Blessed be the Bullies Adoption Policies & Expectations

Please read through all of our policies and procedures carefully. We know they are lengthy, but they are necessary!

Please contact us with any questions or concerns, BEFORE filling out an application.

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• The total adoption fee for any dog 7 yrs old & under is $550, except large breeds, who are $750.

• Senior dogs 8 yrs old and up are $300.

• This includes the $100 non refundable deposit, whether the adoption fee is paid as a deposit/balance or as a full payment transaction.

• The adoption fee extra large breeds such as Great Danes/ Mastiffs which includes gastropexy surgery to prevent stomach flipping, which in large dogs is quite common and is usually deadly. If you have a question about this please ask before applying.

Once an application has been processed, if approved, these are the next steps:

• A final contract will be sent via email, and must be submitted.

• For dogs in Maine and available to be picked up, the adoption fee must be paid in full before pick up will be scheduled.Electronic payments must be made at least 24 hours before pick up, cash may be paid the same day, if pick up is at the kennel in Lewiston. 

• If pickup is from the foster home,  electronic payment must be made before pick up occurs, or cash payment must be brought to the kennel in Lewiston.

• EXCEPTIONS: For dogs not in Maine, or who are not available yet for various reasons, including puppies who are not altered yet, a non-refundable deposit of $100 will hold the desired animal. The full remaining balance must be paid before pick up is scheduled however.

• NEXT: Once pick up has been scheduled, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN MARTINGALE STYLE COLLAR AND LEASH! Our fosters do not generally have extras of those items!  If you are picking up at the rescue, and need a collar, they are $25, or $40 for a collar leash combo. 

• Do NOT bring any other animals with you to pick up your new pet. We will not release your new dog to you if you do.

• Bring MINIMAL family members, as pickup can be strange and new for your new pet. Calm and quiet is the key!

Blessed Be the Bullies certifies that all dogs over 6 months of age that have been imported into the State of Maine have the following:

• Testing for Heartworm, Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), and two species each of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. These tests must be negative before the animal is transported into Maine. We also test local surrenders, though not required to do so.

• All dogs will have been tested for Intestinal Parasites, if any are present will have received treatment noted on records.

• AGE APPROPRIATE VACCINES FOR: Canine Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Infectious Tracheobronchitis, Canine Parvo Virus and Rabies.

**Please note**

• Puppies may not be old enough at the time of transport to be tested or given all shots, Adopters may be responsible for completing series vaccinations or vaccinations that couldn’t be given before the time of adoption due to age.

• The 4DX test for heartworm and tick-borne diseases, is generally not done for dogs 6 months and under because the test may not be able to detect heartworm infection until 6 months after initial exposure.

• Animals in our care are treated for fleas and ticks, however keep in mind that it can take up to three weeks to take care of issues that may be present.  In the case of puppies, we may not have been able to treat them due to age.

• Most puppies under 6 months are likely to have parasites, despite being dewormed. It takes regular deworming to eliminate parasites, adopters should plan on getting a fecal test done asap after adoption to check for lasting parasites.

• For older dogs, they are required to have a fecal test and treatment if necessary before transport, but may need another round of testing and dewormer as well, depending on the life cycle of the eggs. The test only detects active parasites, it may take another dose to dispel them all.

• It is the responsibility of the adopter to provide this care and respective treatment if necessary once they receive their animal.

  BBTB is not responsible for diseases or other issues that may arise after the quarantine period, as we have no way of foreseeing or controlling those situations. We follow state mandates for all animals in our care.

RECORDS:

• We do our best to get records out to new adopters within 24-48 hours of adoption. We send them electronically to the email on file. We do not mail hard copies of records unless requested.

• PLEASE ALSO NOTE, WE DO NOT SEND RECORDS DIRECTLY TO ANY VETS OFFICE (Extreme emergencies excepted).  PLEASE MAKE SURE TO EITHER FORWARD THESE TO THEM OR PRINT THEM AND TAKE THEM WITH YOU.  

• The State of Maine requires that all animals being imported into the state be quarantined for the following periods before they can be formally adopted: Animals 6 months and older 48 hours, under 6 months must be quarantined for 5 days.  

• Once the quarantine period has passed, as long as there has been no sign of any issues, then the adoption can proceed.

  In an emergency, we will do our best to expedite records, we ask for patience as we are a volunteer organization with limited help.

Meet & Greets:

•  For older dogs we will ONLY schedule a meet and greet with APPROVED applicants, if the animal has specific known issues and has already been brought in state.

• The only exceptions to this policy are listed below, please do not request an M&G unless there is a listed exception!

• We do NOT do M&G with dogs 6 months of age and younger. They are very adaptable to most home situations.

• We do NOT allow meet and greets with other dogs at ANY time. 5 minutes in a driveway will not tell how animals will react, and we insist that proper decompression practices are followed.

