Our philosophy is to protect and serve our breed. We are dedicated to finding responsible and loving homes for misplaced, neglected and unwanted Bouviers. Our goal is to educate the public, breeders and fanciers on responsible dog ownership, which includes: spaying and neutering of pets, behavioural guidelines to ensure problem behaviours are dealt with before the dog is abandoned and to inform prospective Bouvier owners of the special qualities, characteristics and requirements of our breed before they acquire a Bouvier. With proper education we hope to eventually eliminate the purebred Bouvier from any and all rescue programs. It is imperative as members of this league and our parent club that we make every effort to care for our own breed.

First of all Bouviers in rescue are not "misfits" and usually are not defective in any way. They end up in rescue for many reasons through no fault of their own. Common situations for a Bouvier being in our rescue program are as follows: an owner dies or due to health reasons is no longer able to care for the dog. The family is relocating, such as overseas. People get a Bouvier without thinking about the long-term commitment. Many people decide to breed their Bouvier without a real understanding of the work and money involved or the responsibility required to do it right. Some new owners just do not know how to take care of a dog, and then there are some Bouviers that come to us from abusive situations. Some of our rescues have come from shelters, as they were picked up as strays and then were not claimed. So, what are some of the reasons people opt for an adult rescue versus a puppy? Well for a lot of prospective Bouvier owners, all of the family members are away from the home for long periods of time throughout the course of a day, whether it be an adult away at a full time job, or the adolescents at school all day. They do not have the time to spend that a new puppy requires. The adult rescues have already been through the teething/chewing phase, the housebreaking phase and the general puppy wildness. Most of the adult rescues have also had some form of obedience training. Adult rescues will already have had spay or neuter surgery. And last but not least, some people like the idea of giving a deserving dog a good home. All Bouviers in our rescue program available for adoption have been evaluated for temperament, examined/treated by a veterinarian and have had spay or neuter surgery performed. Exceptions to the spay/neuter surgery would be for very young puppies, in which case the surgery must be performed at the age of six months. This would be a stipulation in the adoption contract.

So you've decided you want a rescue, what are the steps to be taken? Contact the ABRL Regional Coordinator for the area in which you live. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions. You will be questioned about your lifestyle, your family, your schedule, and other animals in the home and what you are expecting from a pet. This is not done to offend you. The rescue person is asking for two reasons; first to match you to the most suitable Bouvier, and second, to make sure that your home is an appropriate one for the Bouvier breed. Very often people want a Bouvier solely because of its looks, not aware that its personality may be completely different from what they want. A rescue Bouvier has already been torn away from at least one home, and the ABRL is going to do all that we can to make sure that it never needs to go through that again. A responsible breeder will ask you many of the same questions. (In fact, many Bouvier rescue volunteers are also responsible breeders). He/she will advise you to fill out an adopter questionnaire form. You can request to be sent a paper copy, or fill out an on-line form. Next, you usually wait. Keep in touch with the rescue person from time to time, to keep you in his/her mind when a suitable companion for your family comes in. An in home visit will be conducted sometime prior to a rescue placement in your home. Read as much as you can about Bouviers and check out local obedience classes in your area. Try to be patient - the process is very much like adopting a child.

Obviously rescue costs money. Donations and fund-raising events do not cover all of our expenses. A monetary investment, just like acceptance of the responsibilities of dog ownership, in the form of a $300.00 adoption fee is required. One thing to keep in mind is that the adoption fee is not necessarily reflective of the expenses relating to your particular companion. We get some rescues that have extensive medical problems. Sadly some do not live through the entire treatment (sometimes the case with heartworm infection), but nonetheless their veterinary bills still have to be paid. Also, some of our dogs in rescue have to be boarded for costly periods of time, due to the lack of availability of foster homes and appropriate adoptive families.

When you get the phone call, that you can come and meet/take your new family member home, remember to take it slowly as your companion has been through a lot of stress and may not be showing at his or her best. The next step is to fall in love! Your Regional Coordinator is a valuable resource of information pertaining to: adjustment to new home, behaviour, training, grooming, diet, and exercise.

In closing, I would like to encourage you to think about a rescue Bouvier, when you decide to add a companion pet to your family. If you're just looking for a family companion, (like most people) consider giving a home to a Bouvier that has been pre-owned. It can be a wonderfully rewarding experience.