What to expect at a Home Visit
Maine Sheltie Rescue requires likely adopters to have a “Home Visit” before adopting a Sheltie from us. We try to have this visit be as easy as possible, however all residents of the home must be present during the home visit. The evaluator does file a form upon completion of the visit so we have a record of the visit.

What are we, as evaluators, looking for?  At MSR, adoption is all about the dog.  We want the new home to be as safe as possible.  Do the possible adopters have a safe, quiet street/neighborhood? If not, how do they accommodate this?  Is the yard safe? Is the fence in good condition?  Are there any escape routes? Any hazards in the yard or in the home?

The evaluator would always bring a dog with them on the home visit, probably a Sheltie. How does the dog respond to the adopter and visa versa.

If they have a dog, how does he/she react to the evaluator and to the visiting dog. Are their animals (cat, dog, guinea pig or whatever) well kept, clean, groomed, the proper weight for their size?

The evaluation form gives lots of space for feedback.  Does the evaluator see any limitations or have any concerns regarding the home, people or their pets.

The final question on the evaluation form is, “Would you feel comfortable leaving your dog there? If No, why not?”  If the evaluator would not be willing to leave their dog there, for even a visit, the home would not be approved for any MSR foster Sheltie to be placed. That said, the majority of homes we visit do get approved.

We find lovely families and real Sheltie lovers through this process. The evaluators have all been through this process themselves at some point, so they do understand how it feels to have someone visit their home for the purpose of adopting a Sheltie.

Examples of home visits:
The home was in the woods.  The people were loving, caring, dog-people, but they had a lot of outside scrap and clutter that could be a hiding place for a dog.  There was no fence which for most Shelties is a must. A frightened Sheltie would find lots of places to hide in that outdoor environment. They were denied

Another home visit was at a farm.  They had another loving Sheltie, a large fenced yard and horses. A quiet street, in a semi-rural area.  Could not be better! Accepted.

A lovely private home in a comfortable development.  Their dog-yard fence was two feet high which is a bit low for a Sheltie.  We place a dog with them as the available dog was not at flight-risk.

A wooded yard, well fenced except the gate had gaps as it attached to the fence. We were willing to place a dog there, if gate situation was remedied.

The home, with a Sheltie resident, was on a cul-de-sac, backed up on nature land. The yard perfectly fenced, but exposed to neighboring yards. The intended adopter said she had dog loving neighbors who frequently dog-walk with her. She was approved.

The farm-home was in a semi-rural area, with a busy road.  The home was lovely with a resident Sheltie who was trained to an Invisible Fence.  They had no other fence.  In a matter of a week, they installed a farm-fence, well away from the road and we placed a sheltie with them.