• The exception to this policy is our “spotlight” dogs. Potential adopter must be approved first and the dog must be designated as such.

• We are perfectly willing to provide more pictures or answer specific questions if we are able to.

  YOUR NEW PETS FIRST FEW DAYS AND WEEKS

• Your new pet should not be introduced to the current animals in the house without direct supervision for at LEAST the first few weeks. 

• When introductions occur, both dogs should be on a leash, for cats, the dog should be on a leash, and under control. 

• Animals need to be fed separately, at least in different areas of the room, if not separate rooms entirely, until such time that it has been determined that the new pet has been accepted by the current animals. 

• This process can take time, there is not a set period!  It can be days, weeks or even months.  Don't rush your new pet, successful transition takes patience!

• If a slower adjustment period is needed, we are happy to extend the return policy to ensure proper introductions, we ask to be kept informed as we may be able to offer help along the way.  Please don’t wait until there is a big issue! We want to help you and your new dog.

• Please take a few minutes to look over our decompression page for helpful tips and tricks.

• We do NOT conduct any formal type of cat testing. Dogs being brought into a home either for fostering or for adoption may or may not be aggressive toward cats or other smaller animals and should be monitored or kept separated until it can be determined whether the dog is compatible with the other animals. 

• A crate located in a room where the dog might be able to come in contact with the smaller animals is not considered sufficient protection.   The dog being introduced into the family should always be contained in an area where there is no chance of unsupervised contact occurring.  This would entail being able to put the dog in a room that can be securely closed, preferable with the dog being crated as well.

• Even while the adopter is present, until it is fully determined that the dog can get along with smaller animals, the situation should be closely monitored, with the dog/s in question being under physical control via a collar/leash and/or harness.

• We do not allow sibling adoptions or adoptions of non-related puppies of the same approximate age range. In our experience this can cause “littermate syndrome”. There are many articles on the internet that fully explain this occurrence.

For unaltered dogs of any age:

We no longer allow dogs who are not spayed/neutered to go home with their adopters until the surgery has been done. Because of a few who would not follow our policies, we have been forced to implement this change as of May 2026. There are no exceptions to this policy.

POLICIES REGARDING PICK UP/BOARDING FEES

• For dogs who are located in state already, the balance of the adoption fee must be paid before pickup.

• We try to schedul pick up within 24 hours of adoption completion. Please be aware that this event may happen quickly once the application is approved, and plan accordingly.

• For dogs that are located out of state, the balance of the adoption fee must be paid before pickup, however the adopter may wait until transport has been arranged. We try to have this done asap, but must coordinate with our transport companies, so this timing is out of our control.  

• Regardless of in state or out of state status, if an adopter is unable to pick up their animal on the day scheduled, a boarding fee of $50 a day will be charged.

• Pickup from a boarding situation should be within 24 hours of the scheduled “extra” time, unless other arrangements are made. The boarding fee must be paid upon scheduling this time. No animal will be released until this fee is paid.

•   If the adopter is unwilling to pay the boarding fee, the animal will be made available for adoption by someone else, and the deposit fee will be forfeit for that animal.  It is up to the discretion of Blessed Be the Bullies as to whether the adopter will be allowed to use the deposit for adoption of a different animal.  The deposit will not be refunded under any circumstances.

• We try to communicate clearly when animals will be available for pick-up, however we must work within the schedule of transport companies, foster family schedules and quarantine requirements. 

  Please keep in mind these animals have already been through so much, the best thing for them is to just be able to go straight home!

If an adopter decides not to proceed with the adoption

• The $100 deposit (whether paid singularly or as part of the full adoption cost) is NON REFUNDABLE. Depending on the situation, it may be applied to a different animal, at the discretion of the rescue

• If it is determined either by the adopter or by Blessed Be the Bullies within (7) seven days that the adoption is not a good fit, 75% of the adoption fee (excluding the application fee and initial deposit) may be returned to the adopter after the animal is returned in good condition.

• If it is determined that proper decompression was not followed (available on the website at all times) or if the animal needs care for injuries, there will be NO refund of any kind. If the animal is hurt, depending on the level of injury the adopter may be liable for any vet costs incurred.

• After (7) seven days there will be no refunds given. However, as long as the adopters have remained in contact with the rescue, this adjustment period may be extended if necessary. 

•   This refund can take up to two weeks to be processed and will be refunded the same way it was paid.

• For the return of an animal, the adopter MUST contact the rescue to discuss what the next steps are (Do NOT drop off an animal unannounced please).  Should it be decided that the owner will surrender the animal back to the rescue, the rescue must be given adequate time to find a place for the animal to be transferred to, and a surrender form must be filled out before the animal will be accepted back to the rescue.

• If at any time in the animals life the adopter decides that the dog is no longer wanted, they MUST contact the rescue to let us know what is going on. If we are unable to take the dog back into our care, we may be able to help.

