READ THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PAGE & FAQ’S BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

 

Only approved applicants can meet our dogs since they are all living in foster families. We do not have a facility where we board our dogs since we want them to be part of a family where they can learn manners and where we can evaluate their personalities and behaviors.

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Our adoption donations are as follows and include spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, and any necessary vetting. This usually does not cover the cost of care we have provided for each dog while they are in foster care.

• 8 weeks to 11 months - $475

• 1-6 years - $425

• 7-10 years - $375

• 11+ years - $250

• Purebreds are $525 (regardless of age)

 

Your minimum adoption donation is required at the time of adoption.  

 

THE PROCESS

1. Fill out the ADOPTION APPLICATION in full.

2. A volunteer will be in contact for an interview as soon as possible once your completed Adoption Application is submitted and all your references are checked (including vet checks).

3. Dog visits are arranged after approval through the Adoption Coordinator. All of our dogs are in foster homes and we do not have a facility to visit. Because of this, an approved application must be on file before you visit with our dogs.

4. A formal Adoption Agreement is signed and then you go home with your new family member, a lovable rescue dog!

 

You must be 21 or older to apply. Please do not apply to adopt a Mile High Lab Mission dog unless you meet the age requirement - this can not be waived.

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MHLRM dogs must be indoor dogs. Our adoption agreement requires our adopted dogs to be primarily inside dogs. Leaving them outside for extended periods (ex: leaving them in the backyard/garage while at work) is not acceptable. They must sleep inside the house, heated and cooled. Sleeping or staying in a garage with access to the yard while alone or at night is not an acceptable arrangement for our rescued dogs.

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Labradors and Lab mixes. Please note that we save Labradors as well as mixes. We do not DNA test and we do not discriminate. If you are not comfortable with a mix of unknown parentage we recommend that you go through another rescue.

 

A fenced yard is generally required but there are exceptions. Applicants must have a fence and physical fencing takes priority over an invisible fence. If there is an extenuating circumstance such as you reside in an apartment/ townhouse/condo or your homeowner's association does not allow fencing, please state the reason for the lack of fencing on your application.

 

Please complete the application in its entirety. Two personal references and a vet reference are required. If you have not heard from someone within 10 days, please contact us to be sure your application and virtual home visit photos were received. Please keep in mind we are a 100% volunteer organization, and our volunteers all have families, jobs, and other commitments to tend to, in addition to the time they put into MHLRM.

 

We do not ship dogs out of state. We are all volunteers and do not have the time to coordinate shipping dogs from Colorado to other states. We do adopt out of state, but you must travel to Colorado to meet our dogs. Please read the information below. Adopting can be fun and rewarding while giving you the best feeling in the world knowing you have saved a dog's life, but it can also be hard work, and require lots of patience. Believe it or not, Labs are not for everyone.

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The first step to adoption is completing an adoption application. Once you are approved to adopt, you can contact us with all of the questions in the world about labs in general or the specific lab you are interested in meeting. We do not have a central location or shelter where our dogs live while with us. All of our fostered dogs are in private foster homes and are shown to approved applicants by appointment only.

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A dog can be an emotionally high-maintenance dog, and while you may love the breed, are you sure you have the time and the resources to devote to its well-being? Before you apply, read books about Labs and educate yourself as much as you can about the breed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

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Talk it over with everyone in your household, and make sure you are all in agreement. Think about your schedule, and decide when you will have time to spend with your dog. Typical labs have soft temperaments that can be easily bruised by a heavy-handed approach to training, or by neglect. They love to be with “their people” almost all the time and will want to go with you everywhere! Labs are usually happy in nature and love to wag those tails for which they are known.

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Labradors shed! The true Lab coat is made to keep the dog warm in icy water, thus it is a very thick, double-layered coat that sheds somewhat regularly and is “blown” twice a year.

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Labs love to run and play. Labs permitted to run loose or left alone outside will get into trouble, as will any dog.

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Our adoption agreement requires our adopted dogs to be primarily inside dogs. They must sleep inside the house, heated and cooled. Sleeping or staying in a garage with access to the yard while alone or at night is not an acceptable arrangement for our rescued dogs. Most of the dogs that come to us were picked up as strays and could easily end up back at a shelter if left alone for extended periods. Also, all of this unsupervised time and free reign can lead to undesirable behavior such as digging, tearing up landscaping, eating yard furniture/cushions, getting into garage stuff (chemicals), swimming in the pool, eating cable/wiring, tearing up landscape lighting or sprinkler systems, visiting the neighbor, damaging screens...  you get the picture.

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All dogs placed by MHLRM will be spayed or neutered. This not only prevents the overpopulation of dogs, but it is also beneficial to the dog's health and is in accordance with the Colorado Department of Agriculture which we are licensed to operate under.

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We will tell you everything we know about the dog. Sometimes information is limited, particularly if the dog is pulled from a shelter. We temperament test our dogs before they come to the rescue, but can not guarantee temperament. Most of the dogs we take in are strays with no history other than what the shelter gives us.

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A volunteer will review your application once you have submitted it and your virtual home visit. You will then have a phone interview. Once that is complete and you are processed to be approved - you will receive an email notifying you of the outcome. You then can contact our adoption coordinator for more information about the dog(s) you requested, as well as any others that may be a good fit for your home. After that, appointments will be made for you to see the dogs at their foster homes. We look forward to working with you, and finding the right dog for your home!

 

Illness immediately after adoption: It rarely happens but sometimes a dog gets sick right after adoption. We will work with our adopters when this occurs. If you need our assistance it is critical that you contact your MHLRM volunteer for guidance and a list of approved vets. Our adoption fees don't come anywhere near covering even basic vetting costs and transport. As a result, an unplanned visit to a vet that doesn't offer rescue rates causes significant financial distress and reduces our ability to help other sick or injured dogs. Please note that we have vets located in many areas and we have several volunteers monitoring emails and our emergency hotline so a vet visit can generally be arranged quickly. Expenses incurred at a vet not approved by us will not be reimbursed.

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You can view our list of adoptable dogs (ABOVE.).

To complete an adoption application click here.

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Please NOTE...

Due to the large volume of applications we receive, often from people who may not be committed, we request that you are not shopping around and that you are committed to the process of allowing our organization to find you a wonderful rescue pet. Please remember, MHLRM is a 100% all-volunteer organization, and multiple hours are put into each and every applicant.