Adoption Policies and Application

To access our Adoption Application, you must review our Adoption Policies below and complete the required information at the bottom of this page. We adopt to homes in MA, RI, CT, NH, VT and ME.

Adoption Policies

If you are looking for a young, small, healthy dog, we have an abundance of homes looking for the same thing. There will be many applicants disappointed as we rarely get this dog coming into Yorkies Inc. We hope the people looking to adopt through Yorkies Inc. are here for the right reasons and are not looking to get a "perfect Yorkie" cheap.

Yorkies Inc. is NOT a shelter. All pups are fostered in private homes. Our foster homes are on a volunteer basis and all work other full-time jobs and have families. We can not accommodate visitation of pups for all the inquiries we get on each pup available. This would set up many disappointed families as there are many applicants for each pup available. Visitation will be allowed for those approved to adopt only.

We give preference to homes with Yorkie, small dog, or terrier experience. It is a common misconception that because a dog is smaller, it is easier to care for. Often the opposite is true. Certainly, they are not as easy to house train and need homes that understand they cannot be left for long periods like larger breeds. People who have owned a Yorkie in the past already know this all too well and will be given preference. We do adopt to homes without experience who fulfill our other criteria and understand the needs of small breed dogs.

We very rarely place Yorkies in homes with children under 10 years old and never pups under 6lbs. If you are looking for a smaller Yorkie your children must be older. Some of the larger dogs we get in will do well with children if the pup is young enough to adjust or was raised with kids previously. We do make exceptions for those types of dogs only. But keep in mind, many of our pups were surrendered to us because children are now part of the home and the pup is NOT adjusting well. Our foremost concern is for the safety of the pup, but also for your child's safety as well.

Yorkies Inc. requires that all your current pets be spayed or neutered, up-to-date on rabies and distemper, heartworm tested and on prevention. We do accept titering of vaccines as well. If it is found that the current pets are not in good standing at the time of the vet check, the application will not be processed. We do not support backyard breeding of any kind and believe that it is in an animal's best interest to be altered. Heartworms kill and it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to infect your dog. We want all dogs placed through Yorkies Inc. to be kept on preventatives and believe strongly that the way you care for your current or past pet sets a precedent with regard to how you will care for the one looking to be adopted.

We prefer homes with fenced in yards. While this is not necessarily a strict requirement, we firmly take it into consideration when processing applications. If you meet all of our other criteria but don't have a fenced yard, we will process your application. If you meet none of the other criteria an unfenced yard is another minus. A "fenced" yard is that which would be small dog safe. Meaning that a small dog could not get out of the yard and other animals could not get in. Partial decorative type fencing is not considered a "fenced in" yard.

Applicants must be 28 years old or more. At a young age, there are so many aspects of life that can change: a new career, a new home/apartment, a husband, children, etc. With these changes, dog ownership becomes challenging and sometimes impossible. Many of the dogs being surrendered to Yorkies Inc. are coming in for exactly these reasons. It is unfair that we would put them back into a situation that is likely to change for them yet again. We are not insinuating that a young adult is a bad pet owner but just feel that re-homed Yorkies have very specific needs and it takes a very stable environment for them to thrive. We always prefer a well-established household for our pups.

You must have a vet. If you do not have a pet, we still require that you have given this enough thought to select a vet. In addition, if you have owned a pet in the past, we need to know where you took that pet for vaccinations etc. This is part of the veterinary reference check which must be completed in full. It helps us to know that you have established a Vet even if you are not using one currently.

You must have access to a computer. All applications must be submitted via our website and if approved, it helps to watch our site regularly to find a dog who matches your home and for us to be able to contact you before posting new pups coming in. Contacting you via email is the best time saver when time is so tight with our volunteers. This also allows us to send updates and pictures both ways. In addition, you will be contacted via email to set up your phone interview.

We do not reserve or "Hold" dogs. We will not "Hold" a pup once it has been established that you are approved to adopt that pup. In the past, we have been asked to "hold" a dog until after a vacation or move, etc. or "until next weekend" this takes up very limited space in the foster home and as a result other pups needing us are turned away. This is not fair to those most in need....those still needing to come in to Yorkies Inc. Therefore if this is the case that timing is not right we will need to pass on your application and find another home. Please let us know if you are not actively seeking to adopt right away or if you have a time frame when you will be away.

Make sure a Re-homed pup is right. Consider these facts:

If you are looking for a young, tiny dog and healthy - it is unlikely that you will find it here. We would be more than happy to recommend a breeder!

Males outnumber females.

Females in rescue will likely be adult or senior dogs or have health issues.

It is more common to find an adult or senior dog or one with health issues.

If we have a healthy, young small pup available, it is a rare occurrence and there are over 40 other people who want the same dog.

If you are looking for a young dog, don't expect him to be a "lap dog". Young dogs want to run, go for walks and play. An adult or senior will be more likely to be a "lap dog" and are usually better behaved.

There is no such thing as a "teacup Yorkie".

Re-homed pups need and deserve your patience whether it be house training, getting along with the other pets or just settling in. Be prepared.

Yorkies are expensive dogs to own - they need grooming often. They also need their teeth cleaned often, sometimes annually and because of their size, also expect to see the vet more often.

Be prepared to drive. It is best when you and your pet(s) can come to the foster home to meet the dog you are interested in adopting.

There is an adoption fee applied for each pup. This donation varies based on the gender, age, size and health of the pup. All adoption payments received goes directly to the vetting of our pups - no person is compensated for their volunteer services to this organization.

Please be sure that you are applying for the right reasons and not just shopping for a less expensive, perfect representation of the breed standard. If this is what you are looking for, please visit YTCA (www.ytca.org) for a list of very reputable breeders. These breeders will sell you a Yorkie for the same or LESS than what you would pay at a pet store. Pet store puppies come from puppy mills - ALWAYS and no matter what they tell you. No reputable breeder would put their puppies in a pet store.

While these are the basic guidelines, we can at any time, deny an application because we know that there is no dog in Yorkies Inc. that would fit the environment. Please do not take this personally. Your home may be perfect for another breed!

We receive many emails daily about dogs we have for adoption, the questions are usually very much the same. Please review our adoption process to help answer some of these questions. Because we are so small we do not have the manpower to answer questions from those not serious enough about adopting to submit an adoption application first.

Thank you for wanting to adopt first. If you do adopt a pup through Yorkies Inc., you won't regret it!

Please be prepared to have 3 personal references and 1 veterinary reference before you proceed as this information is required to submit the application