Hopeful Hearts is a non-profit dog rescue in Ottawa, Ontario created in September 2007 by Roz Phelps. Although we rescue dogs of all sizes, ages and condition, Hopeful Hearts was created especially to help fill a void in the local rescue world for senior and special needs dogs. These angels are most often turned down by rescues due to difficulty with finding adoptive homes and inherent vet costs. Recognizing the urgency for these dogs, Roz decided to step in and help. We feel our policies regarding adoption are above reproach. Not only do we require applicants to complete an extensive application but we also request veterinary references and a minimum of one home visit prior to the adoption being approved. If we feel that the dog will need time to adjust, we ask our adopters to commit to visiting the dog in the foster home, taking walks etc until such time as we feel the dog is ready and comfortable to move on.
We can guarantee that no Hopeful Hearts dog is relegated to live in a kennel environment. All of our dogs live inside nice warm homes with their loving foster families. These families work incredibly hard to ensure that the dogs they foster get all of the love and attention they need to help recover from their previous lives or move on with their new life! These dedicated and loving people are the backbone of the Hopeful Hearts team. We appreciate them and treat them accordingly.
We try our best to provide as much information as possible to the potential adopters; good and bad so they have a clear picture of the dog that they are about to adopt. We know this sounds quite rigorous but we feel that these dogs have been through more than enough in their lives and deserve the effort! This also virtually guarantees that a dog will not be returned. However, if a dog does need to come back, we will gladly take the dog back – no questions asked!
In order for Hopeful Hearts to be able to continue rescuing dogs and providing the necessary medical treatment, (i.e spays, neuters, vaccinations, and other various costly medical procedures) an adoption donation ranging from $250-$400 is required from the adopter. Price varies based on the age and medical needs of the dog being adopted and are judged on a case by case basis. Each animal will go to their forever home fully vet checked, spayed or neutered, and brought up to date on their shots. There are some cases that a spay/neuter cannot be completed due to age, and possible detriment to the animal. We do not allow our dogs to be adopted out for breeding or outdoor living. This donation is considered non-refundable as every penny goes back to the dogs!!
