Where are you located?
Most of our volunteers and foster families live in the greater Austin, Texas area. However, we also have foster homes in many parts of central and West Texas and participate in both the state and national cocker rescue networks. We do not have a central facility or shelter where cocker spaniels are housed, rather our dogs stay at individual foster homes where they receive individualized attention, training, and care.
Is it possible to adopt a dog from you if I live outside of Austin or San Antonio?
Local applications are prefered because this enables us to better monitor and provide a safety net for our adoptees and their families. We do consider applications from exceptional homes outside of our central and west Texas coverage zone as long as we can complete all the necessary application checks, we can meet the applicant in person, and the applicant has the oopportunity to meet and interact with the dog in which they are interested prior to commiting to adoption.
I want to meet a dog before I fill out an application, can I do that?
Absolutely! You can meet some of our adorable, adoptable cocker spaniels and visit with our volunteers at any of our regularly scheduled Meet the Cockers! events and at other community wide events throughout the year. Please check our calendar for event details. Not all dogs can attend every event, so please send us an email or give us a call if there is a special someone you’d like to meet.
But what if I'm not sure if I want to adopt the dog? The application is a contract, right?
The application is a tool we use to get to know more about you and your suitability as a potential adopter. We have policies regarding who is approved to adopt and who is not. The application is reviewed by several members of our group and vet references are checked. Until the application is approved and signed by both our representative and the potential adopter, it is not a contract. By filling one out, you are not obligated to adopt the dog. While we’re happy to answer any questions about the dog you may have via email or by phone (512-527-9923), we do not set up meetings outside of our scheduled events for people who have not filled out an application.
Where do the dogs come from?
Most of our dogs come from area animal shelters in central and west Texas. Occasionally we get dogs from owners who are unable or unwilling to care for them anymore.
What is wrong with them that they need rescuing?
The number one problem that is “wrong” with our dogs is that they had the misfortune of being neglected, abandoned or uncared for. Occasionally, we get some dogs who may have a medical condition or behavioral quirk. Since our dogs stay in foster homes, we usually know about these problems and will tell the potential adopter about them.
I don't want to pay or can't afford the $200 - can I have the dog for less?
Cocker Spaniel Rescue spends an average of over $350 per dog. Collection of adoption fees covers a portion of our expenses and allows us to continue to help other dogs in need. Even so, we often operate at a loss. Therefore, the fees are non-negotiable.
Why does the dog description say 'approximately 2 (or insert age)'?
We get most of our dogs from area shelters so we don’t have an exact background on any of our dogs. Unless the dog is an “owner surrender” the age estimate is just that: an estimate. This is based on the dog’s general health, activity level and physical well-being and is estimated by a Veterinarian.