Our foster volunteers care for the Rescue's dogs in a home environment. A home setting provides a less stressful environment than a shelter setting, ensures the animal is exposed to the normal rhythm of family life and allows our fosters an opportunity to begin to evaluate the animal. While BPL’s foster volunteers make reasonable efforts to test the dog’s level of socialization with other dogs, people and, when possible, cats and will communicate what they have observed to prospective adopters verbally and, where possible via text, email or other electronic means, you should understand the BPL’s volunteers can only report behaviors they have directly observed. Because the history available on the dog you have applied to adopt may be incomplete or not available, BPL cannot guarantee how this dog will react with dogs and people unfamiliar to the dog including children. Therefore, it is necessary for you to supervise the dog you adopt when it is with other animals and other members of your household, especially children, until you are satisfied that both the dog and other household members are comfortable with each other.
The dog you have applied to adopt needs time to adjust to a new home. It may take this dog a few weeks to adapt to its surroundings. Patience and understanding should be used in the event of accidents and mischievous behavior. As the adopter you should not immediately expect a perfectly behaved dog. It is up to you, the new owner, to reinforce and train your dog's behavior over a period of time.
While we thank you for potentially opening your home to a rescue animal, we ask you to carefully consider the responsibilities of animal ownership. Regardless of whether you adopt your dog from a breeder or a rescue, individual dogs have their own personailties, energy levels and training needs. Please consider the following questions carefully as you prepare to meet the dog you wish to adopt so you can help the Rescue the adoption is a good fit for both the animal and its new family.