Must be 18 years old to apply.
A $10.00 non refundable application fee is required after submitting your application. You will be redirected to our online store to add the fee to a cart and then directed to PayPal to make payment. (A PayPal account is not needed to make payment) Applications will not be considered if the non-refundable fee is not paid.
Please rest assured this minimal fee will be used to help Labs in need.
First Name*
Last Name*
Address*
City*
State/Province*
Zip/Postal Code* -
Email*
Home Phone
Cell Phone*
Alt Email
How many adults live in the home?* Choose one: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How many children live in the home?* Choose one: None 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Based on your choices above, please list first name, last name, and date of birth of everyone in your household.*
Please list all pets currently in your household, noting type (cat, dog, etc.), breed, age, gender, and whether they are spayed, neutered or intact. If the pet is intact, please explain why?*
Have you adopted from L.E.A.R.N. in the past? If so, what was the name of the dog?*
Do you own or rent your home? If you rent, we must see a copy of the rental agreement and/or a letter from your landlord stating that you are allowed a large breed dog. If you can not provide this, then we won't be able to adopt to you.* Choose one: Rent Own
How long have you been at your present address? *
Do you plan on moving in the next 12 months and if so what will you do with the dog?*
Describe the house…Here are some examples: Are there stairs in your home and if so how many? What kind of flooring do you have? (Please be as detailed as possible, the more we know about your home the easier it is to place a dog there.)*
Is your yard fenced? * Choose one: No fence Partial fence, but not enclosed Fully enclosed fence Invisible fence
What type of fence* Choose one: None Privacy Chain Link Invisible
If you have a partial or fully fenced yard, please provide the height of the fence and the area fenced. Please provide a description.
Is there is a pool? If yes, how do you plan to secure the pool so the dog can’t get in unattended? Is it fenced off separately?
Describe the neighborhood (traffic patterns, flow, speed, walkers, bikes, volume of cars and dogs).*
Are all family members in agreement on adopting a Rescued dog? Do you realize that rescue dogs take a minimum of 6 weeks to adjust? Do you realize that behaviors not seen during the initial meeting may come out as the dog gets more comfortable in your home?*
Why are you interested in adopting a Labrador specifically?*
Have you had pets in the past? Details about previous pets - what kind, when did you have, what happened to them. Please be specific.*
Have you ever given up a pet? If yes, please explain*
What would you consider to be a justifiable reason to give up a dog? *
If you are NOT at home, such as if you are at work and NO ONE is home, where will your dog be? Please choose all that apply.
How much time will the animal spend alone during the day*
If you have a dog, describe how he/she gets along with other dogs (dominant, submissive, etc.) *
Are you familiar with introducing a new dog to other pets in the home? How do you plan on introducing a new dog to other dogs or cats? (There are articles on L.E.A.R.N.’s website for dog-to-cat introductions and dog-to-dog introductions.) *
What type of collar do you plan on using on the dog at home and on walks? (Cloth, halter, pinch collar, etc.)*
Is there a specific dog on our website that you are interested in?*
If there is a specific dog on our website right now that you are interested in, please know there is a chance that once you are approved, that particular dog may already be adopted, so the more flexible you are, the sooner you may be able to adopt. Are you willing to adopt a mix? Our mixes tend to be very Labbie in appearance and personality. We can't guarantee that our Labs are purebred, nor do we provide any paperwork to that. ___Age:____ Gender:____ Color:____ Temperament: (1 being a couch potato and 10 being very active.)____ Mix:____ *
If we have a dog needing rescue, that may be a good fit based on your choices above, would you like to be contacted to possibly foster to adopt?* Choose one: Yes No
Are you willing to consider adopting a dog with medical issues? This could be allergies, thyroid condition, hip dysplasia, ACL surgery, epilepsy, arthritis, etc. If yes or maybe please explain what medical issues you are willing to consider. Yes_____ No_____ Maybe_____ *
Are you looking for a dog for a specific purpose? (To compete in agility or flyball; to be a therapy or assistance dog; to hunt; etc.) *
If you are adopting a dog for a specific purpose, what would you do if the dog does not meet you expectations?*
How much exercise and what type does your Lab get on a daily basis?
