Foster and Adoption Policies
Before applying to foster or adopt...
The dog you apply for may not be available or may not be a good fit, as determined by our team. In that case, we work with you to find the best fit.
As of 01 January 2019, PPRS will not accept any payment plans for our dogs (or cats). Our highest adoption fee is $550, which is less than a basic emergency vet visit. This is non-negotiable.
All applicants must be the age of 21 or older to apply to foster or adopt a dog from PPRS.
Pittie Posse Rescue and Sanctuary (PPRS) considers all approved fosters and adopters members of our family. We try to maintain a drama-free, family environment, so attitiude toward our staff is highly considered when the team is deciding to approve or deny an application. We WILL NOT tolerate rudeness, harassment, abusive languag, or threats toward our volunteer staff. We reserve the right to deny an application for any reason.
Unfortunately it is not legal for PPRS to foster animals out of state. We are happy that we are not limited and can adopt dogs to out of state families!
Home Visits may be virtual or in-home.
It’s helpful for all members of the family to be present for the home visit, including spouses, children, and roommates. This gives us a sense of your home energy, which helps us in placing the BEST fit of a pup with you!
Potential fosters or adopters must be able to video chat and to use Facebook Messenger to communicate with the team. This is the easiest and only way for us to communicate with you due to how many conversations our team members are having at the same time.
A letter from a physician for an emotional support animal does not replace landlord approval for the adoption of a PPRS dog. The FHA does not cover non-service animals and a letter recommending an emotional support animal does not guarantee the dog will be permitted, or that breed restrictions will be lifted. Please obtain landlord approval before applying to adopt.
The following is Pittie Posse Rescue’s minimum requirements for care. We will also take into consideration information offered to us from the veterinary office regarding quality of care, willingness to follow veterinary advice, and whether the veterinarian feels it is appropriate for the applicant to add a new pet to their home.
All dogs in the home must have vaccines, including; Rabies, Distemper, *Bordetella (recommended for foster families), Current 4DX, and consistent, documented use of flea/tick medication.
*If you self-administer vaccines or ivermectin purchased at a farm supply store, you need to have it recorded with your veterinarian or have the receipts/printed history.
Spay/Neuter: Unless the existing dog in the home has a medical reason to be intact (documented by your veterinarian), we will not adopt a dog out to a home with intact animals. If you opt to schedule the spay/neuter, it must be completed before you will be eligible to foster or adopt from PPRS.
All cats in the home must have: Rabies vaccine (per Maine State Law), Annual wellness visit for indoor, “as needed” (every 3 years) for feral/outdoor cats, Spay/Neuter. Unless they are indoor only, and there is a medical reason (documented by their veterinarian).
Dogs can be extremely expensive companions. Here is a conservative breakdown of yearly maintenance costs for a single dog.
Food $500
Flea, Tick, & Heartworm Preventative $350
Annual Wellness Exam/Vaccines $150
Bare Minimum Total $1000+
This does not include the cost of medical emergencies which can reach over $5000 for COMMON medical problems, or illnesses that can develop as they age.
The cost to add a dog to your home essentially doubles your yearly expenses and then some!
Adoption Fee $300-425
Training $300+
New Dog Cost (First Year) $1600+
The financial aspect is something we highly value when considering placement for our dogs. This has lead to disappointment and hard feelings over the last year. We want to make sure our dogs are placed in homes where they will get what they NEED, when they need it.
PPRS’s owners, Britt and Sully, had an expensive medical emergency with their dog who attacked a porcupine last year, and were suddenly faced with a $700 vet bill. This brought up with the question of “What would have happened if we couldn’t afford to pay that bill?” and “What about our adopters?” $700 is not a huge amount for an emergency veterinary visit.
PLEASE consider this before you apply to adopt from us. Look into pet insurance, look into common medical issues in dogs like blockages and bloat. Ask for quotes from your veterinarian and see if that is something you could afford if your dog’s life depended on it!
