FAQ
The geographical area in which we operate is North Florida and South Georgia. We do not have a facility where we house dogs. All of our program dogs are fostered in the private homes of our volunteers.
Boxers are a large, energetic breed often acquired by people who don’t realize the commitment of ownership and subsequently, they are abandoned at animal shelters across the country. Animal shelters in Florida and Georgia are overflowing with animals that need homes. BARC opens up space in those shelters by taking dogs into our adoption program. We also work with people who choose to give up their boxer, thereby keeping them from having to go to a shelter where they could face euthanasia.
We can only take in as many dogs as we have foster homes to house them. We almost always need more foster homes just to handle the purebred boxers in our region. This one extremely popular breed keeps our volunteers more than busy. For this reason, we cannot take Boxer mixes. By handling a specific breed exclusively, we have become specialists of a sort in the breeds’ temperament, health problems, etc. This helps us assist the people who adopt from us in having successful adoptions!
The vast majority of the dogs entering the BARC program come from animal shelters where they have been abandoned. BARC works in cooperation with animal shelters and animal control in receiving dogs that have been confiscated in cruelty and neglect cases. BARC also receives some Boxers who were strays after an attempt to locate the owner has been unsuccessful. Finally, BARC has dogs surrendered directly from owners who no longer wish to keep them.
Our program dogs are fostered in the private homes of volunteers who live throughout our above stated coverage region.
No, BARC does not have a facility where you can visit the dogs prior to going through the screening process. You may be able to meet some of our adoptable dogs at local events; however, our foster families are all volunteers busy with their families, jobs, etc. and we do not ask them to open their homes to unscreened applicants. Once you have gone through the screening process and been determined a good candidate for a particular foster dog, the foster home will welcome you to come meet the dog. We ask that all family members, including any current dogs, travel with you to meet your potential new family member.
Once you are approved to adopt, we ask that you drive to the dog that interests you, regardless of where the dog is located. Foster parents cannot meet you in a parking lot or other public area, as this is not a viable place for a pre-adoption meeting. Seeing the dog in the home where he is comfortable will give you an idea how the dog will behave in your home once he is adopted. Adoption counselors work with you to find the best match for your family and this may not be the dog closest to you-be prepared to travel to meet your dog.
No, we are not able to make exceptions to this policy. Please do not fill out an application to adopt or foster if you are outside of the area in which we operate as we will not be able to respond. If you are looking for a boxer rescue in your area, we would be happy to refer you to one.
Adopting from a qualified rescue does take some time. BARC has no paid employees. Members of BARC have work and family commitments in addition to the volunteer work we do. On average it takes one to several weeks for us to check references, review applications, conduct telephone interviews and home visits. Applications are processed in the order they are received and we try to be as fast as possible. We understand that not being able to adopt immediately after applying is frustrating for some people. If you are not willing to be patient through the adoption process, adopting from a rescue may not be your best option. There are many nice dogs in shelters that may be able to go home with you today!
As a rule BARC does not place two female boxers in a home together, as we feel that the chances of a successful adoption are higher when the boxers in the home are of opposite sexes. Female-female aggression in the breed is very common and can develop over time. Often this is something people have to see themselves to believe.
No. BARC, like every reputable breed rescue in the country, does not place animals that are intact. We are in the business of reducing the unwanted pet population, not adding to it.
Most of the dogs that enter the BARC program are adolescents. This is the most common age they are abandoned because they were acquired as a cute, little puppy that grew into a big dog that the owner didn’t want anymore. BARC rarely gets very young puppies in the program. When we do, they are usually puppies that were born to a purebred boxer that gave birth in a shelter and they are usually not purebred themselves. The benefits of adopting a slightly older dog are many-ranging from less chewing, more settled behavior, and less house training issues.
No, we are not a source for breeder recommendations. Good breeders do not sell their dogs through pet stores or newspaper ads. We recommend you contact your area breed association and do research as to which breeder health tests their animals, etc.
Absolutely! We can always use volunteers to join our transport team, do home visits and work events. Donations are also greatly appreciated and are tax-deductible.