The rescue groups that make up MWBR follow a fairly common set of placement standards or policies, although each individual group may also have its own policies or be stricter about some requirements than others. Requirements vary from dog to dog. You should ask the rescue coordinators specific questions about each available dog, such as: Is fencing required for this dog? Are obedience classes required? Would a same-sex placement be an option?

Specific information or policies that apply to individual rescue groups may be found on their links within this site (see Our Rescue Groups). Some general adoption policies that apply to each group are listed below. Please note that while this list addresses many policies, it is not all-encompassing.

• Adoption fees usually range from $175 - $250 (senior dogs may be placed with lower adoption fees, in exchange for a lot of love and dedication; puppies are on high end of fees)
• References checked; home visits required
• Dogs placed only as indoor dogs
• Dogs spayed or neutered prior to placement
• Dogs typically placed only with dogs of opposite sex
• Dogs given monthly heartworm preventative
• Dogs kept current on shots
• Dogs placed in homes with fenced yards (requirements based on individual dogs)
• Dogs may require obedience classes
• Adoption contracts signed; adopters agree to return dogs to MWBR should something ever happen where dog must be given up

More details about our policies or expectations:

One of the most frustrating aspects of adopting from a qualified and licensed rescue group is the time it takes. We do review applications, call references and conduct home visits, and this attention to detail is one of the reasons why our placement success ratio is somewhere around 90% overall. We are all volunteers. Almost everyone in our organization works outside the home, and they each have their own families and their own animals. If your personal timetable for adopting a dog is less than 21 days, then we probably will not be able to accommodate that. If you are willing to consider adopting one of the senior or special needs Boxers, we do try to accommodate those inquiries first.

The groups of MWBR very seldom adopt outside of the 4 states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri or Nebraska. You can ask, but we do not ship, and the entire family must come meet the dog where it is located. We believe one of the keys to a successful placement is seeing that the Boxer wants to leave with its new family more than it wants to stay with its foster family. Of course this is tough on us (especially the fosters), but it�s wonderful for the new family and its Boxer.

None of the groups has a facility, and you cannot make arrangements to meet the dogs in their foster homes until you have completed the adoption application and home visit process. Our foster families dedicate their time and money to nurturing and loving these dogs. We don�t ask them to open their homes to �window shoppers� but focus only on people with whom we�ve spoken personally and believe to be a good candidate family for that foster's Boxer. We strive to find the best fit, lifestyle and environment for each individual Boxer, based on the assessment of daily interactions by its foster family.

We only adopt these Boxers as inside dogs. Many of the rescue Boxers need obedience classes, and some will need a lot of care and continued nurturing. Boxers are not a wash and wear breed; they take a lot of time and commitment and can be expensive to own, due to a variety of health problems inherent in the breed. However, we think their loving nature and clownish personalities make the investment worth it and hope you will agree with us.