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Thank you for visiting this component of our site and looking at your options first.
We appreciate it and so does your beagle!
Below is information on how Big On Beagles can assist with the re-homing
of owned dogs. As you can imagine, we hear many reasons why folks have to give up their dogs. The most common is lack of time
and, in those cases, we might be able to explore with the owner other alternatives to giving up their beloved friend. But,
sometimes, there are serious emergencies leaving the owner with no choice but to part with a beagle they dearly love. No matter
what the reason, we're glad you visited our site for help.
It's important to understand how dog rescue groups like
ours work. Our priority must always be those beagles who are at risk of euthanasia, usually in the care of shelter
facilities.
Since your beagle has a family of his/her own, we propose sharing the responsibility
of re-homing your dog. Your beagle is counting on you to help find him/her a good home with the least amount of stress in
the meantime. If there's no urgency in getting him/her out, then the best option is to keep him/her at home until the perfect
new home is found. If, however, there is a problem keeping him/her in your care, we'll need to discuss it further and ascertain
whether we have an appropriate foster home available. So often, our foster homes are full as there sadly is no shortage of
desperate situations at our neighbouring shelters but we may be able to provide you with other options. The last resort should
be surrender to a reputable shelter as shelters are often at capacity too and it can be a stressful experience for any pet.
Nevertheless, if you had no choice, there are some shelters we could recommend and hope you will consult with us first before
surrendering to just any animal shelter.
We wish we could take every dog that needed our help without hesitation
but that's just not possible. We're also extremely choosy about who we match our beagles with so, suffice it to say, it takes
time to find good quality homes. Beagles are an acquired taste and we have high standards!
Back to how things work.
The reality is, we only have so many foster homes and those foster homes are valuable to us when emergencies arise. The homeless
beagles must come first.
We can't emphasize enough, your beagle really needs to rely on you, if possible,
to be his/her caregiver - at least until a responsible and loving new owner can be found. You or someone you trust must be
prepared to care for him/her while we search for that new home. Consider canvassing with other family members or
friends to take him/her on a temporary basis.
We may, in fact, have pre-screened potential adopters waiting in
the wings! If not, we offer our Adoption Assistance Program, which includes promotion via our web site and possible participation
at our Meet-ups. We can assure you, if you decide to opt for our assistance, nothing less but the best home possible will
do for your beagle.
Here's how it works. We would consider a courtesy listing on our web site, wherein we would
feature your beagle for adoption. Accordingly, you would care for him/her in your own home until he/she's matched with
a new owner. If, however, there are any behavioural issues to consider when finding new placement for your beagle, you'll
need to advise us. There is no standard timeline in finding the right match. It's just simply a matter of time and whether
you are prepared and/or able to make the effort. Any prospective adopters would go through us initially for pre-screening,
then forwarded to you. The final decision on who adopts your dog will be yours, but we will be available to guide you
in the matchmaking process.
This can be offered based on the following requirements:
1.
An initial Meet & Greet with your dog first for a Temperament Assessment (you would need to visit with your dog at BOB
Headquarters - in the Beaches, Toronto. We will also consider visiting your home if local or within a reasonable distance.)
***Please note your beagle must be spayed/neutered prior to any posting on our site, with the exception of those animals
with medical conditions for which such surgery would be a health risk;
2. A donation of $50 to
our rescue program is requested in advance of the posting. If financial constraints prevent you from making such a donation,
we will understand. It is simply our hope that you respect and appreciate the time and effort taken to help you
in this special way by making, if possible, a contribution in support of our continuing work on behalf of homeless beagles.
