How do I adopt a Shar-Pei?
Potential adopters should fill out and submit an application along with a $10 processing fee to our club address. After receiving your application, one of our volunteers will then check your vet references, do a criminal background check for animal cruelty charges (as required by VA State Law). If you rent your home, we will contact your landlord to discuss whether it is permissible for you to own a pet. Once all the necessary checks are completed, one of our volunteers will contact you to arrange a home visit to ensure that the home is a safe and happy environment for your new companion. The adoption process averages about 2 weeks. After adoption, we remain “on call” to answer any and all questions you may have for the life of your Shar-Pei.

What is the adoption fee?
The adoption fee is $250 for dogs under 7 years of age and $150 for dogs over 7. All dogs are spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and micro-chipped before leaving rescue. Adopters will be given an "adoption kit" containing heart worm and flea prevention, ID tag, collar, premium food, a health and care information package and other items. Entropion surgery is also done upon vet recommendation. Before the average rescue dog enters its adoptive home, an average of $300 - $500 may have been spent for medical treatments & foster care. We care for each Pei as if it were our own pet.

Where do these dogs come from?
Most of our rescue Pei come from Shelters, Animal Control facilities and owner surrenders.

How do I know that a Shar-Pei is right for my family?
Once a dog is received into rescue, they are placed in a foster home. While in the foster home, the dog’s temperament is evaluated to determine how well it gets along with children and other pets. Our foster homes are Chinese Shar-Pei lovers who open their homes and invest a lot of time and effort into providing a loving and stable environment that some dogs may never have had before. Should things not work out, the Pei may be returned to rescue.

How big do they get?
Despite the AKC guidelines of standard breed size 18” – 20” tall at the withers and 45lbs – 60lbs in weight, we’ve seen purebred Shar-Pei as small as 13” tall and 30lbs to as large as 23” tall and 70lbs.

What should I feed my Shar-Pei?
Because of potential kidney problems in the breed, the Shar-Pei should be fed a low protein meat based food such as a chicken or lamb based diet.