First Name*

Last Name*

Address*

City*

State/Province*

Zip/Postal Code*
 - 

Email*

Home Phone*

Cell Phone*

Please click the box at the end of every paragraph to confirm you have read and understand. Things to consider before applying to foster or adopt a Belgian Malinois

1. Do you have time for a Malinois? Malinois are a high energy breed and need active owners that have time to put into exercising and training their dog, along with providing mental stimulation and socialization for life.

2. Do you have dog experience? Ideally you would have experience with Malinois or other high energy herding dogs so you have a good idea of how to help your adopted dog become a part of the family. Malinois are not an ideal first dog.

3. Do you have a securely fenced yard/area? While not required for all our dogs, Malinois typically have high prey drive and a fenced yard is recommended for most. Living on a farm or large acreage is not a substitute for secure fencing as the breed will happily chase livestock or wildlife when given a chance. They are a herding breed and herding is a controlled chase. Families with invisible fencing must be committed to supervising their dog when it is out in the yard. The combination of invisible fencing and free access or a doggy door will not be considered for an ABMR dog.

4. Do you have young children? You will need to supervise carefully and put time into training the dog AND the children. Some of our dogs do not have any experience with children and will need to be introduced and trained in how to behave with the small ones. ABMR dogs are generally only placed in homes with children over 5 years of age. The level of parental experience will be taken into consideration when placing dogs in homes with young children.

5. Do you have cats, small breed dogs or senior dogs? Malinois can have a lot of prey drive and smaller animals are often too exciting. Our foster homes try to evaluate our dogs with a variety of animals but if they don't own cats themselves we have to evaluate the dogs on their prey drive in general. Many of our rescue dogs are not suitable for a home with cats or small dogs.

6. Do you plan to take your dog to dog parks? Many of our dogs are very social with other dogs but Malinois often need introductions to strange dogs in more controlled settings. They can be reactive to other typically enthusiastically friendly breeds.

7. CAREFULLY READ THE BIOGRAPHIES of the dogs you are interested in. If it says "no cats or other small animals" do not apply if you have cats. If it says "fencing required", do not apply if you do not have a fence. If it says "we will not consider adoptions outside of Texas Region" and you live anywhere other than Texas Region, please do not apply for that Texas dog. Texas Region includes Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF... 1. Are your current pets UTD (up to date) on all necessary vaccinations, heartworm prevention, and flea/tick prevention? We will be contacting your vet for confirmation of up-to-date vaccinations on all your current pets, along with neuter/spay status (not a disqualifier), heartworm status, and purchase of heartworm prevention and flea/tick prevention. If you use titers or purchase your own preventatives you will need to provide proof that you use these products for your pets.

2. Adoption Fees - Our rescues come to their adopters currently up to date on vaccinations and preventative testing. Your adoption fees help cover medical costs for all our dogs. Fees generally range from $425 to $475 but senior dogs and dogs with special needs are usually under $400.

3. Transport - As an adopter you are required to meet your dog a minimum of halfway on transport. Foster-to-adopt applicants should be prepared to meet their dog halfway also. Applications local to the dog will be given preference. With rare exception we do not place dogs in CA, WA, OR, ID, MT, UT, Mexico, or Canada.

4. Protection Training - is not allowed with any ABMR dogs. We commit to our dogs for their lifetime and if a dog should need to return to ABMR we would not be able to place a dog with protection training in a pet home.

5. All applicants must be 21 years of age or older.

6. Incomplete application - an incomplete application will be automatically rejected. Please answer as fully and completely as you can so that we may quickly and efficiently process your application. Do not fill out an application using a phone, applications must be completed using a tablet/iPad, laptop, or desktop computer and be sure the application acknowledges submission. You will receive a Welcome Letter upon submission of your application.

Be aware that all applications must provide 3 personal references who know both you and your current pets. Two must be NON-family members who do not reside in your current home, one can be a family member or non-family member who does not reside in your home. You must provide the name/contact information of the vet who last updated your pet's vaccinations and you will be asked for proof of heartworm, flea and tick preventative use or explanation of non-use. You will have either an in-home or virtual home visit (our decision) which must include all family members who currently live in the home and your current pets.

