Home Check

Because Puppy Rescue in Spain is a non-profit charity, we rely on our network of local volunteers to help us determine if a potential adopter should be approved for a puppy.

If your pre-application form is approved, a home check will be the next step in the adoption procedure. A volunteer will contact you to schedule a time to visit. It is important to note that if you are using facebook, you should regularly check your “message requests” or “filtered messages” for correspondence from a PRS volunteer. If you are checking your FB messages via a mobile phone, you will need to open Facebook from a browser to see these messages. If you don’t get a message within 7 days, please send PRS a message, and we will figure out where the communication breakdown is occurring.

We do require that all adult members of the family be present for the home visit. If a spouse is deployed or in the field, we will need to conduct a separate phone/video interview with them in addition to your home check.

You do not need to purchase puppy supplies prior to a home visit.  We encourage families to wait until they have been offered an adoption contract before  purchasing additional supplies.

A home check serves several purposes.

  1. To verify your identity via passport or military ID. We need this information for the puppy to travel within the European Union, and will need to be provided again during the puppy’s delivery.
  2. To see if your home would be puppy appropriate. Generally we are most concerned if you have a secure yard. The lack of a secure yard does not exclude you from applying, but it will make raising a puppy significantly more challenging,  and you will not be permitted to adopt PRS’s more active/larger pups.
  3. To conduct an informal interview. There are many ways to raise a puppy in a loving home. Our main concern is that adopters are prepared for and aware of the amount of work involved in raising a puppy. Historically rescue groups and shelters have had issues with families adopting puppies, and then re-homing their puppies within the first year. The home check interview helps us determine if you are a high-risk applicant.

We recommend that prior to your home check, your family consider the following questions:

  • How do you intend to continue the puppy’s housebreaking training?
  • Where will the puppy be when unattended? (errands, nighttime, etc)
  • Who will watch the puppy when you are out of town?
  • Puppies are very playful, and typically nip. How will you respond when your puppy nips at a family member or guest?
  • If you have children, your children will need to be taught how to interact with the puppy. What rules will you give them?
  • Puppies will need to be taught how to behave in your home. What behaviors are you looking for, and how will you teach them?

We do encourage you to utilize the many resources available online to help you answer these questions. We want you to know what to expect. Raising a puppy is very rewarding, but it is also very hard work.