VOSD Surrender Process overview for rescuers/ owners: L1

Modified on Thu, 12 Dec, 2024 at 11:53 AM

DOCUMENT NAME: VOSD Surrender Process overview for rescuers/ owners (L1)

DOCUMENT ID: VOSD/WF/L1/E-FD-WWW/SUR/111224

This workflow describes the process of sending a dog to VOSD and what your experience of surrendering a dog to VOSD should be. It also helps you set your expectations from VOSD and what VOSD should expect from you. Please note that this is a workflow meant for a high-level understanding of the process of sending a dog to VOSD.

INITIATING THE SURRENDER PROCESS: To surrender a dog you need to initiate a service request to surrender a dog to VOSD. These requests can be sent only via
1. A Trouble Ticket that you fill out on a form on the VOSD Integrated HELPDESK at https://vosd.freshdesk.com, or
2. By sending an email to info@vosd.in
3. Because of the complexity of the process, and the amount of information that has to be in record requests are taken in only through the VOSD HELPDESK and not in any form.
THE VOSD PHILOSOPHY, and that of the VOSD surrender process:
1. The well-being of the dogs in VOSD’s care is VOSD’s no. 1 priority. The upkeep of the dogs in VOSD’s care (1700+ as of Dec 2024) is and always will be VOSD’s top priority. VOSD’s processes, people, and systems are designed to keep these dogs safe. Therefore anything that presents a danger to VOSD dogs including breakout infections such as distemper, parvo, and leptospirosis is strictly guarded against. This includes new dogs, people unfamiliar with our processes, new food, etc.
2. The Danger posed to incoming dogs: Every place has its biome - even though VOSD’s entire facility is washed, disinfected, and mopped - every day. This biome means that with months, years sometimes up to 10yrs the dogs that live with us are familiar with the bacterial and viral load in the environment while the new dog is not. And this may pose a danger to them.
3. You can read more about how VOSD may or not be able to help the dog in your care on the VOSD FAQs here: https://vosd.in/faqs/
4. A lot of VOSD policies are influenced by this construct, including
  1. Policies about taking in unvaccinated dogs, puppies, etc
  2. Proprietary VOSD Protocols about:
    1. revaccination of new dogs
    2. revaccination schedule of all dogs
    3. administration schedule of prophylactic for new dogs
    4. redoing diagnostics for new dogs
    5. compulsory quarantine of all new dogs (in the QUARANTINE SECTION)
    6. isolation of dogs showing any symptoms (in the ISOLATION SECTION).
  3. Socialization of dogs with other dogs, and degree of unsupervised time.

(these processes and policies are internal and proprietary to VOSD and are not for sharing or discussion)

