Founded in August 2000 as the Cairn Rescue Network, the Cairn Rescue League is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of cairn terriers and cairn terrier mixes.
Our adoption process begins as soon as you submit your application. You should receive a copy of your application, but because we are run by a small group of volunteers, we probably will not be able to contact you again until you are matched with a specific dog. If you have specified on your application that you are interested in a particular dog, we will review your application to try to determine if you would be a good match for that dog, as well as whether that dog would be a good match for you. We will usually ask the dog's foster home to review the application as well to see what they think, since they are the ones who generally know the dog best. If it is determined that the dog would not be a good match for you, we will let you know if we think you might be a good match for another dog in our program. Once you are matched with a dog, we will contact you to make sure you are still interested. If so, we will begin the placement process by calling your personal references and your vet office. This will be followed by a safety home visit, which is an opportunity for you to meet one of our volunteers and ask any questions you might have. The volunteer will also point out any hazards in your home you might not be aware of. One your reference check and home visit have been successfully completed, you will usually have an opportunity to talk to your dog's foster home. As we have said, they know your dog best. This is an opportunity for them to see if they think their dog is the best match for you, but also an opportunity for you to get more in-depth information about the dog. This process usually does not take longer than 2 weeks. References not being available and finding someone to do your home visit are usually what cause delays. Once everything has been completed, however, a final determination will be made about the placement, and you will be notified as soon as the decision has been made.