OUR DOG SELECTION

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MPR dogs come from all walks of life. Many of them are bailed out of local city pounds, as our goal is to alleviate the huge demand for space in those open-door facilities, and therefore prevent euthanasia. In some cases, the dogs in program were initially found as strays, or were removed from difficult situations. Some lost their homes due to BSL, others were victims of a divorce, incompatibility with other pets, landlord issues, and many more reasons. Sometimes we have information regarding a dog's background, but in many cases we just don't know what happened to them, how they were raised, or why they became homeless. 

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Note that MPR regularly accepts dogs in our program that were rejected by other organizations due to their limited compatibility to other pets. MPR believes is it unfair to expect a so-called "Bully breed" to act like social butterflies with other dogs. Many Molosser type dogs, as well as Terriers and Bulldogs were developed for specific activities that sadly set them as rivals against other animals. It is not the dogs fault and MPR doesn't believe in penalizing a breed for behaving like it was bred to do.  The human-friendly nature of Pit Bull type dogs, also a genetic trait, makes up for the precautions many of them require around other animals. Pit Bull type dogs are wonderful companions as only pets, or with the right 4-legged partner. 

 

The dogs in our program are kept at MPR shelter or in foster care until a good home is found. Some of our proteges may spend several months in our program, while others arrive one day and are placed the next.

 

During their time with us, the dogs are evaluated to the best of our ability and depending on the length of their stay. They receive necessary medical care, basic training and are socialized according to their personalities. 

 

Please note that an evaluation is not a guarantee of the dog's future behavior. Character assessment allows us to arbitrate how the dog behaves when introduced to certain situations and under certain circumstances. It gives us useful but limited information about their personalities, helps us inform potential owners and contributes to achieve good placement compatibility.

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ADOPTION INFORMATION

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To increase the likelihood of successful adoptions, all of MPR’s potential adopters undergo a meticulous screening process and receive breed education. This task is conducted by a team of experienced Adoption Counselors.

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Because of the Pit Bull breed's heartbreaking but undeniable ancestry as fighting dogs, MPR does not encourage same-sex placements. We approve certain adoptions with a compatible doggy companion but ask our adopters to provide diligent supervision and trigger management.

 

For more information about Pit Bull dogs, please read MPR's APBT Breed Overview.

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Our adoption process, requirements, and restrictions are based on 30+ years of experience with Pit Bull dogs and general animal rescue. Our goal is to minimize disappointing experiences and assure happy dog-parenting. If all potential Pit Bull owners were better informed about certain breeds' characteristics prior to adopting, if they understood Pit Bull's great potential and limitations, received critical breed education, and very importantly, worked with experienced adoption counselors to assure a good match, shelters would not be overloading with Pit Bulls.

 

Our objective at MPR  is to ensure long-term placements by pairing the right dog with the right home. For MPR, quality of adoptions takes precedence over a quick turnaround.

 

MPR is a private organization operated solely by volunteers; A dynamic group comprised of people from all walks of life who share a deep love for this breed as common ground. Please be patient and understanding during our adoption procedures. We process applications as quickly as we can, while dealing with full-time jobs and family life at the same time.

 

APPLICATION REVIEW

Submitted applications are reviewed by our Adoption Coordinator within 72 hours of reception and assigned to an Adoption Counselor. If your application meets our criteria and we believe to have potential matches for you, a MPR volunteer will contact you within a week.

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• Incomplete applications will not be contacted. Please take the time to answer all questions. The online questionnaire is more convenient to use on a computer rather than a phone.

• Long distance applications are handled on a case-by-case basis. For various reasons, some of our dogs are local placement only, while others are candidates for out-of-state adoptions.

• Renters: Please note that if you rent your home, we will not process your application until we receive your Landlord’s approval. Make sure to provide their name and contact info on your application. Allocate a few more days to receive a reply from us, as we may be waiting for confirmation that pets are allowed without size or breed restrictions.

• BSL: We may need to verify Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in your municipality, and this could take a few additional days.

 

Applications are reviewed in the order they arrive. If your application specifies a certain dog (or dogs), we analyze many factors to determine suitability. A dog’s known temperament, other pets living in your home, behavior with children, energy level, special needs, etc. Your application will be handled based on compatibility. 

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*Note that we may be processing many applications for the same dog, in which case we will consider flexibility, availability, and location as well.

