Returning a Dog Adopted from Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network

As stated in your adoption contract, all dogs adopted from Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network MUST be returned to our organization in the event that you are no longer able to care for them. Please contact us immediately.

 

If You Got Your Dog From a Breeder

A responsible, ethical breeder typically sells their pups with a contract that is similar to the adoption contract used by most rescue organizations. That contract would require you to return the dog to the breeder at any point in the dog’s life if you are no longer able to keep the dog.  If your dog has a health issue that you can't afford to treat, or has behavior problems that haven't been resolved by working with a trainer or behaviorist, your breeder should WANT to hear from you because those issues may have a genetic component. If that's the case, the breeding pair who produced the litter that your pup came from should not be bred again, as chances are good they could produce more pups with that same condition. Sadly, MANY breeders are NOT responsible/ethical, and not only refuse to take the dog back, but even refuse to offer any help to you in re-homing the dog. Such breeders contribute to the constant overcrowding at shelters and rescue groups all over the nation.  Nonetheless, before you contact us for help, reach out to your breeder FIRST, as there ARE ethical breeders who will be glad to help.

 

If You Have Found A Stray

When you find a stray animal, the goal is to reunite the animal with their owner. Legal requirements for a private citizen trying to find a stray dog's owners vary significantly based on location. In many areas, you must make a "reasonable" and "good faith" effort to find the animal's owners. A "reasonable effort" to find the owner may include the following:

•     Call local police, animal control agencies, shelters/rescues, and local veterinarian clinics to report the pet as found.
•     Have the pet scanned for a microchip at a shelter, animal control, or vet clinic.
•     Post flyers with a picture of the found pet.
•     Place a free "found animal" ad in the local newspaper.
•     Post the animal on social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, NextDoor, etc.
•     If you cannot keep the animal during the stray-hold period, take him or her to your animal control agency where s/he can be housed temporarily and the owner will have an opportunity to reclaim their pet.

For animal shelters, the legal hold time is often 72 hours, but may be longer in some municipalities. A shelter can often provide the quickest way for an animal to be found by the owner, but it also puts the animal at greater risk for being euthanized if they are not reclaimed. Keep in mind, however, that many rescues (especially those that are breed specific) have relationships with local shelters and will often be notified when an animal comes in that might be a match for their rescue.

Surrendering Your Dog

There may be many reasons that someone needs to give up their dog: moving, behavior issues, life changes, etc. If you want to surrender a dog to Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network, please read all the information on this page to see if there are other options. If you don't find help elsewhere, complete and submit a surrender form. Please note that we generally take in specific breeds and types -- Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd, Akbash, and similar large breed livestock guardian-type dogs. We are rarely able to take dogs of other breeds.

We want to help, and we will do everything we can, which MAY mean taking in your dog, but keep in mind that like most rescues in Texas and Oklahoma, we are often at or above capacity and there are times when we simply do not have the space to take in another dog. In a typical month, almost 40% of the applications we receive are SURRENDER applications. And in a typical month, we receive NO foster applications. Most of the time, at our headquarters in North Texas, every kennel, paddock, and pasture is full. This is true for most rescues and shelters in MANY states, especially across the Southern USA - there simply are not enough resources to take in all the dogs that need help.

To surrender a dog to Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network:

•     Complete and submit a surrender form.
•     Send at least two good photos of your dog to BARN@lonestarmail.net.
•     Collect all vet records for the dog, so that we know the medical/vaccination history and can avoid unnecessary procedures.

Be certain that you inform us of any bite history for the dog you are surrendering. Placing a pet that has bitten and failing to disclose this information can lead you to legal troubles.

All of this will help us determine whether Bluebonnet or one of our partner rescues is the right fit for your dog. As our website mentions in several places, we specialize in certain types and breeds, so we are not likely to take your Chihuahua or Pit Bull or dog of any breed that we simply don't have the experience or expertise to manage properly. But maybe one of our partners LOVES that breed or combination of breeds. We want to help if we can, and sometimes the best way we can help is by referring you to a rescue who is a better match. Photos will get our attention, so applications accompanied by photos will probably get a response more quickly.

All of the dogs we take in are evaluated for medical and behavioral issues before being put up for adoption. All medical needs such as spay/neuter, vaccinations, exams, etc, will be performed on the dog before s/he becomes eligible for adoption. There is no fee for surrendering a dog, but donations are always appreciated.

