Basset Rescue of Old Dominion (BROOD) is a non-profit charitable organization formed by volunteers to locate and retrieve homeless, unwanted and/or mistreated basset hounds. BROOD takes bassets from shelters and places them in foster homes until a suitable adopter can be found. BROOD will not as a general rule take in and foster owner relinquished dogs because of a very limited number of foster homes which are reserved for dogs coming out of shelters and county pounds. Exceptions to this policy are made in abuse cases, where the life of the basset is in jeopardy or other extenuating circumstances.

If you find that you must relinquish ownership of your basset, you have several alternatives:

• Take the dog to your county shelter or humane society. If you cannot keep your dog and must find it a home immediately, then the shelter option is your only option. The shelter will try to find a home through their adoption process. However, let us know what shelter you took your dog to so we can contact them. If they can't find a home for your dog through their process, we will ask them to contact us.
• Advertise the dog in local papers. If your dog is young and healthy, placing an ad in the local papers may be the fastest way of finding a home. You should, however, screen prospective adopters to be sure that their lifestyle and home environment is compatible with what your dog is use to. For instance, don't place your dog in a home where there are small children if your dog is shy or fearful of small children. If you wish compensation for your dog, you should advertise because, BROOD does not sell bassets. However, it is not a good idea to advertise "free to a good home." Even though you may not want compensation, putting a price in the advertisement will insure a better class of responses.
• Use the BROOD referral service. If you are not in a hurry and can keep your dog until a home is found, BROOD offers a referral service, which will place your basset on our webpage along with other BROOD bassets that are available for adoption. Prospective adopters fill out an application and are screened by BROOD. BROOD will contact you if an adopter comes up whose requirements match your dog. All arrangements pertaining to the adoption of your dog will be between you and the adopter. BROOD does not sell dogs. If you desire compensation, BROOD will not list the dog. BROOD will list on the webpage bassets or basset mixes, but BROOD will not take possession of a basset mix.

Finally, the length of time it takes to find a home for your dog greatly depends on the age, health and disposition of your dog. Young dogs (less than 3 years old) that are healthy are usually adopted within a couple of weeks. Older bassets or those with health or behavior problems will take longer to find a home, sometimes months. The senior basset (greater than 8 years old) is very difficult to place and it can take a very long time to find a suitable home.

In the rare event that the owner can no longer keep the dog, and the dog is turned over to a BROOD representative, BROOD will request a $50.00 donation. Because of limited resources, BROOD cannot accept basset mixes.

If you wish to use BROOD's referral list, your dog must meet ALL of the following conditions:

• The dog must be spayed/neutered (except puppies less than 6 months old). BROOD has a spay/neuter policy. We do not support the indiscriminant breeding of bassets. Also, a neutered dog stands a better chance of getting adopted. If you have a puppy, the adopter must agree to have the dog neutered as soon as possible.
• The dog must be heartworm negative and/or be on heartworm preventative. Heartworm disease is a serious problem in this area. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes and is deadly. Treatment of the disease is very expensive (several hundred dollars) and is dangerous to the dog. If your dog has not been heartworm tested or is not on preventative, you should have it tested immediately.
• The dog must have a current rabies vaccination. State laws require rabies vaccinations for all dogs.
• The dog must have no history of aggression toward humans (i.e., never bitten). Unfortunately we live in a litigious society, and BROOD cannot afford the risk of being sued. A dog that has bitten is a serious liability today. If your basset has bitten, without provocation (i.e., bitten for no apparent reason), then it may have a serious behavior problem. You should have your basset checked by a veterinarian to be sure that there is no medical reason for the aggression. For a dog that bites, euthanasia may be your only option. If your basset was provoked, either intentionally or unintentionally into biting, than you may still be able to find a suitable adopter. However, most basset adopters that contact BROOD are looking for a gentle family dog that will be safe around children. They are not willing to take a chance on a basset that has bitten. In this case, your best option would be to advertise in the paper. You will still have to disclose that your basset has bitten, but if the reason is understandable, you will probably be able to find a willing adopter. If you do not disclose that your basset has bitten, then you may be held liable.

If your basset meets all of the criteria above and you wish to use BROOD's referral service, please print and complete the Dog Information Form and return it to BROOD. We would also like to have a picture of your basset. The picture will go on the webpage along with a short description of your dog's appearance and disposition. We have found that a picture greatly enhances your basset's adoption prospects.

You are expected to take an active part in finding a suitable home for your basset. BROOD will screen prospective applicants and provide you a copy of the application form. But it is still your responsibility to ensure that the adopter will provide a suitable home for your basset. You are expected to notify BROOD when your basset is adopted or to be taken off the list. Your basset will remain on the list for six months. After six months, it will be removed from the list unless you have notified BROOD that it is still available.

If you have any questions or concerns about our policy or how the referral service works, please contact our . Alternatively, BROOD's phone number is 866-710-9476 (toll free) where you can call and leave a message.

We hope you find the above information helpful in making your decision.

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