So You Want to Adopt a Buster Dog . . .

Adopting a Buster dog requires a donation of $300 (effective April 1, 2014).  Check with your tax preparer, this may be considered a charitable contribution which can be listed on your yearly tax return. Your donation helps us cover the cost of veterinary expenses, dog food, and in some cases boarding expenses.  **Some dogs have discounted adoption fees, which will be mentioned on their individual bio page.**

*Before any adoption will be finalized., proof of a paid obedience training class must be presented.

You can access the Online Adoption Application Paperwork here.   ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU SUBMIT YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION AND DO NOT RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL, your application did not go through.

Before Adoption, all Buster dogs are:

• Spayed/neutered
• Fully vaccinated (Distemper, Bordetella, Parvo, and Rabies – as age appropriate)
• Dewormed, tested negative for heartworm, and given heartworm preventative
• Microchipped

The Buster Foundation does NOT adopt dogs out in any of the following cases:

• A home with other dogs and/or cats that have not been spayed/neutered
• A home located in a city or township with breed-specific legislation (we recommend you research your city’s animal-related ordinances prior to filling out an application)
• A home in which the dog’s primary caregiver(s) is under the age(s) of 21
• A home in which a resident has been convicted of cruelty or neglect to an animal.
• A home outside of the state of Michigan (Please note: We do NOT make exceptions for Ohio residents.  The state of Ohio has a history of discriminating against pit bulls and we are not willing to send our dogs there at this time.)

The Adoption Application Process

After we receive your completed application, we will then do the following:

1. Review your application to make sure the information provided is complete and appropriate given the needs of our dogs
2. Contact your references
3. Contact you with any follow-up questions or concerns we may have
4. Schedule a time for you (and your family members and pets) to meet the dog(s)*
5. If the meeting goes well, we will then schedule a home visit with the dog at your house*
6. Before finalizing any adoption, proof of a paid obedience class must be provided.

*Please note:  ALL family members and pets residing in the house must be present for at least one of the interviews and home visits.  This includes anyone who might be spending regular time at your home such as close relatives, significant others, dogsitters, etc.

It is common for the application process to take one week to ten days, and the full process takes approximately 2 weeks, from the time that we receive your application to the day you are able to take the dog home with you.  We hope you will be patient and understand that adopting one of our dogs is not a quick process, given the importance of finding each dog the best home.

Things to Consider

After reviewing your application and meeting with you, we may suggest that a dog of a different age, sex, or temperament will be better suited to your living situation and household.  For example, we often recommend that homes that already have one dog adopt a new dog of the opposite sex in order to reduce the likelihood of conflict between the two.  Similarly, we often recommend that households with multiple young children let us recommend the best dog for them, in order to ensure positive interactions between the new dog and the younger members of the family.  This is particularly important with active, energetic breeds that require the kind of exercise and training that pit bulls do.

Because of the abuse, neglect, discrimination, and public misperceptions experienced by pit bulls and other bully breed dogs, we are highly selective and thorough in our adoption screening.  We do not wish to have you disappointed or overwhelmed with your new dog once you’ve brought them home, nor do we want to put a dog through a stressful transition, only to have them unwanted and returned to us.