HOW TO ADOPT

Want to adopt a needy Cavalier?

GCCR’s adoptable dogs are fostered in Chicago, its suburbs, Wisconsin, and northern Indiana.
In Illinois and Indiana, applications from this area (see map) will be considered:

If you're unsure if you live within a covered area, please send your city and state in an email to [email protected] before completing an application.

GCCR rescues on average 100 Cavaliers a year.  At the same time GCCR receives three to four times as many adoption applications.   Not every applicant will adopt a GCCR rescued Cavalier.​

Applications are reviewed in order of receipt to find the best available home for each Cavalier.

A few things you should know before you begin the application:

• Among rescued Cavaliers there is significant risk of genetic illnesses that could result in heartbreak for the adopters, as well as expensive veterinary care. Please research the breed before falling in love with an adoptable Cavalier.
• Cavaliers are Spaniels and many love to explore, free of a leash. They might well go chasing off after "critters" or simply run off to greet people they see at a distance. Some rescued Cavaliers need homes with fenced yards.
• Most rescued Cavaliers need a lot of human affection; they should not be routinely left home without humans for more than four hours each day.
• Many rescued Cavaliers come with “baggage” – behavioral and medical concerns that will require diligent and sometimes expensive care.
• Some rescued Cavaliers come with especially heavy “baggage.”  They need uniquely qualified adopters who have experience in handling behaviors (e.g. ingrained fears and possessiveness), and advanced illness (e.g., EPI, MVD, and pulmonic stenosis).  These adopters need deep pockets, able to afford veterinary costs, and a huge desire to rescue a Cavalier, not just have one.    
• Some rescued Cavaliers have few problems, except being old.  Seniors age 7 and over are so grateful when their adopters give them the love and care they crave.
• Children in the adopting home must be at least 5 years of age. Exceptions may be made case by case based on the individual dog and the family's history with pets.
• Applicants consent to the check of personal references and a home visit.
• Each available dog on our website has an adoption donation listed. Fees are based on the age of the Cavalier.​
• Think you're ready to adopt?  Here's a checklist of things to consider before making your decision.

​GCCR Adoption Process

1. Adoption Application is received and acknowledged by email.
2. A GCCR volunteer home visitor contacts the family to arrange a visit.  For most visits the volunteer will bring along a Cavalier (though not necessarily one that is available for adoption) to see how the potential adopters and any resident animals interact with a new dog.
3. Applicant is notified of approval or rejection to adopt.
4. GCCR’s Rescue Coordinators match an approved applicant to an available Cavalier whose needs the family might serve. Applicant is given information about the rescued Cavalier and the foster caregivers introduce the applicant to the dog.  If no appropriate match can be made, applicant is placed on a waiting list.
5.  Each time a new rescue arrives, Rescue Coordinators review the adopters’ waiting list to find the best available home.  Applicants on the waiting list are encouraged to stay in touch, to inform Rescue Coordinators of their continuing interest in adopting.
6.  Applicants’ references are checked only after an appropriate Cavalier is identified.
7. Generally, the Cavalier is not delivered on the first meeting. The applicant and the Cavalier’s foster caregivers need time to consider independently whether the adoption will work.  GCCR wants to avoid "doggy in the window" placements.

Have questions ? Email [email protected].

If you and your family would like to provide a loving home for a needy Cavalier, please complete the Adoption Application - click HERE.