1. How old do I have to be to volunteer?

Our positions require volunteers to be 18.

2. How do I find out more about volunteering?

Once you submit your volunteer application, you’ll hear back from our Volunteer Coordinator to discuss how you can get involved and answer all your questions.

3. Where do the Boxers in your rescue come from?

In many cases, families give up their Boxers. Sometimes family situations change (births, deaths, moves, financial trouble), and people get nervous or upset. They may think they have to give up all commitments to get through the rough times. Unfortunately that sometimes includes the family pet.

Many times people are very sad and distressed at having to surrender their wonderful animal; other times, we take in Boxers from bad living situations or get them as strays that no one ever claims.

Sometimes Boxers lose their homes simply because not enough thought was given to the level of commitment and training it takes to own a dog, especially a puppy or very young dog

We are a New Hope Partner of Maricopa Animal Care and Control, where most of the stray dogs come from, and a partner of the Arizona Humane Society, who gives us their sick or injured Boxers.

4. Why do all the pets in my home have to be spayed or neutered?

In rescue, we see hundreds (if not thousands) of animals euthanized every year because of overpopulation of dogs and cats. Therefore, we feel that we are obligated to help educate the public about this widespread crisis and encourage all potential adopters to be responsible pet owners. Responsible pet ownership means keeping your pets in good health, current on vaccinations, and spaying and/or neutering all pets in the home.

5. What happens to the dog once Boxer Luv has rescued it?

First, the new dog gets a health evaluation and a temperament test. If healthy, then they are spayed or neutered. If they have behavior issues, we have our trainers assess them. We work on behavior issues in foster homes.

Although we do not have the funds to test every healthy-looking dog for every illness possible, we do treat all dogs that look ill, are undernourished, lethargic, or show any signs of illness.

If a dog has any health problems, we put the dog on medical hold. Then we run blood work and put the dog through testing to identify any illness and treat it before adoption. Dogs with injuries may require immediate surgery. Only when the dogs are, to the best of our knowledge, in good health, are they adopted to the public.

6. What is the adoption process?

1. You must fill out an application online.
2. Adoption counselors review the application.
3. Then, an adoption counselor will call you for a telephone interview.
4. Next a home visit is done by a Boxer Luv Volunteer to further assess your lifestyle and living situation for the dog’s safety, and also to assess the family’s wants and needs more specifically, so an ideal match may be made.
5. An adoption appointment to meet the dog is set up.
6. At the adoption appointment, if you like and want to adopt the dog, an adoption contract is signed. If you fail to comply with any item you initial on the contract, at any time during the life of the dog, then Boxer Luv has the right to confiscate the dog.

7. How much does it cost to adopt and what does the cost cover?

The donation to adopt one of our dogs varies depending on age and other considerations. The average donation fee is $300. This goes towards our dogs’ medical costs, including spays, neuters, and vaccinations and microchip.

When we get puppies into rescue, they have a higher adoption fee. This helps to pay for the added costs of puppies’ spays and neuters, after-care for mom, vaccinations, as well as puppy food, wee-wee pads, worming, and other essentials. As you can see, these costs far exceed the donations received.

8. We want a puppy, but we don’t see any on your site. Where can we get one?

We do not refer to any breeders. We do, however, get pregnant females rescued from bad situations occasionally. When filling out an application, you can stipulate that you are looking for a puppy, and we will hold your application and put you on a puppy waiting list. Keep in mind that this could be a year-long wait, since we never know if and when we will have puppies available. We do, however, have many many Boxers who are still young (as Boxers do not mature until approximately 3 years of age) but are already past the house-breaking and chewing! We would ask that you open your heart and mind a bit and consider adopting one of these young, exuberant “toddlers” into your home.