FAQ

Who is the Animal Placement Bureau?

We are a large network of volunteers who are passionate about saving dogs and placing them into loving adoptive homes!  APB is led by a board of directors, who also serve as leaders for a team of foster homes.  We have no facility, and no paid staff, and all of the work that we do is on our own time.

Where do Animal Placement Bureau dogs come from?

Many different places!  Some dogs come from local animal shelters and humane societies that contact us because the dog may need more medical care or one-on-one attention than they can provide.  Others come from private owners who can no longer care for their dogs.  Still others come from animal control facilities when the dog’s “time is up.”  Lastly, many of our foster dogs come as “retired” dogs from puppy mills or from puppy mill seizures.  APB foster dogs run the gamut from young to old, mixed breed to purebred, low to high energy.  We have a wide variety of dogs and would love to help you find your new family member!

What does the Animal Placement Bureau provide to the dogs in foster care?

First, we provide them homes and love.  Each and every APB foster dog lives with a foster family, not in a shelter environment.  They become part of our families, and they learn how to be part of a household.  If they came from a traumatic background, we help them heal and become happy and well-balanced dogs.

Second, we provide them with medical care.  Routinely, this covers their spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations, heartworm checks, heartworm treatment and parasite treatment.  All foster dogs are microchipped to help them find their way home if they get lost.  We make sure that all dogs in our care get a clean bill of health before they are put up for adoption.  APB covers whatever the foster dog needs prior to adoption: heartworm treatment, orthopedic surgery, dentals, and any other care.

Last, we provide them a promise.  A promise that things will get better.  A promise that we will do the due diligence to find them a forever home.  We promise them that from now on, someone will always love them.

I looked at the APB adoption application and there are a lot of questions!  Why do I have to answer so many things?

We know it seems like a lot, but there is value in all of the questions we ask.  One of the benefits of adopting an APB dog is that we know them well, so we can answer questions about their personalities and behavior.  On the other hand, because they are a part of our family, we want to make sure we find a forever home that is the best match for them. But we also want you to know that there are no “trick” questions!  We want to work with you to find you a wonderful new family member.

What happens if I can no longer keep a dog that I adopted from the APB?

We always take our dogs back, regardless of the circumstances!  We make a promise to the dogs in our care that someone will always love them and that they will never be homeless again.  If you need to return an APB dog, call or email us and let us know, and we will get the dog back into our program as quickly as possible.  Returning a dog to APB does mean that you relinquish all rights and claims to that pet.

What is the cost of adopting an APB dog?

Our adoption fee is $250.00, which can be paid in cash or certified check.  This adoption fee allows us to provide the vet care that we are so proud to be able to provide for our fosters.  All APB dogs will be spayed or neutered, up to date on vaccinations, heartworm tested and on preventative, and microchipped.

Is APB truly no kill?  What are your euthanasia policies?

APB is a no-kill dog rescue organization.  That means that there is no time limit on how long a dog stays in foster care.  There are two situations in which APB may consider euthanasia.  The first is if the quality of life for a dog is poor, painful, and irreversible.  We are proud to be able to treat many things that other groups do not, but there are some cases in which our vets make the decision that the most humane choice is euthanasia. Secondly, if the dog is a danger to itself or others, we may consider euthanasia as a last resort.  There is a very thorough set of checks, and we take this decision very seriously, but it is irresponsible to adopt a dog to someone if you know it may pose a danger to itself or its family.

What are the APB’s geographical restrictions for adoptions?

This all depends on the dog and the potential adopter.  If you do not live within driving distance of Lansing or the foster home, you are welcome to contact the foster home to verify whether or not you would be considered for a particular dog.

If I donate to Animal Placement Bureau, what is my donation used for?

100% of your donation goes to the care of our foster dogs, including vet care, flea and heartworm preventative, dog food and microchips.  We have no paid staff, and no sheltering facility — which means no overhead.  We even send out our newsletters by sponsorship, so that we don’t take any money from the care of our dogs.  We stretch your pennies to touch as many lives as possible!

What are the expectations and requirements of your adoption contract?

An APB adopter agrees to:

  • Provide humane care and love
  • Provide proper veterinary care, including heartworm testing and preventative
  • Ensure safety for the pet
  • License, confine and control the adopted dog according to local regulations
  • Immediately contact APB if the dog gets lost so we can help to find him/her
  • Return the dog to APB if you have to give it up for any reason
  • Keep the dog as an indoor, family pet
  • Never use the adopted dog for medical, experimental or fighting purposes
  • Never allow cosmetic surgeries to be performed on your adopted dog

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