BOSTON TERRIER ADOPTION APPLICATION

BOSTON TERRIER ADOPTION and FOSTER APPLICATION

BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE of EAST TENNESSEE

4501 MONTVALE ROAD

MARYVILLE , TN. 37803

865.983.3272

INTRODUCTION

ALL potential adopters and foster homes are screened for suitable placements of dogs. The BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE of EAST TENNESSEE and its members nationwide the Boston Terrier Rescue Network may refuse placement of a dog for any reason. By submitting this application, you give permission for BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE of EAST TENNESSEE and its affiliates to investigate and confirm all information that you have provided. All forms become the property of BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE of EAST TENNESSEE upon submission and may be shared with other affiliated Boston Terrier Rescue organizations. This application is used for both Adoptions and Foster Applications. There is no fee for Foster Applications.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADOPTION:

1) You must be 21 years of age or older.

2) You must have identification showing your current address and one form of picture I.D if requested.

3) You must have the consent of ALL adults living in the household.

4) If renting, you must have proof of your landlord’s written consent and pay a pet deposit if one is required.

5) Your existing pets must have all required current vaccinations and be free from contagious illnesses. Veterinary records are sometimes required. If our dog to be adopted states “only pet”, there may not be any other pet in your household. There is no sense in asking for trouble.

6) If this dog is stated to be “NO CHILDREN” this means exactly that. There may be no children in your home, or if you have visiting children this dog MUST be kept totally separate from the children. This requirement is for the safety and well being of both the Boston and the children. If you have specific questions around this stipulation, or are wondering why, ask.

7) You must be willing/able to spend the time necessary to provide training, medical treatment, proper care and cost, and companionship for the dog. You must agree to keep the dog on heartworm preventative permanently and that is part of the contract.

8) All other animals in your home must be spayed/neutered unless there are extraordinary reasons otherwise. It is your obligation to discuss this issue with us and we will make that decision.

9) A component of our Adoption Contract requires that you maintain contact with us, provide us with information on the dog’s health or general condition if there is a change and are prepared to relinquish and return the dog to the BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE of EAST TENNESSEE if you are unable or unwilling to further care for the dog personally. You may NOT sell, give or in any way transfer ownership of the dog to another party without the expressed consent of the BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE of EAST TENNESSEE and there are expensive legal consequences in the contract for ignoring this provision that we will and have enforced. Do not take this lightly, we will enforce the contract legally.

10) Rescue is a money losing proposition and without donations we would already be broke. Part of this understanding is that you are responsible for picking up or otherwise making arrangements to pick up your new best friend. Please do not ask our foster parents, volunteers and coordinators to bring your dog to you. They are already giving greatly and generously of their time and money.

11) There are a very few pure bred Bostons (or other small breed dogs) that are suitable for small children. Our policy is the result of the severe abuse of a little 2 1/2 yr old Boston Terrier named Kipper in Memphis, brought to our attention in late 2005 and ultimately we believe resulting in his euthanasia by his "family":

Kipper's Rules

This is our policy on placing Bostons in homes with young children. In spite of what many breeders and pet stores will have you believe, Pure Bred Bostons do not do well with younger children although many of the larger mixes do very well. Here is an outline of our policy for placing dogs with families with children aged 7 and under.

• We do not adopt to families with children aged 6 and under. No exceptions.
• We will consider, on a case by case basis, families with children aged 9-10 and over.

Trust us, it's just as big a favor to you as it is to the dog. Many of the dogs we accept into rescue are here because they've already had bad experiences with young children, some dumped at kill shelters through no fault of their own, some of which we not allowed to rescue.

The behaviors of small children that aren't corrected by some parents can be shocking, (chasing frightened dogs, pulling ears, hitting, trying to carry them, etc). Even if you are diligent about teaching your children to be gentle and respectful, kids will be kids and they can't be watched 100% of the time. Small children can't be expected to know that a dog can feel intimidated by them, or recognize the warning signs the dog will give before biting. And a dog will bite out of fear, or because it's been hurt. That's what happened to little Kipper.

Please keep in mind that above all, it's our job is to do what's best for the dog. We will not place a dog at risk of euthanasia because it's bitten a small child defending itself from harm.

12) There is always a minimum adoption fee in each case which helps to offset veterinary costs for the dog you wish to adopt and so that we can continue to help other Boston Terriers & other dogs in need. You may add a donation if you'd like to help other dogs, too old, too sick or otherwise "unadoptable."