If a loving home is found for your beagle through our efforts (site posting, application screening, reference check, telephone
interview, meet & greet, home visit), then the Adopter is required to make our regular adoption donation to Big On Beagles
to ensure a genuine commitment on behalf of the Adopter. There always must be value placed on the animal to attract quality
adopters. (*All donations go directly towards the ongoing care of our rescue beagles);
3. Completion
of the Adoption Assistance Form (link provided);
4. Scanned photos of your beagle which can be
emailed to us by jpg format (the pics should be high resolution, i.e. approx. 300KB and preferrably good, clear facial shots
of your dog looking at the camera);
5. Vet contact information. (*We would need to contact your
vet to confirm shots up-to-date, spay/neuter and temperament, so you would need to call your vet in advance giving them authorization
to speak with one of our representatives regarding your beagle) (**Please also note that if your beagle is 6 years old or
older and has not had any bloodwork done in the last year, you would be required to arrange bloodwork with your vet to determine
the health of your beagle prior to an adoption search); and finally
6. Authorization from YOU
that this is your mandate - to place your beagle. By this we mean that you have given it careful thought in advance and have
come to the definite conclusion you need to place your dog in a new home. The credibility of Big On Beagles is adversely
affected, not to mention the time taken to assist you, if you decide midstream that you no longer want to place your beagle
and an approved prospect is denied the dog. That's why we make sure we have a heart-to-heart conversation with you in advance
of an adoption search. You never know, there may be other choices you can make besides letting go of your beautiful beagle.
When completing the Adoption Assistance form, please be sure to provide both good and bad qualities - special focus
on temperament, housetraining, obedience level, health issues, social skills, etc. As previously mentioned, if there are underlying
behavioural reasons why you've decided to part with your beagle, you must disclose this information at the onset. It's important
to clearly identify any issues he/she has before proceeding - for your beagle's sake as well as any prospective adopter. By
being forthright with the information, we stand a much better chance at finding the right home, and less risk of a failed
match. If, for instance, your beagle has bitten, we need to discuss it in detail. It does not necessarily mean your beagle
is a lost cause. But only an expert specializing in aggressive dog behaviour can determine that. We offer an excellent source
in those circumstances, following preliminary consultation with us.
Consider this too. If your beagle lacks training,
he or she may not be an attractive candidate for the average adopter. As strange as this may sound, finding a new home for
your dog can often be equated to selling a house! You stand a much better chance at finding him/her an enthusiastic adopter
if he/she's had some "upgrades" so to speak. If possible, while he/she's still in your care, we strongly suggest
meeting with a behaviourist or taking him/her to obedience school and working on his/her training.
On the heels
of that last comment, we always ask whether you've thoroughly considered the option of working things through and keeping
your dog with you. In many cases, it's better to try all we can to keep our pets with us. Our dogs are a source of happiness,
despite the rough patches beagles so often put us through. They're always testing the limits of our sense of humour! At any
rate, you might find that if you consult with a behaviourist or attend obedience school together to help you with his/her
training, he/she's not such a bad dog after all! No matter the breed, dogs don't arrive at your door perfect angels. They
need consistency in training using positive reinforcement. In the end, you will be rewarded for your efforts - as long as
you maintain that good old essential sense of humour, especially when it comes to beagles!
However, if this is
not possible and you truly feel that you have no choice and/or that your beagle would be happier in another home for one reason
or another, we offer our assistance as an alternative. Finding the right placement can take time, though. There should be
special care taken to find the appropriate match and that cannot be rushed. The prospects should be first interviewed
by phone, followed by a Meet & Greet in your home, followed by a Home Visit to the prospect's home, with a number of days
separating each important step. It's a step by step process to ensure we eliminate those who are acting purely on impulse.
After all, this should be a lifelong commitment.
Once you've read through this information thoroughly, please feel
free to contact us at the B.O.B. hotline or by email if you have further questions or concerns. If calling, we ask that
you call between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm. You may get our vmail but be assured we will call you back as soon as we possibly can.
Communication by email is usually speedier. Otherwise, feel free to submit a completed Adoption Assistance Form by email or
fax and we'll take it from there.
Thanks for taking the time to read this information. It shows you care about
your beagle ~ the first step to finding a loving new home on their behalf.
bigonbeagles@primus.ca416-693-5590 (B.O.B. Hotline)
416-686-0236 (Fax - Must call BOB Hotline first
and speak to representative to be connected to fax)
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