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*PLEASE NOTE* **IMPORTANT** We have recently been experiencing a large amount of calls and emails from kind-hearted individuals who have "rescued" Boxers and then want us to take the dogs off their hands right away.
FBR, Inc. is made aware of several Boxers PER DAY, that have been abandoned, are roaming neighborhoods or are known to be starving or neglected and confined to their yards. We want to help every single Boxer we are contacted about, but in reality, we know we cannot.
If you are a person who knows of a Boxer that is being neglected or has been abandoned PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY IMMEDIATELY. If animal control investigates and takes the dog, FBR will most likely be contacted if the dog is in danger of being euthanized. We have worked extremely hard at maintaining positive relationships with many shelters and animal controls in our service area and we work together to ensure Boxers have the best chance at adoption and do not die needlessly. We do not recommend that you remove the dog from the property for obvious reasons - you may very well want to, but we ask that you take the proper steps and call animal control first, to make a complaint (which can be anonymous).
If you do take matters into your own hands anyway, please do not expect FBR Inc. to be able to assist you immediately by taking the dog off your hands. We must legally follow regulations when we come across a stray animal. We have a specific intake process and a waiting list of dogs to consider. We also must have time to find a foster home. We can say with certainty, that we are almost always "full to capacity," so if you pull a dog, and would like us to help you, you must be patient.
When you are aware of a Boxer that has been abandoned or needs rescuing, please feel free to call our toll-free number at 888-612-5782 with as much detailed information as possible AFTER you call animal control. We have volunteers in different geographic areas that can then take the information and go through the proper channels in order to best help the dog. We must reiterate that we do not recommend "rescuing" dogs on your own and then calling us to take them. If you do so, you severely limit our ability to help that Boxer as we can have difficulty making arrangements at a moment's notice.
Please visit this
link before filling out our contact form at the bottom of this
page. FBR has a waiting list of Boxers sitting in kennels until foster home space opens up, therefore we regretfully cannot accept Boxer mixes at this time. Feel free to email us if you have a Boxer mix you no longer want to keep, and we will do our best to refer you to an all breed rescue organization.
FBR, Inc. covers CENTRAL and WEST Florida only. If you live in another part of Florida, please visit our Links page for Boxer Rescue groups in your area who may be able to help you.
FBR, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that assists displaced Boxer dogs in finding new homes. But that is not all we do. FBR, Inc. considers educating the public about the Boxer breed, to be just as important. We have reading material available and many resources to help identify Boxers in danger of losing their homes. Our goal is to keep as many Boxers as we can, out of rescue and shelters and in the loving arms of their families.
Most people who contact us erroneously think they would be doing their Boxer a huge favor by finding him a home that "has more time for him or can give him the home he deserves." In actuality, Boxers are better off remaining in the home they know and love, even if it means they will get less attention from you. Of course this applies to dogs that are being properly cared for and whose basic needs are consistently met.
Can you answer "YES" to any of the questions below?
Did you acquire him as a puppy from a breeder?
If so, have you contacted that person? If he or she is at all reputable, you would have signed a contract at the time you purchased your Boxer puppy, stipulating that the dog should be returned if you decide to no longer keep him. If you do not want to keep your Boxer dog, contact your breeder first.
New baby in the family?
How lucky for you that Boxers are fantastic family dogs! Congratulations for being knowledgeable enough about this breed to initially select a dog notorious for their affinity for children. If you can take care of your new little human baby, you can take care of a dog. Some of our educational materials are listed below:
Introduce New Baby to a Resident Dog Wall Street Journal article http://www.flbr.org/wallstreetbaby.html Wall Street Journal video
Moving?
There are plenty of apartments, townhouses, condos and hotels that accept medium and large breeds of dog. Many places will even allow you to spread payment of your pet deposit over multiple months as part of your rent. Here is a list of rentals that allow pets:
Think you don't have enough time for your dog?
Experts in the animal field agree that a dog requires a mere 15 minutes of one-on-one time with his master per day, to be happy, healthy, and well-adjusted! That could be simply spent laying in bed at night watching t.v. together, playing ball in the backyard for 15 minutes while dinner is cooking, or going for a walk or jog! Surely you can spare 15 minutes per day. Pets reduce personal stress and can add years to your life - make the time for you AND your dog.
Are there behavioral issues?
Is your dog having trouble getting along with other animals in the household or are there other behavioral issues that have led to the decision to give up your dog? If so, let us help you. Send us an email - we can most likely recommend a trainer in your area. If you didn't socialize your Boxer as a puppy, it's never too late to enroll him in obedience school. It's fun and can count as your 15 minutes of bonding time!
Experiencing financial issues?
The following groups exist to assist people who truly want to keep their pets, but are experiencing financial difficulties. They may be able to help you.
For families that are experiencing financial hardship:
American Animal Hospital Association http://www.aahahelpingpets.org
Angels 4 Animals
A credit card company for health care:
Care Credit
Serving the elderly, disabled and working poor. For lonely seniors, physically/mentally challenged individuals:
For financially strapped families:
IMOM
Help owners that need urgent veterinary care, emergency vet visits or expensive surgery:
The pet fund
Assistance for caretakers of disabled pets:
HandicappedPets.com http://www.handicappedpets.com/Articles/help/
Despite all of the educational materials and resources we provide, most people have already made up their minds to give up their Boxer when they contact us. If this applies to you, fill out the form below, and a volunteer will respond to you via email or by telephone as soon as possible. THIS MAY TAKE A FEW DAYS, so please be patient for your dog's sake.
By filling out this form, FBR, Inc. makes no guarantee that we will admit your Boxer dog into our rescue program. The purpose of this form is to gather information in order to assess the dog's needs and what type of foster home he'd require. Hopefully you have not waited until the last minute to contact Boxer Rescue. If you are willing to be patient, the better we may be able to help you.
Please fill out this form in its entirety. If something does not apply, type or select "Not Applicable" instead of leaving the question blank. It is absolutely crucial that you are 100% truthful with the information you provide on this form. The safety of our foster parents and their families, their personal pets, and our rescue group is at stake.
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Help Is On
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