ADOPTING - Filling out an adoption application means once you have completed the process you will be assigned to an advocate or the coordinator of the dog in which you have an interest. They will work with you to find the best fit for you and your potential Malinois. You will be considering dogs who have already been in foster care a minimum of 2 weeks and with known behaviors such as getting along with cats, requiring a fence, good with teenagers, not good with toddlers, etc.

FOSTERING - a foster dog is unknown, coming to you from any source (shelter, stray, owner surrender, etc). Foster applications must meet higher criteria in experience and environment than adoption applications. Fosters are required to have a working knowledge of Malinois or experience with large working dogs; ideally have a fenced in area to work off energy and potty; be able to get dogs to and from vet for getting them medically stable; and be able to evaluate for all behaviors, hopefully with ability to expose your foster to cats, other dogs, and small children. FILL OUT A FOSTER APPLICATION only if you are NOT interested in adopting the foster dog but rather fostering thru to their placement in an adoptive home.

FOSTER WITH INTENTION OF ADOPTING - Foster-to-Adopt means you would consider fostering a dog with unknown behaviors in which you have an interest in ultimately adopting. You should fill out an adoption application. DO NOT fill out a foster application, doing so may result in a request for you to resubmit an adoption application.

Date (example 01/01/2019)*

Age:

Occupation (EX: electrician, retired, unemployed, stay at home mom/dad, military, etc): *

Employer: *

Years with this employer:*

If you are active military are you subject to deployment?*

Do you have a Facebook Page? If yes, what name is the page found under?*

Do you have an Instagram Account? If yes, what name is the page found under? If no, answer no. *

Have you ever had a criminal conviction? If yes, please explain. *

Spouse/partner full name (if none, please write none): *

Spouse partner age (if none, check none)

Spouse/partner Occupation (EX: electrician, retired, unemployed, stay at home mom/dad, military, etc). If none, say none. *

Spouse/partner Employer (if none, say none): *

Spouse/partner Years with this Employer (if none, say none):*

Does your partner have a Facebook page? If yes, under what name? If none, say none.*

Does your partner have an Instagram account? If yes, under what name? If none say none. *

Has your partner ever had a criminal conviction? If yes, please explain. *

Please list the name, age and relationship of ALL people living in the home (including the applicant): (Example: Bob Smith, 57 years old, father-in-law)*

Does anyone living in the home have pet allergies?*

If someone living in the home has pet allergies what are they allergic to?*

Name of ABMR coordinator you are working with (if any), if none say none.*

Are you applying for a specific dog?*

If you are applying for a specific dog what is their name?

What sex Malinois are you interested in?*

What age Malinois do you prefer?

Would you consider a special needs dog? (may include physical restrictions, medical issues, or unusual personality or preferences):*

Please list all dogs you have owned in the past 10 years. (Please use this format) Name Breed Age Sex (M/F) Neutered/Spay (Y/N) Alive/Deceased (A/D) Example: Buffy Malinois 10 years F Y A If none, say none*

What other pets do you currently own (cats, chickens, birds, horses, etc. and how many of each)? If none, say none.*

Have you ever adopted a Malinois from American Belgian Malinois Rescue in the past?*

If you have adopted from American Belgian Malinois Rescue in the past please provide name of the dog, date of adoption, and name of the coordinator who handled the adoption. (example: Buffy 1/1/2020 Coordinator Jane Doe)

Why are you interested in adopting a Belgian Malinois?*

Malinois Experience: have you owned, personally spent time with including training, or met any Malinois? *

If you do have Malinois experience please explain.

If you have not owned one in the past, what research have you done? Have you attended any agility trials, local meet the breed events, talked to a Malinois owner, read any books, or watched any YouTube videos on Malinois and training? Please explain.*

Have you applied to any other rescues?*

If you have applied to other rescues please indicate name of rescue, date of application, and where you are in their process. If none, say none.*

Which do you live in:*

Do you rent or own?*

Landlord’s Name:

Landlord's Street Address

Landlord's City

Landlord's State

Landlord's Phone

Landlord’s Email:

How long have you lived at this address?*

Are you planning to move in the near future?*

Do you have a 2nd home/vacation home, if yes, please give address.*

Is your property viewable in Google Maps and if so does the view accurately reflect your property or are there differences not viewable (such as a new fence, new garage, etc)*

Is your yard fully fenced? *

If your yard is only partially fenced please explain (height, how many sides, back yard only, etc)

Are you part of a Home Owners Association?*

If you are part of a Home Owners Association please provide the HOA phone number.

