Adoption Policies

Boston Terrier Rescue of Canada Fee Graphic
Louie

General Adoption Information

We work to make the best possible match between a dog’s unique needs and an applicant’s lifestyle through a careful and thorough adoption process.

Each dog differs in personality, temperament, energy, comfort with kids and other animals, medical needs, and more. We consider all these factors when choosing an adopter. It is distressing for a rescued dog if their new adoptive family rejects them after only a few days or weeks because they aren’t the right fit. We want you and your newly adopted dog to enjoy a long and happy lifetime together.  

We do not adopt dogs as gifts, and all Boston Terriers adopted through our program are spayed or neutered.

Our “welcome home” policy ensures that our dogs may come back to BTRC at any point in their lifetime in the unlikely event that an adopter is unable to keep them.

Although we are pleased to answer specific questions about our rescued dogs, we cannot proceed until we have your application. We do not maintain a waiting list.

Please note that we do not ship our dogs, but applicants can apply for dogs outside their province, provided they arrange pickup.

Adoption Policies

Before You Apply

Familiarize yourself with the adoption polices on this page, and be sure you meet the specific requirements for the dog you are interested in adopting.

Most rescued dogs range in age from young adults to seniors, but all have a lifetime of love to give in return for welcoming them into your family.

Be prepared to work with your rescued dog through the adjustment period that follows adoption. The move to your home will be at least the second move in a relatively short period, and some stress and confusion will be natural. They need your time, love and patience to adjust to your home and family. We will offer tips and support to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

 

Foster Dog Assessment

During the foster period, BTRC evaluates each dog’s behaviour, personality, and health. Each dog has a complete veterinary wellness check and is updated on all vaccinations. They are tested for heartworm and other parasites, microchipped, spayed or neutered, and provided with all additional medical care required.

We begin the adoption process once BTRC determines that a dog is ready to find their forever home. 

Dogs and Kids

Our policy is not to adopt dogs with unknown histories into homes with children under six. We do this with the safety of your children in mind, as many of the dogs that come into our rescue organization are from unknown or even abusive pasts, making them unpredictable around youngsters. Not every dog is suitable for children.

A dog can be a child’s best friend; the Boston Terrier breed is no exception. Properly socialized and trained, the Boston Terrier makes a safe, reliable, and fun-loving companion. Nonetheless, dogs are animals, and in some unfortunate circumstances, they can and do bite. As we value the safety of your child and of our rescued dogs, this policy is in everyone’s best interests.

If a dog has a positive proven history around children or has lived happily with children in their foster home, we will place them in a family with kids.

Adoption Fees

Standard Adoption Fees:

Puppy (Under 1 year) – $650
Young Adult (1-4 yrs) – $600
Adult (5-9 yrs) – $550
Senior (10+ yrs) – $450

The adoption fee is a a financial contribution to help offset each rescued dog’s medical and other expenses. 

In addition to routine veterinary care such as vaccinations, parasite testing and prevention, and microchipping, expenses often include spay/neutering, veterinary specialist visits, dental surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, professional behavioural training, and more. The average cost to rehabilitate a dog in our rescue is over $3400.

A complete medical history with veterinary records is provided to the adoptive family. 

Each newly adopted dog receives a free 6-week trial period of pet insurance with Petsecure. The adopter can choose to continue after the initial trial period ends.

Application Process

  • Adoptable dogs are posted to the BTRC website and shared on social media.
  • We do allow out-of-province adoptions, however, we do not ship our dogs.
    The adopter must be able to travel to bring home their new companion.
  • Applicants fill out an adoption application for the specific dog they want.
  • BTRC’s Placement Team carefully reviews all applications to select the best match for each dog’s needs. 
  • Selected applicants are interviewed (with all family members present), and a home visit is conducted either virtually or in person. These visits allow us to better understand the environment in which the dog will be living and provide you with an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
  • Personal and vet references will be contacted
  • The Placement Team selects the home they feel is the best match for the dog.
    Please understand that not being selected for a particular dog does not reflect on your suitability as a home. We may receive several excellent applications for a single dog.
  • The adoptive family chosen completes an Adoption Contract and pays the designated adoption fee.

We do not keep applications on file. If your application is not selected, we encourage you to apply for another dog looking for their forever home.

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