COVID-19 Adoption Policy and Procedure
House Rabbit Network will begin conducting a limited number of remote adoption appointments beginning immediately.
** Foster homes have the choice to opt out and not do adoptions. This means not all rabbits are available **
-After the adoption interview with a hotline volunteer, information will be passed to the foster home, who will arrange to conduct a remote adoption appointment via a video tool such as Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts or Facebook Messenger video.
-During this adoption appointment, the House Rabbit Network volunteer (representative) and potential adopter will have an in-depth discussion about the rabbit and then make the determination if an adoption will take place. Arrangements will be finalized to include the place and time for the adoption appointment to occur.
-Transfer of the rabbit for adoption will occur in a safe, predetermined place, ideally a garage or breezeway.
-HRN representative and adopter are to wear face masks to minimize transmission. A cloth mask or scarf will be deemed safe according to comfort level. Plastic bags can be used in place of gloves. Both parties will provide their own PPE.
Adoption transfer of rabbit will occur as follows:
Adopter:
-Will prepare their carrier by wiping it down with a disinfecting wipe, inside and out, paying extra attention to the door and handles.
– Adopter will call once outside of the representative’s home.
– Adopter will leave carrier outside of home or just inside a garage door and go back into their car.
– Adopter will fill out the online adoption contract and will have the option of paying online, cash or check. If they are using cash or check payment, HRN representative will leave an open brown paper grocery bag for the person to drop the cash or check in, taking care not to touch the sides. The bag with these items will be left in a secure place, away from human contact for any active virus’ lifespan to expire. Ideally, donation should be online to limit items shared.
HRN representative:
– Wearing mask and gloves (or bags over hands), they will exit to retrieve the carrier. They will place the carrier into their garage, breezeway or other controlled area.
– Rabbit will be placed inside of carrier and the representative will close it. Representative should then wipe down the carrier.
– Representative places securely-closed carrier containing rabbit outside, goes back inside, and will remove PPE if completed
– If giving bag of food, this should be brought out at the same time, and left with the carrier.
– Adopter exits car, wearing their own PPE, picks up rabbit in carrier, and safely secures rabbit in their car.
– 6 feet of distance (minimum) will be maintained at all times.
– After this limited interaction at a safe distance, both representative and the adopter will safety remove gloves and dispose of accordingly.
– We recommend minimally handling the newly adopted rabbit for the first three days. Any time the rabbit is touched, avoid contact with the face and hands should be washed afterwards.
– Ideally, adoptions done this way will be restricted to 1-2 people exiting from car to limit interaction.
-Regarding speed-dating:
-After speaking to the hotline, potential bonding candidates’ owners will be assessed during remote appointment for readiness and ability to proceed with their own bonding without a speed date. Rabbits will be brought home following new protocol and adoption marked as “pending” awaiting if bond was successful. It will be the adopter’s responsibility to introduce these rabbits safely and follow all suggested bonding guidelines in their home. Potential bonding adopters will need to have separate housing available for both rabbits during the bonding period to ensure safety during bonding.
-We will continue to focus on patience and thank our supporters for giving us extra time, in addition to following our guidelines which take the health and safety of our supporters and volunteers very seriously.
If you have NOT filled out an application yet, please read our policies and procedures and fill out an adoption application.
The two links below are *only* for when you have already filled out an adoption application, been interviewed by one of our counselors and spoken with the foster home.