If you are a member of a Home Owners Association and they have breed restrictions please list what breeds are not allowed.

Do you have any local dog ordinances limiting the number of dogs you can have at this property?*

If you are restricted by local ordinances to a certain number of dogs, what is that number?

Do you understand that cats, small animals, and prey animals are at risk with a high prey drive dog?*

Have you ever bred dogs?*

What family activities and dog sports would you like the dog to participate in? *

Have you researched trainers in your area? If so, give a brief summary.*

Are you interested in participating in any of the following dog sports?

Who is primarily responsible for the dog?*

What family activities would include the dog?*

Would your dog travel with you? If so, where?*

How much time would the dog spend alone (without human companionship) on a daily basis (approximate hours) or on a weekly basis (approximate hours per day left alone and how many days). How do you plan to care for the dog if away for more than 4 hours? *

How do you plan to care for the dog if away from home more than 4 hours per day?*

Will you supervise while the dog is out in the yard?*

Where would the dog sleep at night?*

Where would the dog spend the day?*

What is your training philosophy?*

Would you attend obedience classes with your Malinois? If no, why not?*

What commands have you taught in the past?*

Are you familiar with crate training?*

Would you walk/exercise the dog daily (describe your routine)?*

Would you take your dog to your place of employment?*

What is your typical household energy level?

How many adults visit your home per week on average?*

How many children visit your home per week on average?*

Would you supervise children around the dog at all times?*

Would you supervise the dog while outside at all times? (including fenced in area)*

What conditions would cause you to give up a dog?*

What additional information would you like to include about yourself/family?*

Please provide information for the veterinarian who provided your pets most recent vaccinations. Vet Name:*

Vet Street Address:*

Vet City:*

Vet State:*

Vet Zip code: *

Vet Phone Number:*

Name under which pet records can be found at this facility:*

First Personal Reference NAME: (MUST BE A NON-RELATIVE and cannot live at the same address as the applicant, someone you have known for at least 2 years and have seen you interact with your dog/pets) PLEASE NOTIFY THEM THAT WE WILL BE CALLING. *

1st reference email:*

1st reference phone number:*

1st reference Time Zone or State of Residence:*

Second Personal Reference NAME: (MUST BE A NON-RELATIVE and cannot live at the same address as the applicant) PLEASE NOTIFY THEM THAT WE WILL BE CALLING. *

2nd reference email:*

2nd reference phone number: *

3rd reference Time Zone or State of Residence:*

2nd reference Time Zone or State of Residence:*

Third Personal Reference NAME: (MUST NOT live at the same address as the applicant but may be a relative or non-relative) PLEASE NOTIFY THEM THAT WE WILL BE CALLING. *

3rd reference email: *

3rd reference phone number: *

Please indicate you are aware that a dog adopted through ABMR MUST be returned to ABMR if you are unable to keep it.

Please confirm your understanding that submission of this application does not mean that you will be approved. We reserve the right to reject any applicant for any reason.

You understand your vet and personal references, including landlord (if applicable) will be contacted, and that a home visit will be required (either virtual or in-person at our discretion) to complete the application process. All family members (both human and pets) living in the home must be present for the home visit.

Do you confirm that all the information provided on this application is true and correct?*

You understand that failure to complete any question thoroughly can result in immediate denial of the application?*

You understand that there is a $5 NON-REFUNDABLE donation required upon submission of this application to continue the adoption process. *

You understand that once your application is complete you can feel free to contact and talk to foster homes of dogs that you are interested in. Completion of the application does not indicate approval to adopt a given dog. Due to the wide range of personalities and activity levels of our rescued Malinois, all decisions are made by the Placement Coordinators. Completion of the application will allow you to meet with foster dogs in their homes. Once your application is complete you will be assigned to an Advocate who will help you contact the appropriate coordinator for the dog you are interested in.

Applicant Name:*