doing and we continue to assess whether the dog is suitable for rehoming.
We do NOT rehabilitate dogs. We provide care, training where necessary and we help them find their new homes, but even with all our years of dog experience and even with some great dog trainers helping us out, we do not profess to be "rehabilitation experts". We believe we have a responsibility to the dogs and to the community. It is very important to us that any dog we rehome has the very best chance at their forever but only if it is safe for them and safe for their people and safe for the community.
Do you have to fix the dog before I adopt it?
What is the dog's history? Is it good with cats?
We do our best to find these things out while the Poundies are in foster care but we can pretty much tell you with certainty that there is no guarantee. Just because a dog is good with cats/kids/cows etc at their foster home, does NOT mean it will be the same for YOUR cat/kids/cows etc.
If you are interested in a particular dog, read their profile. We update our dogs profiles regularly, so what you see on the profile is pretty much everything we know about that dog right now.
What about kids, are your dogs good with kids?
Even the very best dog can snap at a child. If your child is not respectful of the dog's space, hits the dog, "cuddles" the dog or torments and teases the dog, the dog MAY react and defend itself - this isn't the dogs fault, it is simply defending itself.
This is where educating your child is SO important. Is the dog looking uncomfortable? Is it turning its head away from the child, licking it's lips or panting when it isn't hot? Is it trying to get away from the situation? Is it growling? These are all signs that the dog is uncomfortable or stressed and if the warning is not heeded, the dog may lash out. It is your responsibility as a parent to educate your child on these things, to keep them AND the dog safe.
If you would like to know more about what to look out for, or are interested in our education classes, please get in touch with us and we'll help you out.
Do I need to make an appointment to meet the Poundies?
Because we aren't a shelter and our dogs are in foster care, we don't run on an appointment basis. This means that if you are interested in meeting a particular Poundie you will need to have completed an adoption application. If we think you could be a good match, we will then contact you to arrange a meet and greet.
How long does the adoption process take?
Whenever you discuss a dog with rescue staff, the dog's needs will be explained to you so that you know what to expect and whether you and the dog are a great match. If everything appears good initially, you will then meet with the dog and if there's chemistry, we will proceed to the home check. If that all works out, then the adoption is approved and you will have a new family member!
I already have a dog, can I adopt from you?
What if I adopt from you and it doesn't work out?
We also advise all our adopters to put our contact details in as a secondary point of contact when registering your Poundies microchip - just in case!
Do you adopt to homes outside the Waikato area?
Yes! We sure do! We have kids all over the country - from right up North to all the way down in Dunedin! However, it is part of our adoption procedure that ALL potential family members be willing to attend a meet and greet with your Poundie of choice should you be selected as a potential home. This means that if you live outside the Waikato, you will be expected to come to us and meet with the Poundie before we decide if you would be the right home. You would also be expected to bring any other dogs in the home to the meet.
Why do we do this?
We understand that travelling to meet with us could potentially be expensive, however, it's important to us that we find the BEST match for our kids - not just ANY match. For this reason, we do not guarantee you will be able to adopt your Poundie of choice until we have met with you. We need to make sure that everyone in the family get along with the chosen Poundie and that all involved (you, us and the dogs!) are happy. We have had instances where people come and meet their chosen Poundie and it's just not a love match - for the Poundie or the people or the other dog in the home for whatever reason. But we always try to have another few Poundies on hand for you to meet should your chosen one not be right for you.
So if you live outside of the Waikato, please do apply if you're willing to make the trip to meet with us. We do not send our dogs off without a meet and greet first.