COSTS INVOLVED IN KEEPING A DOG: Admitting a dog to VOSD is a significant decision for both VOSD and the dog because of the lifetime costs and complexity involved. The average lifetime cost of a dog that lives 10 years with VOSD is INR 10-15 lacs including the mandatory specialized medical treatment as the dog nears the end of life (this is also the reason pedigreed pet dogs are abandoned or surrendered to us as they near the end of life). Please understand that you are not directly paying for this lifetime care till VOSD takes in the dog - the dog is your responsibility, not ours.
THE VOSD HELPDESK is a system comprising:
1. A workflow to ensure that all requests are addressed by VOSD and no information due from you is missed by you.
2. A large amount of canned information is created and kept searchable for your convenience and to ensure the best possible self-help experience.
3. A dedicated team of full-time employees responding to queries in person (working in Indian business hours Mon-Sat, 9 AM-6 PM)
TICKETS ON THE HELPDESK: On receipt of this request, the VOSD HELPDESK does the following:
1. Creates a system-generated ticket with a unique number and sends this to you via an automated response.
2. This system-assigned trouble ticket number can’t be edited by any team member. Further, you can track the progress of the ticket through our system on the VOSD Integrated HELPDESK at https://vosd.freshdesk.com (VOSD HELPDESK or HELPDESK)
3. The ticket thus created is set as OPEN, meaning VOSD will act on it.
4. This ticket will continue to be in one or the other state and can only be set to CLOSED if the conversation is resolved with you. It can't arbitrarily be closed by the VOSD HELPDESK.
5. Even if the ticket is CLOSED by the HELPDESK the ticket will reopen as soon as you respond to the email. In this case, HELPDESK will need to work with you again to close the ticket.
SURRENDER CATEGORIES: The types of dogs that can be sent to VOSD:
1. Surrender Categories: VOSD presently has 10 surrender categories. Please make sure your surrender request falls into one of these categories. You can see them listed here: https://vosd.in/surrender-a-dog/
2. NB: VOSD is not a shelter, and we cannot take a critical dog. You can read more about it here https://vosd.in/what-we-do/
3. NB: VOSD does not do emergency rescues and we will only be able to take in a medically stable dog. The VOSD Sanctuary & Hospital caters to the daily treatments of 200-300 critical resident dogs. The surrender process herein describes in the fullest the terms and process of the surrender.
4. Please note that service requests not within the parameters of the VOSD surrender request will be set as CLOSED upon informing you.
PRIORITY OF YOUR REQUEST and expected time for the dog to arrive at VOSD:
1. Each year 400+ dogs come to VOSD to live out their lives. This means a large infrastructure spread over 7 acres that house medical, care, and staff facilities needs to be maintained to keep the dogs healthy, fed, and cared for.
2. When your request is accepted it is the dog joining a queue of 10-20 dogs being processed in terms of paperwork, and logistics for arrival at VOSD. This means that the HELPDESK is coordinating with you, responding to several hundred requests, and processing the logistics and transportation at the same time
3. The dogs that can’t survive on the street or are in imminent danger are always assigned a higher priority. These include:
  1. Blind stray dogs
  2. Hospice dogs (old, infirm dogs)
  3. Special needs dogs (paralyzed or needing lifelong care)
  4. Cruelty survivors
  5. Dogs belonging to terminally ill pet parent(s) and pet dogs that were abandoned.
SURRENDER OF DOG: The process of surrendering a dog to VOSD (this stage may last 2-5 business days assuming all the information is ready and verifiable).
1. All surrenders to VOSD are governed by the VOSD Surrender Agreement and you must fill out this form and accept for the surrender to go through.
2. The HELPDESK will request you to furnish information to ensure that the dog is right for VOSD and that it can be assigned the right priority.
3. If the surrender is in a paid surrender category the helpdesk will inform you. This payment is made online. Once confirmed the helpdesk will inform the probable date of admission of the dog.
4. This stage requires significant time and may take 1-2 weeks since coordination will be required between VOSD & you, you & your vet and diagnostics, and VOSD - your transporter.
TRANSPORTATION OF THE DOG to VOSD (this would take 2 days to a month to schedule depending on where in India the dog is coming in from, availability of transport, and the priority assigned to the dog).
1. Dogs from within Bangalore (at cost to you)
  1. The VOSD vehicle will pick up the dog from the location that you provide and bring him/her to our sanctuary. It is important to note that the cost of this transportation will be your responsibility.
  2. The location ideally should be a house/shelter/boarding facility or an enclosed area as we do not pick up dogs from roads or streets.
  3. During the handover from the location to the VOSD vehicle, you are required to ensure that one person whom the dog is acquainted with, remains present throughout the process
2. Dogs from Pune/ Mumbai (at cost to you)
  1. SAW, an NGO in Pune and VOSD partner transports dogs to VOSD via a regular service.
  2. VOSD will facilitate but you are required to coordinate with SAW Pune directly
3. Dogs from other Indian cities (at cost to you)
  1. Dogs come in by road, air, and train. VOSD will help facilitate the transport arrangements where references are available with VOSD.
  2. Once the admission date is given to you will be required to make the necessary arrangements to bring/send the dog.
  3. When the dog arrives in Bangalore VOSD will pick up the dog from the designated location.
  4. In case transport is required by road from anywhere in India VOSD vehicles will pick up the dog from the address provided and bring the dog to the VOSD sanctuary. In this case the dog is brought straight to the VOSD Sanctuary.
CLOSE OF SURRENDER PROCESS: The process once the surrendered dog arrives at VOSD
1. Once the dog arrives at the VOSD Sanctuary you receive an update on the receipt. and the ticket will be closed. A ticket that is closed on the receipt of a dog at the VOSD Sanctuary can’t be opened on your request.
2. Once a dog is surrendered to VOSD, VOSD does not give individual updates on surrendered dogs
3. VOSD does not allow visits to the VOSD Sanctuary & Hospital.
4. No dog that is surrendered to VOSD is given out for adoption or rehoming.

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