How We Started
STBTR was born in July of 2016 with a vision and as an additional resource for Boston Terriers, and other brachycephalic breeds, that need rehabilitation, rehoming, medical treatment, and any other TLC including hospice care, in the Houston and greater Gulf Coast areas of Texas. We have expanded outreach to dogs in Austin, San Antonio, Laredo, Del Rio and other areas with the help of a volunteer base that now stretches state wide and into south Louisiana. We are strictly a foster based rescue – we have no facility. All of our dogs are housed in foster homes for vet treatment and evaluation.
Evaluation and Vetting Process
In order to determine the perfect fit for the dog, we evaluate the dog in several areas:
(1) temperament around other dogs, cats and children;
(2) assess the medical needs of the dog;
(3) assess the training level of the dog (housetrained, crate trained, uses a doggy door, needs a fenced yard, etc.);
(4) determine if there are any red flags or triggers that need to be dealt with in training;
(5) obtain vaccines, heartworm test, spay/neuter, and any other medical needs that are apparent that require immediate treatment/surgery (ear infections, skin infections, surgery to remove lumps or bumps, major issues involving the legs that prohibit the dog from using a limb properly); and,
(6) If the dog is heartworm positive, we start a slow kill protocol under a vet’s supervision.
This evaluation and vetting process can take from a few days to a month or so. Our goal is to fit the dog to the family after we have assessed what a perfect family situation would be for the dog based on all the above criteria.
Adoption Criteria
Once you apply to adopt, the process will generally take approximately two to three weeks. We spend several hours generally screening each application, and this is the criteria required to adopt from us:
(1) All pets in the household currently must be up to date on vaccines and annual exam, including a heartworm test;
(2) All pets in the household currently must be spayed/neutered (unless your vet has determined that it would be detrimental to your pet to undergo this procedure and that will be verified by calling your vet);
(3) All pets in the household currently must be on a heartworm and flea prevention regimen;
(4) A fence is not a requirement but is a definite plus; and,
(5) Your vet and personal references will be called.
If you have requested a certain dog on your application, you will be put on a list for that dog. If, after evaluation, that dog is deemed a fit for your family, then any apps for that dog will be given the opportunity to meet that dog in the order the apps were received.
Once You Are Approved
The final step in our approval process is a phone interview with the applicant. At this point, everything else has been reviewed and approved. During this interview, we will tell you which dogs we have available that might be a fit for your family. You will have the opportunity at that time to schedule a meet and greet with those dogs.
If we do not have a suitable match for you once you are approved, you remain approved for the next possible fit and you move to the head of the line for that dog.
Meet & Greets
It is imperative that when we have a dog ready that you want to meet, that you are able to, within reason, schedule that meet and greet. We understand prior obligations, work schedules, distance involved, etc. would prohibit possible meetings with little notice. Timely scheduling of meet and greets a) gets our dog into its forever home as quickly as possible and, b) frees up that foster for the next dog that needs a place to land. If you cannot schedule the meet and greet timely, then we will move on to the next approved applicant that is a fit for that dog. Many times a meet and greet can be scheduled at a pre-determined meeting place between the foster and adopter (should the distance between you and the dog be great), but only as we have transport available.
We require any other dogs in the household to attend the meet and greet to insure that the dogs are compatible.