 

Please do not contact MPR via email or Facebook messenger to inquire about the status of your application. The volunteers in charge of replying to general requests are not the same as those processing applications. They will not know the status of your application and will not be able to answer your questions.

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CONNECTING WITH APPLICANT

You will receive the initial contact via email, text or phone call depending on the outcome. Please make sure to check all your mailboxes as our emails often go into Spam folders. Since you will be contacted by a private individual, a text or call may appear to be from an “unknown number.”

You will be informed via email if a dog(s) you applied for has been adopted, or already has applications in process, is not compatible to your situation, does not meet local BSL requirements, etc. We may also send you an email asking for a few clarifications before assigning your application to an Adoption Counselor. Again, check your spam folder! 

Please keep in mind that our turnaround is unpredictable. Although we do our absolute best to keep the dogs' listings as current as possible, we may conduct several adoptions in one day and the website may not be immediately updated. Some of the dogs listed as “AVAILABLE” might have recently been adopted, while not all available dogs may be listed.

PHONE INTERVIEW

If your application qualifies for an interview, the assigned Adoption Counselor or foster parent will schedule a phone conversation. The initial exchange will discuss general dog ownership, review breed-specific information, address previous pet history, consider your expectations, experience, etc.

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The next step will give you a chance to speak with someone who knows the dog(s) of your interest well enough to answer your questions (i.e. a foster parent or shelter volunteer). In some cases, this volunteer may also be your Adoption Counselor.

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Home visit: When possible, an Adoption Counselor may conduct a home visit prior to adoption. The goal of the homecheck is not only to see where our proteges will live, but also to give our adopters a chance to know us better. We like to develop a good relationship with people who adopt dogs from us and to provide breed education prior to our placements. Meeting with everyone in the family facilitates this exchange. Our home visits are not intrusive. The most important for us is to know that our dogs are going to safe and caring homes and that all members of the family are well informed and prepared for a life-long commitment with their new companion.

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Note that we are more likely to conduct a home visit if you do not have an on-line profile. We may also ask for pictures of your environment, home, yard family, etc. 

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MEETING DOGS

Most of our meetings take place at our private shelter in Kansas City MO, located between Swope Park and Raytown. Shelter visits are by appointment only and a phone interview must have been completed before a meeting is scheduled. Visits occur on weekdays or weekends, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Please allocate at least one hour for a visit, but keep in mind it will likely take longer.

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Due to limited space at the shelter and an abundance of caution, we only allow one group of visitors inside at a time. On a busy day, you may be asked to wait until the previous meeting ends before entering the shelter.

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Dog Meeting: Our experienced Adoption Counselors will help you narrow down the dogs that would best fit your lifestyle, but may have other options available once you schedule your visit. It’s very common for adopters to apply for one dog but opt for a different one after having the opportunity to meet several dogs and choose the best contender.

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Personal Dog(s): We ask potential adopters to not bring their own dog to MPR's shelter.  We will explain the recommended introduction process. The first dog-to-dog meeting does not take place at MPR's shelter. 

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Children: If children are attending, we ask the parents to keep the little ones strictly supervised and under control at all times - Out of respect for all parties involved, as well as to prevent the dogs from being overwhelmed or overstimulated, it’s important that kiddos be on their best behavior. Please do not allow running and jumping around, throwing things, screaming, etc. 

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Covid-19: We do not require our visitors to wear a mask since it sometimes confuses the dogs. However, anyone visiting the facility is free to wear a mask and to request that everyone present wears one as well. We do ask you to respect social distancing.

 

Per routine procedures, our shelter is thoroughly sanitized daily.

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ADOPTION

If together we agree that a dog you like is a good match, you have a few options. Some adopters prefer to go home and discuss their thoughts and then make a decision when ready. Other adopters make-up their minds on-the-spot and want to bring their new family member home the same day. Either option works for us but unless a dog is reserved, we cannot guaranty that it will still be available when you are ready!

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Reservations: Some of our dogs are very popular. We do not “hold” dogs while potential adopters make a decision or prepare for the dog’s arrival at home, unless the full adoption fee has been paid as a deposit. We do not hold dogs for more than 2 weeks.

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Two-week trial: We believe the best way to know a dog is to bring them home. We grant our adopters two weeks to make a final decision in regards to their adoption, during which time the dog will be listed as "Pending" on our website. In our experience, this period should allow you to determine whether the dog is a keeper and will work in your home or not. However, if more time is needed before a decision is made, we are flexible.

