Adoption Process

UPDATE: Our rescue work has slowed since C-19 hit.bh

To meet the changing needs of our community, the bulk of our focus has shifted to helping dog owners who are facing hardship. Read How.
We tend to only have 1-4 dogs in our program at a time. New arrivals are announced first on our social media, so keep tuned in there for the most recent updates on new arrivals. Thanks for understanding!  Instagram / Facebook

So, you’ve been thinking about adopting a new friend?

Congratulations! There’s a good reason that Blocky dogs are some of the most popular dogs in the US.

You may have gathered from reading through this website that having a dog that’s unfairly stereotyped by some is not for the faint of heart. Breed discrimination is common and demands a Bing thick skin when people criticize your choice of pet. Many struggle with finding pet friendly housing and some insurance carriers won’t cover them. 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 occasionally make exceptions for younger, rock solid applicants.
  • Be Local to the SF Bay Area or, be willing to come here to Oakland.
  • Out of state adopters are welcome to apply if they agree to travel to CA to meet us in person and absorb all those pesky travel costs. Please remember that most airlines ban pit bulls from their flights, so if the dog you have your eye on turns out to be a good match, you’ll have plan a road trip back home. We will provide free on-site lodging to those who make the trip.
  • Fill Out an Application and impress us with your dog savvy!
  • Please be Ready. We don’t hold dogs for people who aren’t quite ready yet.
  • Must Own or Have Landlord Approval Yes, of course we need to check.
  • Chat with one of our Reps so we can assist you in finding the right match.
  • Show that you have a clear understanding of the challenges you’ll face.
  • Homes with cats considered if you accept the risks (see link).
  • Allow us to make sure your fence, gates, etc are proofed.
  • Everyone in your Household needs to be ready for the adoption too. Yeah, we’ll ask’em.
  • Pay a $300 Adoption Donation Fee
  • Sign a Legally Binding Adoption Contract
  • Please note that BADRAP reserves the right to refuse any adoption.

Note: We prefer to do opposite-sex placements whenever possible. Apartments/Townhouses without yards are totally fine, but if you have a backyard, we want to see a solid fence and a safe environment.

What is BR’s adoption process like?

  • REQUEST. We’ll send you an application at your request —>. Application, Please
  • RESPONSE. After we receive it, we’ll contact you by email with feedback within three or so days.
  • MEET at the Rescue Barn in the Oakland, CA hills then go home and sleep on your decision.
  • HOME DETAILS. If this is starting to feel like a match, we’ll sort out the details for next steps.
  • FOSTER FIRST. In some cases, dogs go home under our foster contract, and the dog will be marked ‘Adoption Pending’ on websites. Note: Long distance homes and homes that are 100% ready skip straight to full adoption.
  • ADOPT! Once the dog is responding well to you and your family and pets, you’ll sign an adoption contract, pay $250 and get all the dog’s vet records. Pit Ed training classes are free for every adopter.
  • You’ll be invited to attend various events, workshops, play sessions and other opportunities to socialize, learn, hob-nob and ENJOY.

Class

Family pit bulls are worth their weight in gold, and part of your job as a responsible owner will be to demonstrate this fact as you live your life with your dog by your side. 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 myths and hysteria surrounding pit bulls. 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 pit bull type dogs everywhere.

Our foster dogs are well socialized, house trained (unless they’re young pups), spayed/neutered, up to date on shots, microchipped, and given basic obedience training. Some amount of dog-dog intolerance is normal and acceptable, while human-directed aggression is never tolerated.

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 BAD RAP Community of pit bull fans that live here by the bay. 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 Your Next Pit Bull!

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