+ Where are you located?

We are a Massachusetts foster-based rescue, which means we do not have a shelter location. Most of our adoptions take place at our quarantine facility in North Dartmouth or occasionally from Hopkinton or Shrewsbury. If an animal is in a foster home, the pick up location will be at the foster home or in Hopkinton/Shrewsbury.

+ What is the adoption process?

More information about the dog adoption process can be found here.

More information about the cat adoption process can be found here.

+ Where are the dogs/cats rescued from?

The majority of our animals come from Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida along with occasional local owner surrenders. Prior to committing, all animals are tested for temperament. Despite what our name suggests, we look for friendly and adoptable dogs and cats of all colors,breeds and energy levels. After appropriate vetting, they are transported to Massachusetts and are quarantined for 48 hours (per MA state law) before being released to BDC fosters and adopters.

+ When will you be posting new dogs and cats?

We post newly rescued dogs and cats every 2-3 weeks. To find out when the animal will be available, check out the end of each animal's adoption profile.

+ After I meet a dog/cat can I sleep on it or put a deposit down and have the dog put on a hold?

We prioritize adopters who are ready to adopt the same day as their adoption meeting. The dogs/cats have already been through so much upheaval we aim to limit extra transitions where possible. If you meet a dog/cat and want to adopt but are not prepared at that time, another adopter may come forward and adopt the animal.

+ What is different about you versus other rescues?

We are a small but mighty, family-founded, volunteer-powered rescue with no physical shelter. We strive to strike a balance between saving as many animals as possible without sacrificing the quality of our adoptions. We also care about our dogs and cats after they leave our care and we check in on adoptions at 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months for updates and to answer any questions or concerns. Plus, over a third of the dogs we save have intensive medical needs (amputations, leg surgery, treatment for heartworm, parvovirus or mange, etc.) We commit to dogs who are easily overlooked because we know they deserve life-saving medical care and loving forever homes, too.

+ What is a Brown Dog?

The original Brown Dog is the Covino family's dog, Libby, who may not fall into a category of a certain breed, but who has a lovely brown coat—thus garnering the title of a brown dog.

+ Do you have any dogs who would make good emotional support animals?

Usually not. We seldom have dogs who are low maintenance and can easily adapt to new situations after a lot of transitions. Most of our dogs are in need of supportive and patient people to see them through at least the first 30 days of adjusting to a home and creating a new routine. Adopting a dog often includes a lot of love and companionship but also includes cleaning up accidents, resolving new and unwanted behaviors, training, socialization, exercise, and general disruption to schedules and routines — all of which can be anxiety-inducing. We ask that adopters have stable housing, financials, and be emotionally stable enough to provide for and commit to a dog who will be dependent on them every day for years to come.

+ Is the dog I am interested in house-trained?

It is best to set expectations low and assume that a dog is not housetrained. A dog who is house-trained in one location may not be house-trained in a different location, because the behavior is not generalized. It is not at all uncommon for dogs to be "outdoor dogs" in the south. So, please be patient and compassionate as your dog settles in and learns your expectations. Most puppies will need more time and patience to learn house-training.

+ Will the dog I am interested in need to be de-wormed again?

It is not uncommon for dogs, and especially puppies, to need to be de-wormed once more after adoption. Each Brown Dog has been de-wormed at least twice but some intestinal parasites may still be present. This is not unusual, and can be easily treated.

+ What is the backstory of the dog I am interested in?

Every dog's story is not known but it is common for dogs to be found on the side of the road, dumped inside the shelter fence, or surrendered without reason. We also rescue dogs in need of intensive medical care after they have been hit by a car, are heartworm positive, or are in need of other medical attention. We open our hearts to these animals regardless of their stories and try to make their future much brighter than their past. To learn more about your dog's time with Brown Dog, visit our A Dog's Journey page!

+ What breed is the dog I am interested in?

The breeds of our dogs are based on physical appearance alone. They often are true mutts who are mixed with over five breeds. Please keep an open mind when adopting because good temperaments can be found in all breeds. It is not uncommon that mixed breed dogs have a bully breed in their mix.

+ How big will the puppy I am interested be when full grown?

There are online growth calculators that may help guestimate the adult weight of your puppy. But because in most cases the parentage is unknown we can only truly guess. If you have an apartment weight restriction, or adult weight preference, we recommend adopting a dog who is at their adult weight to ensure a lifelong adoption.

+ What is the return policy?

While adoptions are life-long commitments, if the adoption is unsuccessful, our return policy is as follows: Pick up of a dog/cat starts a 48 hour 100% refund return period. There is also a 7 day return period where the adoption fee is refunded minus $75 dogs/$50 cats.

Please note: returning a dog/cat beyond the initial one week period will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and is at the discretion of the organization. As we are entirely foster based, we may not have immediate placement for a dog, and the circumstances regarding the nature of the surrender will also need to be evaluated. We do our best to be a resource to our adopters and to always have the best interests of the dog/cat in mind. We encourage our adopters to reach out to us via email at any time with questions, concerns, or for a training referral.