Our Adoption Process
Thank you for your interest in adopting from Bichon Rescue Brigade (BRB). Although humans think that we adopt dogs, more often than not our dogs choose their forever families. They just seem to know when it’s right! That’s why Bichon Rescue Brigade helps its pups to make the right decision by presenting them with qualified potential forever families who have completed our adoption process.
Bichon Frise’s have an average life expectancy of 13-15 years, so please understand that adopting this breed is a long-term commitment. Before embarking upon the adoption process, please be sure that you and/or your entire household is committed to caring for a dog for years to come. It is BRB’s responsibility to fully screen our applicants and to conduct a home safety check to ensure we are placing our canine companions into a loving, forever home.
Here’s how our process works
Step 1 — Complete and submit BRB’s adoption application, which provides us with valuable information that we will use to try and match a pup with you. We do allow for out-of-state adoptions; however, adopters will need to travel to Southern California and travel home with their new pup.
Step 2 — Once submitted, your application will be reviewed by our team. If one of our available pups is a match, we will process your application and you will be contacted by a volunteer within 48-72 hours. The volunteer may conduct a phone interview. References will be checked, especially your previous / current veterinarian. Your authorization in advance to release information to BRB helps streamline the process. In most cases, our home safety checks are done virtually via online tools such as Google Maps, FaceTime, Zoom or other on line video sharing tools. In some cases, we may schedule a physical home safety check to allow BRB to inspect the location where the dog will be homed. You will receive an email if your application has been approved for adoption. Please note: This approval email does not guarantee adoption of the dog that you may have applied for.
Step 3 – Once you have received your approval email, it’s time for our pups to meet you! Our placement team will arrange for you to talk with foster families and set up time to meet one or more pups that might be a match. You and the foster will agree on a mutually convenient location for the meet and greet, often times a local park. For local adoptions, we ask that everyone who lives in the home, including all pups, attend the meet and greet. Please plan to spend 1-2 hours to get to know the pup. For out-of-state adoptions, we encourage an overnight stay.
Step 4 – If you and the foster decide to move forward with adoption, you will be asked to complete the adoption contract and pay the applicable adoption fees. The pup may be able to go home following the meet and greet, or you and the foster will set up a time for the adoption pickup. Our typical adoption fees are $750 for puppies (< 6mo), $450 for pups 6 mo – 9 years, $350 for our young seniors (~10 years), and $250 for senior pups 11+. This includes spay/neuter, current vaccinations, and microchipped. Our pups go home with basic supplies, including bed, collar, tag, leash, harness, foid bowl, toy and a small bag of food. We do not provide crates.
Step 5 – Once our Founder/President Buffy receives your signed contract and adoption fee, she will complete the contract, sign/ date and return a copy to you along with your pup’s vaccine records and any medical history we have. The signed contract will be your proof of ownership. In most cases, the microchip will he transferred directly to you with BRB listed as secondary contact. Else you will receive instructions on how to transfer the chip into your name. We aim to have this information back to you within 2 weeks.
Step 6 – We LOVE to follow our pups’ adventures on social pages! If you post pup-dates on Facebook or Instagram, please tag us @bichonrescuebrigade and please follow our pages.
NOTE: All BRB dogs are spayed/neutered and current on their vaccinations, so these costs are included in the adoption fee. All adoption fees go directly into rescuing more pups, and are fully tax-deductible.