Rita Shepherd & Black Labrador Retriever Mix Bend, OR

Meet Rita! Rita is a gorgeous Shepherd-Lab-Mixed breed girl who came to us from Mexico's Baja California Sur region. She and her brother Boots, had been rescued by Baja Street Dogs rescue. They're fabulous dogs who are so friendly and loving. We think they're around 3-4 years old. They're beautiful, have great personalities and are athletic medium-size dogs that could make wonderful adventures partners for the right person or family. They do really well with meeting to new people, kids, and they love being around other dogs and even do well with cats as well! An SDH volunteer even took them out for a fun hiking adventure. Here's their feedback:

She is an absolute doll and what some may call a Velcro dog. Loves to give as many hugs and kisses as possible. I think she would fit in well with a quieter home where she can snuggle on the couch but seems to also love adventuring. Took only a short time to warm up before she was a curious pup who happily greeted all that we came in contact with. She loves treats and is quite intelligent. I think she will pick up on training quickly!

Foster update:

"Rita is a great dog and would make a wonderful companion to anyone and everyone from a family to an elderly single person. She is loving and smart. She's potty trained, very trainable, listens and wants to please. She's got a beautiful coat and is a perfect midsize dog. She's smart as a whip, agile, but not hyper or aggressive. She's great around other dogs, but maybe a little bit timid and perhaps a little overly friendly to strangers. Overall, it would be hard to find a better companion to adopt than this young lady."

Before getting adopted officially, each dog will be seen by our veterinarian for their wellness exam to ensure they're spayed/neutered, are up to date on their shots, and are microchipped. Submit your online adoption application through our website today to not miss out on this opportunity to bring me home for a 3-day home trial towards my adoption. Stay tuned for more updates as she settles in and we learn more! Will you be her hero?

***IMPORTANT HOLIDAY UPDATE!***

Don't miss our 12 Days of Christmas Adoption Specials!

Adopt your new best friend between December 12 and December 23 and you'll receive $120 off their adoption fee! To qualify, you must be approved by our Adoptions Manager during this timeframe to adopt a specific dog, but your adoption trial does not have to begin during this timeframe.

And as a bonus, if you are approved to adopt a dog during our 12 Days of Christmas - December 12-23 - you will also have the chance to participate in our Santa's Sleigh Delivery Service! For a $100 donation to SDH (in addition to your dog's adoption fee), you can have your pet delivered to your home on Christmas Morning, December 25. What better present for you and your loved ones than to bring your new family member home on Christmas! Participation in Santa's Sleigh is subject to location and availability.

steps to adopting

(OUR ADOPTABLE DOGS ARE IN SEPARATE TEMPORARY FOSTER HOMES BETWEEN BEND/CENTRAL OREGON AND THE GREATER PORTLAND AREA. THEREFORE, MEET AND GREETS ARE NOT DONE AT OUR FACILITY. TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ADOPTION APPLICATION ONLINE AND OUR ADOPTION PROGRAM MANAGER WILL REACH OUT TO YOU WITH FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MEET YOUR NEW PUP!)

The first step to adopting a dog from SDH is to complete the adoption application. First click on the OUR DOGS tab up above, and then click on the orange colored Fill out an Adoption Application here button to start the process). Once submitted, please expect 3-5 business days or sooner for processing and to hear back from us. Once you are pre-approved, your adoption application will remain on file with us for 1 year and it can go towards multiple adoptions within that 1 year time frame before it expires.

To finalize an adoption you must sign the adoption contract and pay the full adoption fee of $450. The adoption fee helps cover our costs. On average, per dog, it costs SDH between $500-$700 for vetting/medical/sterilization, transport and other rescue related expenses. All dogs are rescued and do not transport to SDH until they are healthy and ready to be adopted. All dogs are examined by a veterinarian before they fly, which includes sterilization whenever possible, given standard vaccines and rabies (if age appropriate). Most dogs are sterilized before they come into our program, however if this is not the case we will spay/neuter them once they arrive at our cost.

Upon their arrival, all dogs are seen for a wellness exam by SDH's medical team. Once the adoption is finalized, any further medical care or treatment will not be covered by SDH, unless discussed prior with our medical team. All known issues are disclosed to the best of our ability prior to finalizing the adoption.