So, you've been thinking about adopting
an American Pit Bull Terrier?

As you may have gathered from reading through this website, having a pit bull is not for the faint of heart. Breed bias is high right now and pit bulls AND their owners are under a lot of pressure to be 'perfect.' What a project! Because we know how tough it can be to own this breed, we ask that you fulfill these requirements in order to adopt one of our dogs:

1. Be at least 21 years old
We occasionally make exceptions for younger, rock solid applicants.
2. Be Local to the SF Bay Area
Or, be willing to drive here to meet in person. We rarely ship dogs.
3. Fill Out an Application and impress us with your breed savvy!
4. Show Solid References including your current veterinarian and others who can vouch for you.
5. Must Own or Have Landlord Approval Yes, we'll check.
6. Be Interviewed by one of our Reps
7. Show that you have a clear understanding of the Breed Challenges
8. Agree to a Home Visit
9. Everyone in your Household needs to be ready for the adoption too. Yeah, we'll check.
10. Pay a $150 Adoption Donation Fee
11. Sign a Legally Binding Adoption Contract

Note: We prefer to do opposite-sex placements. Apartments/Townhouses are fine, but if you have a backyard, we want to see a solid fence and a safe environment.

Too Far from SF, CA? Don't give up! You have wonderful Pit Bull Rescue Resources near you. Check here for Out of State Rescue Resources

What is BR's adoption process like?

1. We will send you an application at your request
2. After we receive it, we'll contact you by phone or email with feedback within 1-3 days
3. You may be invited to meet dogs in our Saturday class in Berkeley, or another location, depending
4. At class, you'll be able to observe and you may be invited to participate with the dog
5. If this is starting to feel like a match, we'll arrange a home visit with a knowledgable BR volunteer
6. You may then be invited to take the dog home under our foster contract, and the dog will be marked "Adoption Pending" on websites. You'll also be invited to join BR's private online message board so you can begin taking advantage of volunteer perks and discussions.
7. You will be expected to bring the dog to class at least twice a month, until all parties feel good about the match
8. Once the dog is responding well to you and your family and pets, you'll sign an adoption contract, pay $150 and have your photo taken for the Happy Endings page!
9. Your dog will be eligible for Pit Ed training classes and Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Prep classes - Free to you, of course.
10. You'll be invited to attend various events, workshops, play sessions and other opportunities with your Ambassadog to socialize, learn, hob-nob and ENJOY.

We hope that the main reason you're willing to put up with all this fuss is because this breed is the only breed you can imagine spending your life with. Sweetheart pit bulls are worth their weight in gold - and part of your job as a responsible owner will be to share this fact with the world as you live your life with your dog by your side.

You'll want to keep your new dog well trained, well socialized,
and always have him on a leash in public places. You'll learn how to talk to
more people than you ever thought you would have to about the myths and hysteria
surrounding Pit bulls. In a sense you'll become part PR person, part educator, part
dog training expert (if you're not already, that is!). By proudly owning and showing
off your dog, you'll be making the world better for Pit bulls everywhere.

We recognize that this breed has sadly suffered at the hands of irresponsible breeders and unscrupulous owners. Some poorly bred and/or seriously exploited pit bulls have shown up on hyped up news reports scaring the daylights out of your 'Aunt Flo' and the guy next door convincing many that all pit bulls are the devil incarnate. Sheesh!

To counter this hysteria, BAD RAP is committed to finding the best of the breed when we rescue homeless pit bulls. We work to match these deserving dogs up with loving and responsible adopters who have a bully tough desire to set the record straight.

We look for dogs with rock solid temperaments: gushingly affectionate, eager to please, happy to be handled, ready to learn, well socialized and healthy. There seems to be no shortage of these great examples of APBT temperament. In fact, the local Bay Area shelters are overflowing with pit bull sweethearts.

We handpick for the great qualities we expect in this breed and place the dogs in home foster care situations. In these settings, we learn a lot about the individual dogs and they learn a lot of doggie manners in return. Our foster dogs are well socialized, house trained (unless they are young pups), spayed/neutered, given all necessary shots, microchipped, and given basic obedience training. They've been exposed to every setting imaginable - with all kinds of people including children, other dogs and cats, on leash on busy sidewalks within crowds. Dogs that fail any of our tests are not put up for adoption. Some amount of dog-dog aggression is normal and acceptable while human aggression is never tolerated.

In return for all the dog screening and home screening, we can both feel confident that the dog you take home is a pet you're fully prepared to own. We'll stay in contact with you for the life of your pet should any questions or concerns come up. And we will warmly welcome you into the wonderful 'BAD RAP Community' of pit bull fans that live here by the bay. If this sounds like an adventure you're ready to commit to, we'd love to hear from you!

Thank You for Wanting to Rescue Your Next Pit Bull!

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