Policy On Age Ranges for Adoption:

It is the policy of SWFHR to make it possible for all to give their time to a noble cause. But we do have a policy on age ranges which are listed below: If you are:

• [18+] --> Can officially adopt
• [under 18] --> Can not officially adopt but an imediate guardian can. Provided they go through the adoption precheck and participation requirements too.
  • Guardian units must be fully involved 
  • Official responsibility lies in the hands of the guardian

COVID-19... a concern not to be taken lightly, we've taken steps to reduce our staff and current volunteer's exposure to new people, at least at our facility:

• Masks are currently not a requirement at SWFHR.  Adoption visitors may wear whatever protection they care to but our staff will not. If you are sick we reserve the right to refuse entry for you until you are better.

The need for your information helps in 2 ways. 

1. it provides us with information so we may narrow your request so we don't waste each other's time showing you horses that don't meet your request
2. if we don't have anything for your request we can suggest for you join our OERA Project program for Horses In-need Of Homes.  Read more about the OERA Project, a program based on the principle that we can not take in every horse but we want to help.

We get calls all the time from people looking to re-home their equine(s) yet our capacity limitations are generally exceeded 98% of the time. The purpose of the Adoption Intent Form is to make it possible for the equines that we physically cannot take in to have a chance of being paired up with potential adopters that may not find what they are looking for at our facility.

If you choose to be part of our OERA Project program your request stays active for 1 month allowing the chance we might find a horse for you and your request.

After 1 month we will mark your request as not active unless otherwise requested.

Normal Volunteer Hours are either 7 or 8 am (depending on the day) to Sundown daily. In special circumstances, volunteers may start earlier than 7 am.

On average most volunteers come out 1 to 3 days a week.

The amount of volunteering time on any given day, depending on the shift a volunteer covers when they come out.

• AM Shift is about 4-6 hours
• PM Shift is about 2-4 hours

AM Shift - starts at either 7 or 8 am depending on the day.

We respect that not everyone has the property to directly possess a horse.  Boarding is a reasonable option that we may accept under these guidelines

• should any inspected boarding facility fail, the requester accepts to find a new place
• we understand boarding facilities may not be open to inspection from a horse rescue
  
  • if this is the case, you will have to find a new location
• we will not insist on a facility to repair or construct anything, beyond that which would be considered a respectable amount of safety failures. Detailed as:
  • Barbed wire on any part of the fence
    • yes even the old school top line barbed wire
  • Fence condition
    • rotten or weak points
    • mended or weak joins
    • loose or unsecured
    • protrusions of danger
      • nails
      • stapes 
    • dangerous design
      • anything less than 3 rung fence is beyond dangerous for containment
    •  

Words or rather the choice of words can change the meaning of everything.  In what we do, you will NEVER hear us use the word SELL but rather ADOPT.  We consider the word sell as void of compassion for something with a sole or living character.

There a few different fees a potential adopter may need to consider when adopting any equine.

ADOPTION FEE: 

• (since 2012) a standard adoption fee of $350.00 has been in place
• to be paid in full only on the date of transportation during adoption contract signing
  • there is no pre-payment holds
  • all the way to the point of payment an adoption may be denied
    • so we certainly don't need to deal with the return of money
• the Adoption Fee can be considered as a donation.
  • a receipt will be provided for you to discuss with your accountant

TRAINING FEE:

TRANSPORTATION FEE:

We will perform a background check on all who will have contact with the equine.

• direct family only
• if found, that someone associated with the requester that will be in direct contact with an adopted horse, has character or criminal flaws within our guidelines we reserve the right to deny any applicant.

Once following through with a visit to the SWFHR facility… if you’ve found an equine you are considering to adopt at this point you will start the application process by filling out an Adoption Application.  Some key points to mention about the application are as follows:

• You may board an adopted equine but note we will inspect the boarding facility.
• We will perform a background check on all who have contact with the equine.
• If not boarding an adopted equine, you must allow a property inspection for approval.
• Currently, contracts are binding for a year.
• We do not sell equines! We do require an adoption donation which can be deductible on your taxes to the extent of the law.

After your application, has been approved you will finalize things by completing the Adoption Agreement with SWFHR.

• We do offer transportation for a fee above and beyond the adoption donation. The fee will be determined at the time of Agreement.

One (1) year after adoption you will be required to submit an Annual Health Update Form to SWFHR for review.

• We DO NOT allow any horse to be adopted sight unseen.
• We DO NOT allow any equine to be adopted within the first 2 weeks of communications. (Basically don’t expect to show up with cash in hand, with a trailer, and have expectations to go home the someday with a horse.)
• We do NOT discriminate against equine experience level however your commitment & willingness to learn plays a big factor with adoption approvals.
• We do NOT reserve or take down payments to hold equines for adoption.
• You will socialize with your potential adopted equine(s) as this is a vital step with adoption approval.
• SWFHR has a standard adoption fee of $350.00 to be paid in full only on the date of transportation after adoption approval.  Adoption fee can be considered as a donation.

• Should any potentially adopted equine be sent to official training while under the care of SWFHR, a training fee will be applied on top of the standard adoption fee.  (The training fee is a variable, depending on the amount of time any specific equine has spent at the trainers. The current rate is $600 per month of training.)
• Adopted equines should not be pastured alone or without a suitable pasture mate unless approved by the Adoption Committee.
• There are No Warranties. Any potentially adopted equine shall be considered AS IS, without guarantee or warranties of any kind, including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
• Breeding, Selling, or Trading is NOT allowed under the Adoption Agreement.
• SWFHR stays connected to our adopted equines and families, in the event problems arise we will always have a spot to bring the equine back to the rescue. (we have seen this a few times in our past with family matters that arise which change the dynamic of the equines future.)