13) All dogs receive any necessary medical treatment, are up to date on their shots (based on age) and are spayed or neutered prior to adoption if they are medically fit for altering. Some have pre-existing conditions and we'll tell you about that to see if you're up to taking on a Special Needs kid or one that's recovering from an ailment.

14) All dogs listed on our site and on courtesy postings are to the best of our knowledge the breed or breeds described. We rescue dogs in danger from shelters and always the breed determination is made initially by the shelter or previous owner or other source such as a veterinary office. If we do then describe a dog as a "Boston Terrier" (or other breed or mixed breed) in our rescue, it would be our best determination since we have no specific breeding knowledge or other expert knowledge of the dog's breed other than what is represented by the shelter or provided infrequently by an individual releasing a dog. Not all dogs of any breed, although they may be certified or represented as "pure breds" are of show quality. That is determined by the breeder and stock and purity of breed. Our personal knowledge of the breed is factored into our determination but by no means is it conclusive. If it is a highly bred, show quality dog that you wish, our recommendation is that you consult a reputable breeder with excellent references and good credentials.

15) We are particularly cautious with regard to "invisible fences." Used alone, there is the distinct possibility of low batteries, or dogs who learn to "game" the fence and get through. We have a collection of them which were still on "found" dogs. Even under the best of circumstances, such a barrier does nothing to protect the Boston from other larger roaming dogs and can indeed ironically impede the smaller dog's escape. We can talk about this but in most cases invisible fences do a good job in discouraging jumpers and diggers when attached above ground on the outside of a standard fence.

16) Regarding big dogs and little dogs: Boston Terriers are notoriously hot tempered and are little dogs with big dog attitudes. When a little dog gets into a fight with a big dog, the little dog will almost always loose. Don't ask us to place a Boston Terrier into a potentially dangerous situation.

PLEASE NOTE !!

Only through the kindness and generosity of volunteers for these dogs can we survive. Adoption fees in no way cover personal expenses, veterinary bills, food and shelter and the time & costs taken to nurture these dogs back to health. Nor are the expenses to do research or home visit, or transports. We are not a part of the government entitlement programs and we receive no support other than through the kindness of donations.

Like most Rescues we have regrettably found it necessary to impose a $20.00 Application Fee to eliminate hobby shoppers & those who would waste our volunteer's time. If the application is approved, we will apply $10.00 to the Adoption Fee. If not, the entire amount will be considered a donation towards care for the old and sick who're unlikely to be adopted.

You will note that we are very cautious of placing pure bred Bostons into homes with children although often larger, mixed Bostons do well. We're also cautious about safety issues for the dogs including fencing which can be a requirement in some cases.

Don't waste your application fee if you know up front you won't be approved. Please read the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADOPTION above first.

You can also mail your cash or money order to:

The Boston Terrier Rescue of East TN

4501 Montvale Rd

Maryville, TN 37803

Your Application Will Not be Processed Without this Donation

This Fee does NOT Apply to Foster Applications

Which Boston Terrier or Boston Terrier Mix dog are you inquiring about or is this a general application?

If this is a general application:

Do you prefer a little boy or girl and what Ages (ctrl-click for more than one)

Would you consider a Mixed Breed ?

Would you be willing to adopt a senior Boston or a Boston with some disability ?

We work closely with other Boston Terrier Rescues to try to conserve resources since we're all volunteers. Do you currently have an application on file with any other Boston Terrier Rescue? Are you already working with another, and if so who and who is your contact?

Applicant’s Personal Information

Please fill this out very carefully and pay close attention to the questions.

Note that the Application Fee IS required unless you have an active application already with another Boston Rescue or you are applying to foster

Full Name

Date of Birth Home Phone #

Street address

City, State and ZIP

Work Phone # Cell Phone #

What is the best time for us to call?

Email address

Employer’s name/address

Spouse's Name:

Spouse's Employer:

I reside in a in with

Number of adults in home

Number of Children Ages:

Do all adults in household consent to this adoption?

Are you/spouse a student? Do you travel frequently?

If yes, how often

Who will be there to take care of your dog while you travel?

What experience with dogs does this person have and will they actually be living there or will they be

making stops during the day while you’re gone?

How often will they visit and/or check up on the dog?

Does anyone living in your home have allergies or asthma?

If so, who?

Do you have a fenced yard with a locked gate?

Type of fence and height:

How long have you been at your current address and names of next door neighbors:

Do you plan to move in the next 12 months?

If so where:

If you do move, what will you do with your dog?

If renting, does your landlord allow pets?

