Promise Program

The Lifetime Placement Promise

A one-time $295 add-on at adoption that gives you priority access to NorCal Shiba's lifetime return and rehoming program.

What it is

The Promise is a SERVICE, not a guarantee. It gives you the right to surrender your Shiba back to NorCal Shiba at any future point during the dog's life, with no surrender fee, and have us coordinate intake, foster care during transition, and re-placement.

The Promise is enrolled at the time of adoption by signing the Lifetime Placement Promise Addendum to your Adoption Agreement. Once you sign and pay, you are enrolled for the dog's lifetime.

What it covers

Standard life-circumstance surrenders:

  • Relocation to a home that cannot accommodate the dog.
  • Divorce or separation.
  • New baby or change in household composition.
  • Financial hardship.
  • Serious illness, disability, or death.

What it does not cover

  • Behavioral issues that emerged after adoption may require a behavioral

assessment before placement begins. The fee is your responsibility ($199 for mild concerns, $349 for significant concerns).

  • Catastrophic medical conditions developed post-adoption. We will accept

the dog but are not liable for treatment costs accrued before surrender. We strongly recommend pet insurance.

  • Out-of-state transport. If you have moved outside California, you are

responsible for transport costs back to a NorCal Shiba intake location.

  • Surrender prohibited by your Adoption Agreement (reclaim cases under

Section 8 of the Adoption Agreement).

Capacity and timing

We make commercially reasonable efforts to accept and re-place consistent with our then-current operations, foster network capacity, veterinary requirements, safety considerations, and applicable law. We cannot guarantee a specific intake timeline. For urgent surrenders (eviction within days, owner death) we use best efforts to expedite.

Transferability on death

The Promise transfers to immediate family (spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, child, or sibling) if you die and they want to keep the dog. Transfer requires written request within 60 days, NorCal Shiba review and approval, and signature of new Adoption Agreement and Household Acknowledgment by the receiving family member.

Non-refundable

The $295 Promise fee is fully earned at the moment of enrollment. It is not refundable for any reason, including dog's natural death, your life changes, transfer to immediate family, or termination if NorCal Shiba ceases operations as a Shiba rehoming entity.

If NorCal Shiba ceases operations

If we cease operations, we make reasonable efforts to transfer the Program obligation to a successor entity. If no successor exists, the Promise obligation terminates. No refund.

Why we offer this

We already informally take returns from adopters we trust. The Promise formalizes the offer and helps fund the work. Adopters who want a written commitment can have it. Adopters who don't want it still get the same informal offer for free.

How to enroll

You enroll at the time of adoption by indicating on your Adoption Agreement that you want the Promise. You sign the Lifetime Placement Promise Addendum and pay the $295 in person at the same meeting where you finalize your adoption.

Questions

Email norcalshiba@gmail.com with "Promise question" in the subject.