Adopting A Lowcountry Lab Rescue Dog

Thank you for considering adopting one of our rescued Retrievers!   We always have lots of Labs looking for new homes and the list is always changing.  IF YOU WANT TO ADOPT A LABRADOR FROM LOWCOUNTRY LAB RESCUE, WE MUST HAVE A COMPLETED ADOPTION APPLICATION FROM YOU.  Lots of our dogs get adopted before they even get to be posted on Petfinder because we have a previously approved applicant who is interested.  Only approved applicants can meet our dogs. A non-refundable $10 application fee is collected in the form of a donation to Lowcountry Lab Rescue. You can pay this fee at the bottom of this page.

Our adoption fee $275. This includes 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.

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

LLR dogs must be indoor dogs. Our adoption agreement requires our adopted Labs to be primarily inside dogs. Leaving them outside for extended periods of time, such as while gone to 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 the optimum arrangement for our rescued Retrievers.

A fenced yard is required.  Applicants must have a fence and physical fencing takes priority over 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 lack of fencing on your application. 

Please complete the application in its entirety. Three personal references and a vet reference is required. Please allow 3-5 business days for someone to contact you. If you have not heard within 10 days, please contact us to be sure your application was received. Please keep in mind we are an all volunteer organization, and our volunteers all have families, jobs, and other commitments to tend to, in addition to the time they put into LLR.

We do not ship dogs out of state. We do adopt out of state, but you must travel to South Carolina 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.

The first step to adoption is completing an adoption application.  Then 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.

A Lab 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.

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.

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 which sheds somewhat regularly and is “blown” twice a year.

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

Our adoption agreement requires our adopted Labs to be primarily inside dogs.  Leaving them outside for extended periods of time, such as while gone to 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 the optimum arrangement for our rescued Retrievers.  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 of time.  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.

All dogs placed by LLR will be spayed or neutered. This not only prevents overpopulation of dogs, but it is also beneficial to the dog's health. We sometimes get puppies into rescue, but if you are not willing to wait and are interested in a Lab puppy, please contact us for a referral to a reputable breeder. Most of the dogs we get into rescue are young adults who have outgrown their puppy cuteness and are quite active. We have often found beautiful Labs of 'toddler' age in shelters, dogs that someone spent $500-$1000 on, but did not realize the time and effort required to end up with a well behaved adult Lab.

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 rescue, but cannot guarantee temperament. Most of the dogs we take in are strays with no history other than what the shelter gives us.

A representative will review your application and call you or email you with 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 Lab for your home!