Clarabella Saint Bernard Mix Chicago, IL

Clarabella
Spayed Female
~ 11 months
~ 100 lbs
Clarabella is around 11 months old and very underweight at 100 lbs. The vet thinks she will be a 130+ lb dog once she is grown and is at a healthy weight.  This gentle giant is a little shy around new people (unless you have a Milk Bone), but she is very friendly once she gets to know you.  She also seems very friendly with all other dogs, strange ones or not, but she is so playful that she may overwhelm older and smaller dogs. Clarabella's adoption fee is $500 and includes all shelter vetting (spay, microchip, DAPP, Bordetella, Rabies, first round of deworming medication, flea/tick prevention.) If you are interested in adopting Clarabella please complete the following application and email Kelly@FelinesCanines.org notifying of your application submitted. Clarabella will be available to go home Tuesday, October 20. https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/FAC/Dog

Our shelter is NOT open to the public right now. Please see below for our updated adoptions process. It's a longer read (sorry!!) - but it will answer all the questions you need to know.

1. Because we are not open for dog meet and greets, all of our dogs are going home as “Trial Adoptions” What this means is you will complete the adoption paperwork and payment prior to picking up your dog. You will then have seven days to get to know your dog in the comfort of your home. If it is a great fit, there is nothing else you need to do. If it’s not the right fit, just return the pup to us within that seven-day window and your adoption fee will be refunded. All of the same support, care, and access to Kelly and I will be available during this time. There are NO foster opportunities.

-Adult adoption fees for dogs over six months are $350 unless otherwise noted (includes baseline vaccines, heartworm test, current on preventative, first round of deworming and flea prevention, microchip, spay/neuter surgery.) If the surgery has not already been completed, we will coordinate with you within 7 days of adoption to get it scheduled at your earliest convenience.

-Puppy adoption fees for dogs six months and under are $400 (include baseline vaccines plus booster shots, current on heartworm preventative, first round of deworming - plus continued deworming medication as needed, microchip, spay/neuter surgery as soon as it’s age appropriate.

2. There is not an opportunity to meet the dog in advance, hence the trial adoption and our effort to match each dog with the most appropriate application (this is why you need to be thoughtful when completing your app!) What you see online is what you're basing your decision off of - we have VERY limited information on these pups... most all of them are found as strays and picked up by animal control. We don't know their history, their parents, or any information outside of the medical attention they've received in our care and their behavior during their short time in our program. Again, this is why we are proceeding with the “Trial Adoption.” It will allow you to get to know that pup in your home environment for a week without risk. If you have an existing dog in the home, we will do a dog-to-dog introduction prior to sending the new pup home.

We have absolutely no idea on any of the dog’s breeds or final growth size, we can only make educated guesses based on what they look like. For this reason, we are not listing breed guesses on the posts anymore.

3. Pups arrive every Tuesday afternoon (typically by 4pm) and go home either same day (typically between 4:30-7pm) or during that week - we aren't able to hold them until a later date.

4. We encourage you to list ALL of the dogs you're interested in when applying. That is the very best way to increase the odds of being connected with your new BFF. Important: Please DO NOT list any dogs you would simply “settle” for or aren't truly interested in - the goal is to have you be incredibly excited about the animal you're adopting. We are not looking for any animal to ever be placed into a home where they are not completely and totally wanted, cherished and adored. With that being said, whether a pup is first or fifth on your list, we're assuming that you would be equally thrilled to receive either.

5. If you've already submitted an electronic application (must be post 1/1/20) - simply email Kelly@FelinesCanines.org AND Abby@FelinesCanines.org with the full name and email address the application is under, as well as the pup(s) you're interested in. If you haven't already applied, please be certain to click on the link below and list the dogs you're interested in on the application (this part is critical - if it is left blank, we will temporarily pass over that app and work on ones that distinguish dogs of interest).

https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/FAC/Dog

**PLEASE do NOT submit an application if you are not prepared to adopt immediately.

We have countless people ask, “what sets my application apart?” – so we wanted to be super honest and include some of the key things we look for when reviewing apps and matchmaking:

*How thorough and thoughtful is your application? It is the only thing we have to go off of, so if it’s incomplete, inaccurate, or lacks depth of information, we go on to the next. Share with us why you want a dog, what your schedule looks like not just now, but six months from now, ensure all of your information is complete and accurate (many people leave out house numbers and apt numbers). We are looking for the best application, not necessarily the first application. So take your time when answering.

*How well do we think the dog will thrive in your home? If you’re downtown Chicago in a high-rise, and a dog is sensitive and shy, we’ll be looking for a quieter, more residential neighborhood. Or, if you’re super chill and we have a party pup, we’ll want a home with lots of activity and playtime! You get the point…

*How quickly do you respond to our communications? Because this process is very fast moving, after a few hours of no response, we typically move on to the next application. Quick responses and enthusiasm are always a good thing!

*Have you followed the instructions above? We take a lot of time to answer as many questions as possible upfront and explain what it is we need from a potential adopter, so when the information is ignored or overlooked, it doesn't benefit any of us.

Cheers,
Abby & Kelly