Animal Shelter And Rescue

San Francisco, California

Adoption Process
So, you’ve been thinking about adopting a Bull Terrier?

Congratulations! If you have done your research you will know that having a Bull Terrier is not for the faint of heart. Breed discrimination is a risk and demands that you wear a thick skin when people criticize your choice of pet. Renters struggle with finding bully breed friendly housing and some insurance carriers won’t cover them. What a project! Because we know how challenging it can be to navigate people’s biases and misperceptions, we ask that you fulfill these requirements in order to adopt one of our dogs:

Be at least 21 years old, we might make an exception for a younger, rock solid applicant.
Fill Out an Application and impress us with your dog savviness!
Show A Solid Reference (your veterinarian will do)
Must Own or Have Landlord Approval Yes, we’ll check.
Be Interviewed by one of our volunteers
Show that you have a clear understanding of the challenges you’ll face.
Agree to a Home Visit
Everyone in your Household needs to be ready for the adoption too. Yes, we will ask- no surprises!
Pay an Adoption Donation Fee $400 for dogs 1-7yo; $500 for pups less than 1 year and $200 for dogs 8/9yo and older, depending on health issues. Miniature Bull Terriers are $600, if PLL clear/carrier. The fee for a PLL affected dog will depend on whether or not he/she has other issues.
Sign a Legally Binding Adoption Contract
Note: Apartments/Townhouses/condos are fine, but if you have a backyard, we want to see a solid fence and a safe environment.

What is BTRI’s adoption process like?

You will fill out an application, found here: http://www.bullterrierrescue.org/?page_id=572
After we receive it, we’ll contact you by email and give you the phone number of a volunteer that can do your phone interview (just to go over the application and clarify anything that needs clarification)
Next we will set up a home visit with a knowledgeable BTRI volunteer
You may then be invited to take the dog home under our foster contract, and the dog will be marked “Adoption Pending” on websites. And you will be added to our foster group where you can share your experience and get help with any issues that may arise.
Once the dog is responding well to you and your family and pets, you’ll sign an adoption contract, and pay the applicable adoption fee.
You will have a Bull Terrier to love and enjoy! And will always have BTRI to call if you ever need help with your bully.
You’ll want to keep your new dog well trained, well socialized, and always have him on a leash in public places. You’ll learn how to talk to more people than you ever thought you would have to about the joys of a Bull Terrier. In a sense you’ll become part PR person, part educator, part dog-training expert (if you’re not already, that is!). By proudly owning and showing off your dog, you’ll be making the world better for bully breed dogs everywhere.

We recognize that this breed has suffered at the hands of irresponsible breeders and reckless dog owners. When poorly bred and/or seriously exploited bully breeds have shown up on hyped up news reports, it scares the daylights out of your Aunt Flo and the guy next door; convincing many that all bully breeds are the devil incarnate.

To counter this hysteria, Bull Terrier Rescue Inc. is committed to finding wonderful family pets-in-the-making for our adoption program. We work to match these deserving dogs with loving and responsible adopters who have a bully tough desire to set the record straight. We look for dogs with highly desirable personalities: gushingly affectionate, happy to be handled, well socialized and healthy. There seems to be no shortage of these great examples of BT temperament.

Our foster dogs are well socialized, spayed/neutered, given all necessary shots, and micro-chipped. They’ve been exposed to every setting imaginable – with all kinds of people including children, other animals, on leash on busy sidewalks and in the middle of crowds. Some amount of dog-dog intolerance is normal and acceptable, while human-directed aggression is never tolerated.

In return for all the dog screening and home screening, we can both feel confident that the dog you take home is a pet you’re fully prepared to own. Our team will stay available to you for the life of your pet should any questions or concerns come up. And we will warmly welcome you into the wonderful Bull Terrier Community of bully breed fans that live all over the world. If this sounds like an adventure you’re ready to commit to, we’d love to hear from you!

Thank You for Wanting to Rescue!