Crossroads Shih Tzu Rescue is a regional rescue, operating in Illinois,northern Indiana and Tallahassee, FL, committed to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu mixes and other small breed dogs.

The purpose of Crossroads Shih Tzu Rescue is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home needy Shih Tzu, Shih Tzu mixes, and other small breed dogs, and we can't do that without YOU! Adopting and providing a forever home for a rescued animal is one of the most rewarding experiences you can possibly have.

Our application process is thorough and is made up of several steps. It is our commitment to the dogs in our program to find them the best possible homes, and so we consider the application process to be extremely important.

Note to potential applicants:  CSTR's adoptable dogs are fostered in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, IL, Merrillville, IN and in Tallahassee, FL.  Adoption applications from those areas and within reasonable traveling distance will be considered.  Because we are a small organization with only a few volunteers, it is simply not possible for us to do long distance adoptions at this time. 

A few things you should know before you begin the application:

• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age
• All members of the applicant's household must be in agreement to adopt a dog.
• Applications must be completed in their entirety. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
• All current animals in the household must be spayed/neutered and must also be current on applicable vaccinations and on heartworm preventative. If not, documented proof from the animal(s)'s veterinarian must be provided as to why the animal is not.
• Applicants must consent to the check of personal references and a home visit (see the Adoption Application Process below.) Only one reference may be a relative. We do check references, so please let those people that you list on the application know that they will be contacted.
• Children in the home must be at least 8 years of age. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis based on the individual dog and the family's history with pets.
• CSTR adoption fees range from $100-$400, depending on the age of the dog.

Adoption Application Process

Please note: CSTR is made up entirely of volunteers who have jobs and families to care for, in addition to their CSTR responsibilities. So it may take several days to a couple weeks to complete this process. Please be patient, and if you have questions or would like a status on your application, you are welcome to email the CSTR board.

The first step in applying to adopt a CSTR dog is to complete our online Adoption Application.  

Once your application is received, it will go to our Board of Directors for review.

Once approved by the BOD, the references will be called by a CSTR volunteer and, if approved, a home visit scheduled.

If everything checks out and is approved, we will then work with you to match the right CSTR dog with your family.

Please note that submission of an application is not a guarantee of adoption.

To view the dogs in our program that are available for adoption, please visit our Our Dogs page.