PLEASE NOTE

Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network is composed entirely of volunteers, often using our own money to help the dogs and livestock we rescue. We do not have any paid staff nor do we receive any funds from the government, which is one advantage that most municipal shelters have over us. During our time in rescue, the founders of Bluebonnet have personally fostered more than 400 dogs and have spent thousands of dollars from our own savings to help pay the costs of doing so.

We are not here to fix problems for people. We are here to help as many animals as possible – not people, ANIMALS. We spend a large part of our time, energy, and money cleaning up messes made by others, including:

 - Irresponsible people who allow their dogs to breed indiscriminately.
 - Unethical breeders and puppy mills who produce puppies simply as a way to line their own pockets.
 - Individuals who are unable to manage their dogs, and people who are unwilling to invest the time and money in training to resolve the problem.

While we may not have space to take in your dog that you want to surrender, we can suggest other avenues for you to try. Please keep reading to find more help and resources that might allow you to keep your dog, or to re-home him or her on your own.

 

Behavior Problems and Training

Many behavior issues can be dealt with easily enough with obedience training and/or a modification of feeding routines. It is especially frustrating for us when people want to surrender a dog who has behavior problems when it’s a dog that they raised from a puppy. Proper training from a pup’s early months through to adulthood could prevent MANY of the problems that end up being the reasons given for surrendering a dog. Before you surrender your dog, please contact a trainer or behaviorist for a consultation. A Google search will turn up LOTS of options. Similarly, you can use the search bar in Facebook to find trainers in your area. Local PetSmart stores often offer basic training classes, as do many community colleges and municipal services, such as the parks & recreation department of your city or county.  There are MANY options that are VERY affordable. If you are overwhelmed by all the choices, consider looking for trainers who have been certified by one of these groups:

The Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) is very respected in the field of dog training and uses positive reinforcement training methods. The following link allows you to search for trainers in your area: https://karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer/#!directory/map.

The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers® (CCPDT®) is the leading independent testing and certification resource for dog training and behavior professionals. They set the global standard for the development of rigorous exams to demonstrate mastery of humane, science-based dog training practices. They are a private, not-for-profit organization. Check out their directory to find a certified trainer in your area: https://www.ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/.

 

Other Resources

If you live in a neighborhood that uses NextDoor, that is a good place to post your dog: https://nextdoor.com/.

There are also several websites where you can post your dog as available for adoption. Each of these websites has resources to help you make listings that will get the best results:

Tips from PetFinder: https://www.petfinder.com/pet-adoption/dog-adoption/dog-rehoming/

https://www.rescueme.org

https://getyourpet.com/

https://howimetmydog.com/

https://rehome.adoptapet.com/

 

 

For Great Pyrenees and other "Big White Dog" Breeds

The National Great Pyrenees Rescue website has a list of Great Pyrenees rescue organizations, organized by state. It is worth contacting each rescue listed in your state to see whether anyone may have space available: www.nationalpyr.org/contacts.

There are quite a few groups on Facebook where you can post your dog for re-homing. Be sure to check the Announcements for any Facebook group you join, to be sure that your post is formatted according to that group’s rules:

Great Pyrenees Rehoming -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/pyrrehome/

Great Pyrenees Networking – Texas Only -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1552402605084696/

Great Pyrenees Available for Adoption -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/greatpyreneesadoption/

 

For Anatolian Shepherds

National Anatolian Shepherd Rescue has volunteers scattered across the country. Contact them and ask if they have anyone in your area: https://www.nasrn.com/info/contact

 

For Akbash Dogs

For Akbash dogs and mixes, try the Akbash Dog Rescue Network on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AkbashDogRescueNetwork/.

 

For Maremma Sheepdogs

The Maremma Sheepdog Club of America has an EXCELLENT rescue division, and they are VERY knowledgeable about working LGDs. Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/918727318193790.

The parent AKC breed club website offers a lot of great information: http://www.maremmaclub.com/rescue-information.html.

 

For Working LGDs

If your dog is a working Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD), there are some additional resources that you can try. Please note that these links require that your dog be a WORKING LGD. It is not enough for your dog to simply be of an LGD breed - s/he must be known to be safe with livestock and/or fowl.

We created a Facebook group for people to network and share information to help find homes for rescue dogs who have been evaluated as livestock-safe. You can join our group and post your dog:

Livestock Guardian Dog Rescue Network -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/LGDrescue

There are MANY other LGD-related groups on Facebook, and some are regional in nature. Use the Facebook search bar with key words LGD or "livestock guardian dog" to find groups that may offer training help, or may allow you to make a post for re-homing your LGD.