If you would like to apply for one of our available dogs or to learn more about our adoption process, please read below:

If you have a dog that needs to be rehomed, please click here.

 

How to Adopt from PSBR

First: Please click here here to download an application. Fill it out electronically and email it to PSBrescue@yahoo.ca. You will receive an emailed reply to notify you of the successful receipt of your application, after it has been reviewed by a volunteer for completeness.

Second: Your application will be reviewed by our Adoptions Coordinator and determined if it is the best match with the requested dog's personality and requirements. If so, it will be passed on to volunteers who will contact your references. Someone will contact you at this stage of the process.  

Third: Upon approval of your application and reference verification, a volunteer will call you to arrange a convenient time for a home visit.   We require all members of your family be home for this visit.   The volunteer will check the house and yard for safety concerns and discuss the match between you and the dog you would like to adopt.

Fourth: After the home visit has been completed, a volunteer will call you & give you the foster parent's name & phone number so you may contact them to discuss the dog's personality and make arrangements to meet the dog.

When you are at the foster home visiting the dog, if the dog likes you, the foster parent will have a contract for you to sign and you will pay the adoption fee. You and your new best friend may then go home and begin your new lives together.

 

The Fine Print:

The Adoption Process
We only adopt to homes within a three hour radius of Hamilton.    As a home visit is required in our adoption process, we cannot adopt to homes out of this area.

Our application/questionnaire may appear to be quite long and detailed to someone who is not familiar with adopting a pet from a rescue organization. When our organization rescues a dog, we feel that it is our responsibility to both the dog and the potential adopter to make the best possible match/placement. With this in mind, we do everything that we can to gather information to make an adoption work from the outset.
 

Completing an application does not insure approval for dog adoption from our organization.   PSBR reserves the right to refuse adoption of a dog to anyone who they believe cannot or will not provide an appropriate environment for the breeds that we rescue.

We may receive several applications to adopt a particular dog.  When that occurs, we chose the application which seems the best fit with the dog's needs and personality.   We will focus our attention on processing that specific application.   If something happens that makes the chosen applicant unsuitable for that specific dog, then we will review all the remaining applications and select another one.  We do not have enough volunteers to check on all the applications that come in, so we concentrate on one applicant at a time for each dog.  Thus your references might not be contacted until you are selected as the most viable candidate for a particular dog.  We will always let you know when any dog you have applied for has been adopted elsewhere and give you an opportunity to turn your attention to another rescued dog.

PSBR charges an adoption fee based on the age of the dog:

Baby	Under One year old	$	375.
Young	One to Five years old	$	300.
Adult	Six to Eight years old	$	250.
Senior	Nine years old and over	$	200.

We are a non-profit organization and all of the adoption fees go directly to the Veterinary care of our dogs.

We are entirely staffed by volunteers and therefore there are no paid organization members.  Many dogs we bring into rescue are in need of medical intervention in addition to the regular series of shots and spay/neuter.   Such vetting may include dental work, ear infections, blood tests, surgeries, etc.    Each dog will be vetted according to their specific requirements. However, all dogs will have received their basic vaccinations - Rabies, DHLPP-C and Bordetella - and be altered before going to their forever homes.

Depending on the dog and its condition, medical costs can often be excessive. Many times, adoption fees alone do not cover the costs.   We count on donations and adoption fees paid for dogs without major medical issues to help cover the cost of all our vetting requirements.   We do offer a tax-deducible receipt for any donations made above the normal adoption fee.  

Due to the high number of dogs surrendered because of young children in the home, PSBR will not adopt a dog under 10lbs to a family with young children 12 yrs or under.   For dogs over 10 lbs, the dog's temperament is considered, along with the applicants family's ability to correctly handle a small dog.  

The dog may be returned at anytime within the first two weeks for a refund of the adoption fee, minus a $100 admin fee - we consider this a donation and will give you an income tax receipt for it.

 

Surrendering a Dog
It is hard to have to give up a family pet, but occasionally a change of circumstances requires you to make this decision. Or perhaps you found a dog that you aren’t able to keep? We do take in dogs that an owner surrenders, so that we can find these dogs the best homes. Since we bring all our dogs up to date on vaccinations and have them altered prior to their final adoption, we will require all available medical records. If the dog required altering or vaccinations, we request a $75 donation, to assist us in these vetting costs.

We like to know as much information about the dog before we take it in, to make sure we have a suitable foster home available. If you are in the situation that you are no longer able to care for your dog, please download the Owner Surrender form and e-mail it to:
psbrescue@yahoo.ca

Why choose us over local shelters?
Your dog will go to a private foster home where it will be loved and cared for. The dog will never have to spend a night in a kennel, be in danger of being prematurely euthanized, used in medical research, placed in a cage in a puppy mill, or mistreated by cruel people. We carefully screen each adoption applicant and perform a home check to make sure that whoever adopts the dog will be able to provide the proper home most suitable to its needs.

Please download an Owner Surrender form HERE.