Pittie Posse Rescue requests that households NOT have another pet that has been taken into the home within the last 6 months.
We require a decompression period for all of our dogs and require that adopters do not bring another pet into the home for 6 months following adoption so that your Pittie Posse pup can acclimate and get basic training before you add an additional animal to your household.
All dogs in the home must have vaccines, including; Rabies, Distemper, *Bordetella (recommended for foster families), Current 4DX, and consistent, documented use of flea/tick medication.
*If you self-administer vaccines or ivermectin purchased at a farm supply store, you need to have it recorded with your veterinarian or have the receipts/printed history.
Spay/Neuter: Unless the existing dog in the home has a medical reason to be intact (documented by your veterinarian), we will not adopt a dog out to a home with intact animals. If you opt to schedule the spay/neuter, it must be completed before you will be eligible to foster or adopt from PPRS.
PPRS requires positive training for our dogs.
We encourage enrollment of our dogs into a professional positive training class upon adoption.
We prohibit the use of aversive training techniques.
This means any and all fear or force based training including, but not limited to: prong collars, chain or choke collars and shock collars.
This is required in both fostered and adopted PPRS dogs. Training is the best way to start off your relationship with your new dog, set boundaries, and build confidence which will make the transition into your home and family much less scary!
It can take dogs 6-8 weeks before they are comfortable and begin to express behavioral concerns, which is why we feel so strongly about training right away! It is important to stop the behaviors BEFORE they start.
PPRS does not, under any circumstances, condone the use of electric collars on our dogs. PPRS does not, under any circumstances, condone the use of electric/invisible fences. We will not adopt a dog out to a home with an electric fence.
PPRS does a landlord check for mobile home parks and verifies with HOA’s that dogs are permitted and that there are no breed restrictions. Please verify with your landlord and HOA agreement before applying to foster or adopt.
Please verify with your insurance company that your homeowner’s insurance does not have breed restrictions. There are a select few insurance companies who cover bully breed dogs.
Out of State Rescue
Vaccines; Rabies, Distemper, Leptospirosis, Bordatella
4DX Test, Monthly Preventative
Treatment of any illnesses that were positive on the 4DX, including; Heartworm, Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichia
All dogs are treated monthly with flea, tick, and heartworm preventative while in our care.
Fecal Exam
Treatment for known worms, and deworming at transport
Treatment for known coccidia and giardia infections
*We do not guarantee the dogs are worm, giardia, or coccidia free and recommend you schedule a wellness visit to establish your newly adopted dog with your vet! Dogs can be exposed to parasites ANYWHERE.
Spay/Neuter
All dogs will be spayed/neutered prior to adoption, no exceptions.
Known Illnesses
All dogs brought into the care of PPRS will receive veterinary care for all known illnesses and conditions. PPRS dogs are declared healthy by a licensed veterinarian prior to transport to the state of Maine.
*PPRS does not guarantee the health of the dogs once they are in the care of their adopters, and any and all veterinary expenses beyond that point are the responsibility of the adopter.
Owner Surrenders (In-State)
Vaccines; Rabies, Distemper
4DX Test, Monthly Preventative
Treatment of any illnesses that were positive on the 4DX, including; Heartworm, Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichia
All dogs are treated monthly with flea, tick, and heartworm preventative while in our care.
Fecal Exam
Treatment for known worms, and deworming at transport
Treatment for known coccidia and giardia infections
*We do not guarantee the dogs are worm, giardia, or coccidia free and recommend you schedule a wellness visit to establish your newly adopted dog with your vet! Dogs can be exposed to parasites ANYWHERE.
Spay/Neuter
All dogs will be spayed/neutered prior to adoption, no exceptions.
**All dogs brought into the care of PPRS will receive veterinary care for all known illnesses and conditions. PPRS dogs are declared healthy by a licensed veterinarian prior to transport to the state of Maine.
***PPRS does not guarantee the health of the dogs once they are in the care of their adopters, and any and all veterinary expenses beyond that point are the responsibility of the adopter.