Basenji Rescue and Transport
Providing safe harbors and strong anchors for Basenjis set adrift.

Adoption ◦ Placement ◦ Health & Foster Care ◦ Education ◦ Support

The following is a step-by-step explanation of how a dog moves through BRAT, from the time a dog is offered by its owner or shelter, until it is adopted.

BRAT places approximately 275-300 dogs every year. We get 25-30 new purebreds in the system every month.

1. The BRAT placement process generally begins when an owner or shelter completes the Re-Home A Basenji from the BRAT home page. The form results are sent to an email list called BRAT-ADMIN.

Many times we don't get a complete rescue form—only an email from someone needing rescue assistance. We send these people to the website to complete the rescue form since this information is essential to placing a dog.

2. Once we have the rescue form, we do several things. First, we send a message back to the owner with various questions about the dog. (Some of this information comes from the Evaluating a Basenji page on the website). We also ask for a photo so we can verify that the dog is a purebred.

3. The next step is to find a coordinator for the dog. We review the dogs' spreadsheet to judge the relative workloads of our coordinators. We then decide who has the time to possibly handle the dog. Sometimes, coordinators will handle all of the dogs in their state. But, we have a number of coordinators who do "long distance" coordinations.

We ask the coordinator if they are able to handle the dog and if they are, we forward the rescue form, all further photos, and all further emails with the owner.

We then add the dog to the spreadsheet of "current dogs," noting the name, age, sex, state, foster and coordinator. We also copy all information about the dog and keep it in a file folder.

4. The assigned coordinator starts the placement process either by evaluating the dog themselves or by trying to find someone to evaluate the dog. (See Evaluating a Basenji on the BRAT website.)

5. Once the dog has been evaluated, we often need to find a foster home. The database lists volunteers who may be able to foster. We also use an email list called BRAT-Fosters to find a foster home. Many of our coordinators also foster dogs. When the dog is in a foster home, we send a BRAT identification tag to the foster home. Our brass tags are inscribed with BRAT's toll free number, for lost and found purposes.

The coordinator ensures that the dog has been spayed or neutered ($150-$400, depending on location), fully vaccinated and tested for heartworm and strip-tested for Fanconi (negative unless otherwise noted), and temperament evaluated. The BRAT Treasurer works with vets around the country to arrange payment through the BRAT credit card.

6. The next step is to prepare a write-up about the dog to be posted on our website and sent to the lists. The coordinator prepares this write-up based on the evaluation, the rescue form, the vet check, and the photos. That information is sent to our webmaster for inclusion on the View Basenji Rescues page on the website.

7. Once the write-up is on the website, a post about the dog's availability is sent to the BRAT-RESCUE email list, where we have hundreds of applicants waiting to adopt a Basenji. Our applicants are screened by our team of screeners. One of our volunteers is notified of a new applicant and adds them to our email list. All applicants are on a password protected web page and are viewable by our coordinators and screeners. Notes about the applicant are attached to the applications so that all coordinators can learn more information about the applicant.

8. The coordinator receives replies from interested applicants and follows the guidelines in our Coordinator Handbook in order to find the best possible home. The Handbook contains everything a coordinator needs to know for placing a rescue Basenji.

9. When a good possible home is selected, the coordinator does a check of the applicant's vet references, and schedules a home visit. Click here for the guidelines for doing a home visit.

10. If the home visit is satisfactory, the coordinator helps arrange transport to the new home. In an ideal situation, the applicant is able to meet the dog and transport the dog home. Other times, BRAT volunteers help drive the Basenji to his new home.

11. The coordinator completes a Dog is Pending form and a Remove This Dog form. These forms go to various volunteers who subscribe the adopter to our adopters list and note the placement in the application notes. If a tag was not sent before, one is sent now to the adopter, along with some urine test strips.

12. The coordinator also collects the adoption fee and signed adoption contract and sends them to our File Clerk. The File Clerk attaches a copy of the check to the contract and then sends the check to our Treasurer.

13. About weekly, we circulate to the coordinators for review, a fairly robust spreadsheet called, BRAT Dogs Spreadsheet. Here we keep track of dogs where contracts are pending, those adopted, those withdrawn, and those that are active. This helps ensure that no dogs "fall through the cracks."

14. New adopters are contacted on a regular basis by the coordinators to help the new owners deal with any issues a new, rescued Basenji might have making the transition to a new home. We encourage new adopters to volunteer with BRAT so that they can help other rescue dogs find a new home.

15. Basenji mixes are handled somewhat differently. The chair of our Mix Project assigns new mixes to one of the mix coordinators. These volunteers gather information, prepare a list post, and field inquiries. However, the owner or shelter with possession of the mix makes the placement decision and there is no BRAT adoption contract or fee.

16. As BRAT volunteers, you may be contacted to do an evaluation, a home visit, or a transport. If you would like to become more involved in the BRAT placement process as a screener, foster home, or coordinator, please write to us at BRAT-HELP@lists.Basenjirescue.org. We are always looking for new volunteers!