FAQ

Dogs enter our rescue program from many places and for many reasons.

Some come to us from animal shelters. Some have been removed from situations of neglect or abuse. A dog may need to be rehomed due to an unavoidable change in a family’s circumstances. It’s not uncommon for assisted-living facilities to require residents to give up their pets. Other dogs come to us after their owners pass away.

Boston Terriers can be an expensive breed, and some may struggle to afford the costs associated with routine care, let alone the unexpected and costly medical needs that may arise. And there are dogs that are simply no longer wanted.

There are as many different stories as there are dogs in rescue.

Dogs In Foster Care are not yet ready for adoption. We can’t tell you exactly when they will be available – each dog remains with their foster as long as it takes to assess and get them healthy and ready to go to their forever home.

Once a dog is ready for adoption, we move them to our Adoptable Dogs page, open applications, and announce it on social media. Then, the adoption, as outlined on our Adoptions Policies page, begins.

Yes we do. As long as you are willing to travel to meet your dog and agree to return them if, for whatever reason, the adoption doesn’t work out. We do not ship dogs.

Different dogs have different needs in living arrangements, and we strive to find the best match for each one.

Some dogs are happy with regular leashed walks for exercise and potty breaks, but a securely fenced space is safest for others, if a dog is timid or a flight risk, for example.

Some dogs do well in a condo or apartment setting. Others will bark excessively to alert you to every sound or will react negatively to other dogs in common areas. These dogs would do best in detached homes.

On the topic of fencing, we know that physical fencing is expensive and that some homeowners’ associations have rules against fences. However, our policy is not to adopt to homes with invisible, electric or underground fences due to the risks involved in using this type of containment. You can read more about them HERE.

It’s impossible to set an exact time between when we list a dog as adoptable and when they leave for their new home because each dog and each situation is unique. Some dogs receive only a few applications, while others receive many. We take the time required to carefully review each application to ensure we make the best possible match between dog and family. Please remember that we are a 100% volunteer-run organization working hard to process your application as efficiently and quickly as possible.

The most important message is to SLOW DOWN and give your new dog time to adjust to new people and a new place at their own pace. Resist the urge to visit the pet store or to introduce them to family and friends right away. They need time to decompress.

Look at  from their perspective – this is not their first move, and they don’t know you or trust you just yet.

Be prepared for a transition period. Our “Bringing Your New Dog Home” document has more tips.

It’s hard to give a simple answer to the question of what to feed. There is much debate about what is the best—homemade vs. kibble vs. canned vs. raw—and no one food works for every dog. Some people need the convenience of a pre-made diet; others have time to make their own. Of course, everyone’s budget is different, so it’s also about choosing the best diet that you can afford.

Commercial kibble is the most common choice. (Canned food recipes are much the same nutritionally as their kibble counterparts, although many use canned food as a kibble topper or when a dog is recovering from dental surgery or other illness).

Some general tips:

• Look for named proteins as the main ingredient. Check the ingredients label to make sure that a meat protein like chicken, fish, or beef is at the top of the list.
• There is no need to spend extra money on novel proteins like pork, venison, or kangaroo if your dog shows no sensitivities to more common proteins.
• Grains are not bad, despite the successful marketing of grain-free diets. If a dog does have a grain allergy, it’s often to wheat, so a limited-ingredient or grain-free diet is unnecessary for a healthy dog with no allergies.
• You may also have heard that grain-free diets can cause heart issues in dogs, specifically DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy). The jury is still out as to whether this is the case, but one theory is that the ingredients used to replace grains, primarily legumes such as peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans, block the production and absorption of taurine, an amino acid necessary for good health. (Note that soybeans have not been associated with DCM.)
• Keeping in mind that we are not vets or canine nutritionists, most of our adult foster dogs are fed a common meat protein-based diet (poultry, beef or fish), with grains and without an excess of legumes listed in the top ingredients.
• For puppies, choose a diet specially developed for a growing dog’s nutritional requirements.
• For dogs with specific health concerns, we recommend speaking with your vet, as a prescription diet may be the best choice.

If you intend to change the diet your dog is currently eating, introduce the new food gradually over a week to avoid any potential digestive upset. On days 1-2, mix 25% new food with 75% old food. On days 3-4, increase the ratio to 50:50. On days 5-6, feed 75% new food to 25% old. If your dog tolerates the food well, start feeding them 100% new food on day 7.

Consider contacting the person who posted the ad, but please be kind and do not message them repeatedly. We want rescue to be recognized for what it is: a welcoming and judgment-free option. Unfortunately, BTRC is not able to purchase dogs posted online.

Here is a template you might use:

Have you considered a reputable breed rescue like Boston Terrier Rescue Canada as an option for re-homing your pet? It’s a sad fact that there are dishonest and cruel people out there who scan these ads to find free or inexpensive pets that they can turn into a profit by whatever means necessary. They will be friendly and persuasive and know all the correct answers to your questions because they do this all the time.

Rescue will see that your dog receives all necessary vet care, including spaying/neutering (so they never end up in a puppy mill or breeding facility) before placing them in a fully screened home.

You can learn more by visiting www.bostonterrierrescuecanada.com/surrender-your-dog