Name & telephone number of landlord

Deposit required and amount per dog

Do you plan to keep this dog mostly inside or mostly outside, always inside or always outside?

Where will the dog be kept during the day?

Where will the dog be kept during the night?

Where will the dog be kept when nobody is home ?

How long will the dog be left home alone during the day or night and how many days per week?

Do you often work overtime?

What provision will you make for exercising your dog and how often?

What provision have you made for the dog to take care of “personal business” during rain, snow or other inclement weather and how often?

Where will the dog sleep at night?

Do you own a dog carrier/crate and if not, do you plan to purchase one?

(We generally recommend crating your dog while you are away from your residence as a precaution to the dog’s safety)

Do you plan on enrolling this dog in obedience class?

Where and when

Do you plan to chain this dog in the yard? (type "yes" or "no" without quote marks): ?

Can you keep this dog away from the other pets for one week other than supervised "visits" ?

(Unless the posting states “NO OTHER PETS” we recommend this time to allow all household pets to become accustomed to each other)

Who is this dog actually for:

Are you willing to make arrangements to pick up your Boston from the foster home AND return your Boston to the Rescue should anything not work out? (select one)

Why do you want to adopt a Boston Terrier rather than another type of dog

Do you have children or plan on having ?

Is the dog’s appearance/size/age/sex important to you and if so, why

Amount you will or plan, or expect to spend on this dog during any given year and for what?

If the dog develops a health problem who will take the dog to the vet and be financially responsible

for your dog ?

How will you know when to take the dog to the vet?

If the dog develops a behavior problem, how will you deal with it?

List all your pets that you have had or have now going back 5 years and include their breed and if they are not still with you, why and explain in detail.

Do you give your pets heartworm or flea/tick prevention? If so please describe in detail including name brand used.

Also with vaccinations. Are vaccinations given? If so please describe which, when and how often.

Did you give the vaccine yourself, somebody else or was that done at a vet’s office?

Name of your vet or the vet you plan to use, phone number and address

Name Phone Number

Please remember we will require access to all old vet records of previous dogs' care and historical information. We will make the contact with the vet directly but you may comment on anything that you feel is important for previous dogs and treatment.

Comments:

Name of your emergency vet clinic or after hours clinic that you plan to use in the case of an emergency, phone number and address:

List any additional comments that you might feel are important:

I, swear or affirm that all the information of this application is true and correct. I further swear or affirm that nothing has been withheld that would adversely affect my consideration in adoption of a Boston Terrier or any other dog and that nothing in my background might disallow me from being considered in adoption of a dog or any other animal. I swear or affirm that this dog is for my own personal enjoyment and is expected to be my dog and that I am not making this application for any third person or organization or group.

I further swear or affirm that I have never been prosecuted, successfully or unsuccessfully on animal cruelty or similar charges AND that I have never been refused by any other Rescue or Adoption Agency or Shelter or similar organization adoption of a dog or any other animal.

I acknowledge that I have read, understand and agree with this entire application document including the Introduction, MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADOPTION and Notes.

(signed)

Date:

List three personal references (no relatives) that you have known for at least a year. Provide names, addresses and phone numbers.

First Personal Reference (non family related), address, phone number and best time to call:

Second Personal Reference (non family related), address, phone number and best time to call:

Third Personal Reference (non family related), address, phone number and best time to call:

PLEASE NOTE: Other than the many applications we see and the fact that we're working as fast as we can, occasionally we have some delay problems with Yahoo's mail server and messages have been delayed as much as 7 days. If you've sent an application, please contact us if you don't hear anything within 7 days. If you don't hear anything by email, call.

Processing can take as little as a few days to weeks depending on our ability to communicate with you, your reference's willingness to communicate with us and arranging for a home visit.

Did you include your application fee above? No fee, no application, BUT if you have forgotten it, send the Application NOW and go back and do the fee afterwards. Some browsers can't handle opening the second window. ;-)

Your Process Check:

1. All information on the application is confirmed, application donation is received (for Adoption Applications) and if approved by one of our coodinators, we move to step two.

2. A home visit will take place to evaluate your ability to take care of this dog; and only after this has been met we move to step 3. The home visit may be conducted by the Boston Terrier Rescue of East Tennessee or by another approved agency, rescue organization, Humane Society, veterinary or ACO.

3. You then come to the Boston's rescue home or foster home (or make other satisfactory arrangements) to formally adopt your new family member after the adoption fee and any other additional fee(s) have been met. If you have another dog(s), we'll ask you to bring that kid to in order to make sure everybody is happy.