1. While RADAR is usually able to respond to requests for assistance within 24 hours, RADAR is not designed or staffed to handle requests for emergency situations.
2. When requests are made between 8am and 9pm EST, we should be able to respond within a few hours.
If you need further information, please contact us at radar@radardogs.org.
1. What type of organization can request RADAR assistance?
RADAR assists 501(c)(3) animal rescue organizations and government agencies such as municipal animal shelters. Typically humane societies are not eligible for RADAR funding.
2. What qualifies a dog as at risk?
An at-risk dog in a qualifying rural county municipal shelter is an otherwise adoptable adult dog who meets one or more of the following criteria: older (approx. 7 and up), black (mostly dark), medical needs, special needs, breed mix (like Pit Bulls or Hounds), or on a shelter's urgent or euthanasia list.
3. What counties and states qualify?
RADAR only assists dogs located in rural municipal shelters in Appalachia and the Southeast, in counties with population densities of less than 250 people per square mile. Please check our Where We Help page to determine if a county qualifies. Simply click the state where the county is located on the map, and you will be taken to a list of all qualifying counties for that state.
4. Our rescue would like to apply for a RADAR grant so that we can help a shelter dog, but we do not have 501(c)(3) status. Can we still qualify for RADAR funds?
Unfortunately, rescues must have 501(c)(3) status to qualify for a RADAR grant.
5. We recently were approved for a grant for a particular dog, and now have pulled this dog from the shelter. If a dog who has a RADAR grant is transferred from one rescue to another, is RADAR's grant still valid?
If vetting or services have not yet been completed/paid, RADAR must be notified by either the original rescue or the new rescue prior to transfer. We then will determine if the new rescue qualifies for RADAR assistance.
6. What are the basic requirements to qualify for a RADAR grant?
Rescues should be primarily foster-based.
Must respond within 72 hours to communications from RADAR.
Must have limited funding available.
Shelters must be willing to hold the dog until a rescue commits to take the dog or the dog is adopted.
7. How does my rescue apply for a RADAR grant?
If your rescue has never applied for a RADAR grant, we require the rescue to first complete our Rescue Questionnaire. This gives us basic information and references for your rescue that allows us to make a determination about your rescue's qualifications for a RADAR grant.
After your rescue has completed the Questionnaire and has been approved, you can request a grant for a specific dog by submitting a Contact Us form.
If the grant is approved, a Grant Application must then be completed within 1 week.
If the grant is approved, the approval is for both the dog and the rescue; the grant funding will not transfer to another rescue without prior approval from RADAR.
8. Our Rescue has never applied for a RADAR grant. What do we do first?
We require the rescue to first complete our Rescue Questionnaire.
9. Why do you ask for our EIN and 990 filing on the Rescue Questionnaire?
RADAR's commitment to assist should be a contributing factor in the rescue pulling the dog. If you are a 501(c)(3) rescue organization, you provided your EIN on the Rescue Questionnaire. If RADAR determines, based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing, that your rescue has significant financial resources, RADAR will not approve grant funding for your rescue.
10. We've already started to collect funds for a dog we'd like to submit an application for. Do you need to know how much we've raised?
Yes! The idea of RADAR funding is that it should be a contributing factor in your rescue's ability to pull a dog.
11. If my rescue has submitted the Rescue Questionnaire and has been approved, does that mean that RADAR will approve grant funding for each Grant Application that we submit?
No. Grant Application approvals depend on where the dog is located (county and state), if we have available funding and other criteria.
12. After my rescue has submitted the Rescue Questionnaire and has been approved, how do we apply for a RADAR grant for an individual dog?
The best thing to do is to use our Contact Us form. This enables us to verify that the dog is located in a county and state where we assist, if we have available funding and other criteria. We will respond to your Contact Us form; if we are able to assist, you will then be required to complete the Grant Application.
13. We'd like to help a dog in a shelter. What should we do?
If a rescue contacts us about a shelter dog, RADAR will only consider assisting if the rescue uses the Contact Us form, prior to committing to take the dog.
Approval depends on the where the dog is located (county and state), if we have available funds and other criteria. Rescues must have 501(c)(3) status to request a grant for a dog.
14. We rescued a shelter dog, and now would like to ask for a grant. Can we still do that?
RADAR will only consider assisting a dog if the rescue contacts us first using the Contact Us form, prior to committing to take the dog.
1. Is there a requirement for the timing of vet care or other RADAR-assisted services?
Basic vetting must take place within 1 month of rescue. If more time is needed, the rescue needs to request an extension at least one week before the 1 month deadline.
Slow-kill heartworm treatment medication must be purchased within 1 month of rescue.
Regular heartworm treatment (injections, aka fast-kill) must take place/be completed within 6 weeks of rescue. If more time is needed (for example, heartworm treatment for pregnant dogs), the rescue needs to request an extension at least one week before the 6 week deadline.
All other RADAR grant funding must take place within 1 month of rescue. If more time is needed, the rescue needs to request an extension at least one week before the 1 month deadline.
Must provide an unpaid, itemized, final bill or invoice for services to be paid by RADAR. Please send them via email to radar@radardogs.org or fax to 855-743-1225.
2. What vetting does RADAR require a rescue partner to provide to RADAR-assisted dogs?
The rescue must provide basic vetting, i.e., health certificate, rabies vaccine, DA2PP, de-worming, heartworm testing, spay/neuter (if not already done), heartworm and flea/tick preventatives.
3. Does RADAR have requirements regarding what vet or service provider we use?
The only requirements RADAR has regarding the choice of vet or service provider is that they have the ability to fax/email an unpaid, final, itemized invoice and, ideally provide services at a discount.
4. What does RADAR need from the vet or service provider in order to make payment?
We need an unpaid, itemized, final invoice, reflecting any discounts and credits within 7 days of completion of services being paid by RADAR. It is usually best to have the vet or service provider fax us a copy directly (855-743-1225). A scanned / emailed copy is also acceptable.
5. What does RADAR need from the rescue in order to make payment?
RADAR needs an unpaid, itemized, final invoice, if not already provided by the vet or service provider. We also need post-rescue photos and post-rescue personality information for the dog RADAR is helping.
6. How much time do we have to submit an unpaid invoice?
The sooner the better! Any delay prevents RADAR from helping other at-risk dogs!
7. What if we already paid for the dog's vetting or other services? Do you reimburse rescues?
A RADAR grant is only in the form of payments made directly to the vet or service provider. We require unpaid invoices and will not provide reimbursement.
8. Does RADAR need updated photos and a personality description?
Yes to both! By submitting the application, you are agreeing to provide these items to us.
Photos are extremely important to our fundraising efforts. A minimum of 3 good quality photos need to be submitted (large file size). The initial photo can be from the shelter, and the other two photos (ideally a head shot and a full body shot) should be post-rescue and must be submitted within 2 weeks of rescue.
Provide a few lines describing the dog's personality (the types of things that would be included in a dog's listing on Petfinder, etc.), submitted within 2 weeks of rescue.
9. Does RADAR require the rescue to post assisted dogs?
Dogs must be posted on one or more pet listing sites, such as Petfinder, and those listings should be updated regularly.
10. Should we thank RADAR on our Facebook page and on the dog's listing (on Petfinder, our website, etc) for helping us with each dog?
Yes, a thank you for RADAR's assistance is greatly appreciated.