• If the adopter has someone else willing to take the animal, the new potential adopters need to go through our application process first before the dog is released into anyone else’s care.

• Should this policy not be followed, the rescue reserves the right to re-acquire ownership of said animal though legal channels, if necessary, with the original applicant being responsible for any and all such costs incurred.

Availibilty of Animals:

• The availability of an animal is not guaranteed, we often have many applications for the same animal  We do our best to update our website as soon as animals are adopted, however, the presence of an animal on the website does not guarantee adoption.

• Please contact the rescue with any questions about a specific animal. We respectfully request that potential adopters or fosters do NOT reach out to fosters or vets.

• If there are specific questions not addressed in the online posting of the animal profile or on social media please ask us, and we will try find out the answers. We reserve the right to deny applicants who do not follow this policy.

  Processing time for Applications

• This depends on several factors:

  • How quickly applicants references respond to our coordinator texting or calling.

  • if we are able to get in touch with the applicants vet (if needed)

  • and most importantly that the adopter provide pictures or preferably video of the inside of their home and the yard outside where the dog will have access!

• We do our best to process applications quickly,  but suggest that references are notified to expect contact, and that the applicant verbally confirm with their vet to expect our call, and to supply the requested video/pictures as soon as possible. Double check your answers before submission to prevent errors. We are not responsible for lack of response by others, or mistakes by the applicant.

  POP UP ADOPTION EVENTS

• We STRONGLY SUGGEST that applicants get pre-approved. There may not be someone available to process an app on the spot.

• Should you come to an event without pre-approval, please bring utd records for any dogs/cats you currently have, make sure your references know to expect a call or text, and bring video/pictures as required.

• There are NO GUARANTEES of immediate approval at adoption events!!

  DOG PARKS

  At NO time in the ownership of an animal adopted through this organization do we support taking your animal to a public dog park.  We understand the desire to let your dog "run free", however public dog parks are notoriously dirty, and often are filled with contagious and potentially deadly diseases such as parvo.  There is always the chance of an altercation with another dog as well. If an altercation occurs, and you don't have control of your animal, the bully breeed is historically the first to be blamed.  You may be liable for damages to someone else or their animal as well.  Owners should strive to take their animals to well known places, but should always monitor what is around the area.  

  As far as your animal being allowed "off leash", as described in the decompression practices, this should not be occurring until weeks, if not months into the adoption, especially outside of the owners own home and yard.  Rescue dogs may become frightened easily, and can run off quickly.  Owners should be using the martingale collar/leash or harness/leash combo that BBTB recommends until they are absolutely certain of their new animals off lead recall.  

FEEDING YOUR NEW PET

• Most of our rescued animals are not fed any specific diet.  Most of the dog food we get is donated, and they are fed a combination of age appropriate dry food. 

• We strongly suggest that new adopters keep several cans of straight pumpkin (NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING!!), plain white rice and plain unseasoned chicken on hand, this is the easiest food for upset tummies to digest. 

• It is not unusual for dogs to take a few days or weeks to adjust to their new home and diet.  Make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water, and give them time to eat. 

• Don't overwhelm them with treats, and avoid giving table food. If there are still concerns after a few days, please contact the rescue. 

• Should an animal require a specific food or diet plan, if we are aware of it, we will notify the adopter of that information.

  SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

• We use social media in several forms. Facebook, IG, and TikTok, just to name a few.

• This rescue is not responsible for others reactions or comments on those platforms. We do try to promote polite and friendly discourse on our platforms. We have thousands of followers,and do not always see an issue.

• If you have joined one of our family or alumni groups, but no longer have a BBTB animal, we respectfully request that you remove yourself from those groups.

• Please reach out to use through email or messenger if you feel there is an issue, so that our team can look into it.

• IN CONCLUSION

• We do NOT do any form of DNA testing. We are primarily a bully breed rescue, there may be a chance there is some of that breed present. We supply the information we are given, but should be noted that this information is purely an estimate, in reference to breed and age. There may be slight discrepancies in the DOB on records.   If there are any questions, please contact the rescue before applying!

• No animal will be released to anyone outside of our organization until the application is approved and the full adoption fee has been received.

• We do not offer a payment plan.  We accept PayPal or cash only, no checks.  If you don’t have a PayPal account, we can send an invoice that can be paid via credit/debit card.

• All payments must be made in full, and the final contract must be filled out and submitted before the animal is released to the adopter.

• Please note, even if an applicant has been approved, this does NOT guarantee adoption. Adoption will occur at the sole discretion of BBTB, and they reserve the right to deny an applicant at ANY time during the process before the placement is complete.

• Policies are subject to change without notice. In the case of any discrepancies, the main policy page on the website shall be considered the ruling and determing issue.