If you live in a place without a yard, such as a condo, apartment, townhouse, whether you rent or own, how will you exercise your dog? Doggie daycare, dog walker, a nearby dog park? How often? Please be specific.*
Where will the animal sleep*
What will you do with the dog when you go vacation?*
Do you realize that dogs require clear and consistent guidelines and rules to be good members of the family? What sort of rules/guidelines would you have for the new dog (examples: sit before eating, sit before going out the door, don’t jump on guests, etc.)? *
If there are children in the household, what rules do you have for interactions between any pets and the children? (L.E.A.R.N. recommends all dog-child interactions should always be supervised.) *
Have you dealt with behavior issues with previous pets? (Please give examples of how you dealt with a behavior you didn’t like.) *
Are there certain traits your unwilling to deal with (chewing, barking, jumping, etc.) i.e. are there any behaviors that would cause you to want to give up the dog? *
Describe how you will train the pet. Are you willing to go to a positive Training Class with the new dog to assist in the bonding process? -If yes, do you have a training facility picked out? (L.E.A.R.N. has a list of recommended trainers and ways to select a trainer on the website. ) -If no, what are your plans for training the dog? - How were previous dogs trained? *
If you currently have or have had pets in the past, list the name, address and phone number of the vet clinic. We will contact them to verify that your animals have been kept up to date on vaccines and heartworm preventative. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR VET AND ASK THEM TO RELEASE THIS INFORMATION. Failure to do so, will show down the approval process.*
We take vetting very seriously. If your dog was not, or is not up to date on vaccinations and heartworm prevention, your adoption application will be denied. If there is a medical reason for lack of vaccination or heartworm prevention, a signed-formal statement from your veterinarian must be submitted to learndogs@labadoption.org. I have read and understand this statement. *
Dogs adopted from L.E.A.R.N. must be kept up-to-date on vaccinations and heartworm preventative. I have read and understand this statement.*
How much do you believe it will cost for basic care for your dog yearly? (quality food, vaccinations, annual exam, heartworm preventative, etc) *
Emergency medical treatment is expensive. What would you consider an emergency and have any of your pets had medical emergencies? Please explain below.*
How much is too much to spend should the dog develop a medical condition or behavior issue?*
Even though all dogs adopted out through L.E.A.R.N. are Vet-checked and believed healthy, L.E.A.R.N. recommends the dog be taken to a Vet within 2 weeks of adoption. L.E.A.R.N. provides copies of Vetting and fully discloses any medical issues that we are aware of, past and present. If the Vet finds something not known about at the time of adoption, the dog can be returned for a refund, or the adopter can work with L.E.A.R.N. on payment. Do you understand there are no health guarantees for a L.E.A.R.N. dog? *
The next steps in the process: You will receive a telephone interview to answer any questions. Once you are approved, L.E.A.R.N. encourages you to email us at: labmatch@labadoption.org to express interest in a dog. Due to the popularity of some dogs, you may not be contacted about the dog you expressed interest in. When a L.E.A.R.N. representative contacts you about an available dog, feel free to ask any questions you may have. Please respond to email or calls promptly. It is important that you get back to us within 24 hours, so that if you are no longer interested, we can move on to the next family. If you decide to set up a meet with an available dog, everyone living in your household, including any current dogs, will be required to go to the foster home. You will not be allowed to take the dog home the same day. We want you to go home and think about if the dog is the right fit for you and your family. The foster home also takes this time to decide if your family is a good fit for the dog. If all parties are in agreement that the adoption would be a good fit, the foster home will set up a time and place to meet with you to sign the adoption papers, get the adoption fee from you, and turn the dog over to you. The adoption papers include an agreement for the care of the dog, papers specifically regarding the dog, and copies of the vetting records that we have. I have read and understand the above statements.*
L.E.A.R.N.’s foster homes are located in Central to Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Is there anywhere in L.E.A.R.N.’s area that you are unwilling to drive to meet a dog? *
When will you be ready to adopt?*
Due to the rising cost of veterinary expenses, as of February 1st 2024 our adoption fees will be as follows: $425 - puppies up to 1 year, 11 months in age $375 - for dogs age 2 to 9 years $250 - for dogs 10 years old or older (Puppies 8 weeks – 6 Months will require a spay/neuter deposit of $150 that is refundable once LEARN is provided proof that spay/neuter is complete. Pups must be spay/neutered by first birthday or have vet provide us with a written reason why it isn’t able to be done for medical reason.) *** Adopters are responsible for the full cost of the spay/neuter.*** I have read and agree to these fees. *
Do you have any questions/comments?*
Please list two (2) references, that are NOT your vet or a family member, with complete names and their telephone number. References can be a friend, coworker, or neighbor, etc. (NO RELATIVES). In order to speed the process some, we recommend that you ask your references to answer phone calls from unknown numbers. *** If references are not fully provided we will cancel your application, you are welcome to reapply when you are able to provide them.*
After submitting my application, I understand that I will be required to pay a non-refundable $10.00 fee?* Choose one: I Agree
We are Grateful for your Donations!
We are 100% volunteer based, all donations go directly toward our Labs in foster care.
If you'd like to help L.E.A.R.N. Labs in need and have a PayPal account, please click the Giving Fund link.
If you don't have a PayPal account or would like to make a recurring monthly donation please click the donate button below:
If you prefer you can mail a donation to: 140 Simmons Avenue Box 323 Pewaukee, WI 53072
2025 Calendars are now available.
We have a limited supply this year!
Thank you to our supporters!
Copyright © 1999 — 2013 and Beyond by L.E.A.R.N. Mailing Address: 140 Simmons Avenue Box 323 Pewaukee, WI 53072 Voicemail: 847-289-PETS (7387) Email: learndogs@labadoption.org WI License: 269144