Frequently Asked Questions

TXCR completely vets all of our dogs before adoption. Each dog is spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, has a rabies certificate, and has been heartworm tested. Our dogs are dewormed and currently on flea and heartworm medication. All of our puppies have three rounds of puppy vaccines and dewormers before adoption. The microchip takes 7 – 10 days to be registered to you. We do that for you as part of your adoption. You will receive an email to confirm the chip has indeed been registered. If a dog is heartworm positive, that dog stays in our care and is treated. Once the pup goes through heartworm treatment and gets the all-clear from the vet to be adopted, we will post that dog as available. Our senior dogs get dental and senior blood work as needed. We take great pride in our vetting practices and work with amazing veterinary clinics in our area.

Many people ask us, "Is she/he potty-trained?" My general answer is, "Probably not." Our dogs come from the streets and shelters of South Texas. Most have never been inside a home in their life. If you are one of our amazing Northern adopters, please remember these dogs have NEVER seen snow or been in temps under 50 degrees. This is all new to them, and your rescued pup needs time, patience and a good schedule, just like a child. For some basic potty training tips, click here.

Every dog has a different personality. Some are shy, some hyper, some silly, and some scared. Even the most social butterfly needs an acclimation period and time to adjust. When introducing a new furry family member to your pack, do so on neutral territories, such as walking around the block on a leash and harness. Calmly walk into the backyard and let the dogs smell one another and feel each other out. Once the butt sniffs and hellos have been given out, you may proceed indoors. If outdoor time is not an option due to weather, bring the pups inside and keep everyone on leash and harness in the main room of the house until everyone is feeling comfortable. Your new rescue does not need a full run of the house. A new home may actually intimidate them a bit. We suggest baby gating an area, kenneling or getting a puppy pen so your new pup has a bit of its own space while getting used to a new routine and new life. Try and keep a schedule from day one that resembles your everyday schedule. In my experience, it takes a total of approximately two weeks for your new family member to really come into their own and get the hang of this "adopted" stuff. Dogs feed off your energy, so please try and stay calm and use a soothing and happy voice. If you are overly stressed about the initial meeting of your new dog, both the dogs, current and adopted, will notice it immediately and feel there is something wrong. Have patience, give lots of love and praise, and go easy on the treats!

Unfortunately, Kennel Cough is not uncommon with rescue pups. Our dogs are always healthy when leaving Texas, though. And every TXCR dog on transport has had a Bordetella vaccine. To learn more about Kennel Cough, click here.

TXCR transports dogs to Buffalo, New York, and Ancaster, Ontario Canada. You are always welcome to fly to Texas to pick up your rescue if the transport is not provided in your state or drive to that state for pickup if you are within driving distance. There is a transport fee which is listed in the next paragraph. We currently use ground transport that leaves Texas on a Thursday and Arrives up north over the weekend. You will get your schedule upon adoption. Every dog comes with a harness, health certificate and all of their original health records in an adoption packet. If you are in Canada and want to adopt a puppy under 8 months of age, you are required to meet our volunteers in Buffalo, New York, to pick up your puppy. All adult dogs will be transported directly into Canada.

Canadian adoptions including transport fee: $700 CAD for adults and puppies.