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Please remember that adopted dogs need a period of time to decompress and get back to their normal state of mind. The amount of time varies with each dog. At a minimum, expect it to take at least a full week for them to adapt to their new environment.

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If you decide that a dog you adopt from MPR does not work within the two-week trial period, MPR will refund the full amount of the adoption fee, or suggest other dogs that might be more compatible to your lifestyle or situation if you prefer that option. 

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Even after the two-week trial is over, MPR remains committed to the dogs we place for the remainder of their lives and will always take a dog back, even years after an adoption. In such case however, we do not return the adoption fee. 

 

Note that the two-week trial is not applicable to dogs under 6 months old. We believe that anyone adopting a puppy should be aware of the challenges encountered with juvenile dogs. We will take the pup back if needed, but will not refund your adoption fee. 

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Heartworm Positive Dogs: Due to misinformed or irresponsible ownership, many of the dogs that arrive in our program are Heartworm Positive.  A heartworm treatment requires 14 weeks of convalescence from day one to completion. The dog is administered 30 days of antibiotics prior to the first injection. This initial injection will be followed by 2 more, one month later. The dog must then be kept on full rest for 6 additional weeks. The injections are done at our Veterinarian located in the NorthLand (Kansas City).​

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Adopters that have the ability to keep a dog calm for the entire duration of the treatment and are able to visit our veterinarians for the injections, can adopt heartworm positive dogs if they wish. There are no extra cost to adopters, as we provide the treatment. 

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Adoption Fee & Payment:

 

​Our adoption fees are appointed case by case and determined based on adoptability and popularity. MPR strategically accepts certain highly desired breeds in our program in order to help raise much needed funds for less coveted dogs. Our goal is to solve two problems with one solution. Those special dogs need a good home too and many popular bulldog breeds greatly benefit from the extensive screening MPR conducts before approving an adoption. Raising their fee helps them and it helps less popular dogs. 

 

Adult Pit Bull & Pit Mixes: Our adoption fee varies between $100 and $400 for all Pit Bull type dogs over 6-months-old.

 

Bully Breeds: The fee of most other Bully breeds might be higher in order to prevent “dog-flipping”. In addition, higher fees give  less adoptable dogs a chance to be noticed. Higher fees also narrow down the pool of interest a popular breed might generate, which facilitates the job of our volunteer screeners. Finally, a substantial adoption fee reminds our potential adopters of the greater expenses associated with certain Bulldog types.  

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Puppies Adoption Fee: Adoption fees of puppies may vary between $200 and $500. Puppies are always very popular and generate so many applications that we also take the opportunity to raise much needed funds for older or sick dogs that are not as lucky.

 

The adoption fee of any of our dogs, including puppies, will be lowered if a dog is not adopted in a reasonable time frame.

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We accept personal checks, cash and PayPal. We do not take credit, debit cards, or Venmo at this time. 

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ADOPTION PACKET

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We send our dogs to their new homes with the following: 

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• A solid buckle collar, as recommended for powerful dogs.

• A small bag of current food to facilitate the transition.

• Rabies and microchip tags.

• Primary vet records & vaccine information (additional medical information may be sent via email within 2 weeks of adoption).

• Current medication if applicable.

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*We ask our adopters to bring a solid leash.

 

DOG INFORMATION

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Missouri Pit Bull Rescue makes no expressed or implied warranty, representation, or promise to the age, health, breed, habits, disposition, behaviors, obedience, or safety of the dogs in our program. Our behavior assessments are subjective, and based on information we receive when selecting the dogs for our program, as well as observations and reports from our volunteers and caretakers. ​Adopters must understand that no one can predict how a dog will react under all circumstances and every situations.

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Some of the dogs in our program are adopted before we get to know them. Some dogs stay longer but require several weeks to show their character. Some dogs receive additional evaluations and training by professionals if needed. We work hard to provide as much information as possible but the process is not perfect. Our goal is to give the dogs the best chance to stay in their home for the rest of their lives, so we will be honest regarding what we know about them.

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We provide information on the individual dog’s pages and update their bios as quickly as we can. In many cases, dogs are adopted before we are able to revise their listing. Please do not contact MPR via email or messenger to inquire about a dog’s personality and/or temperament. The volunteers in charge of replying to general requests are not the same as those handling and evaluating the dogs. They will not not be able to answer your questions.

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ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

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