We serve all areas of Texas including Austin (Austin Boxer Rescue), Houston (Lone Star Boxer Rescue), and Dallas Ft Worth (DFW Boxer Rescue).

Thank you for contacting Austin Boxer Rescue. If you have a stray dog, you will need to go to the local shelter and give the owners a chance to reclaim. Our primary focus is rescuing dogs from kill shelters. ABR has stringent owner surrender guidelines. We typically discourage people from giving up their dogs. We recommend training first. So if we accept your dog into rescue, it means another Boxer may die alone in a shelter. Please read the information below carefully before you begin the owner surrender process.

Owner Surrender Guidelines

My dog is injured, ill or is in need of emergency medical attention: If you are seeking emergency intake for your dog, email us at: infoabrtx@gmail.com and call the volunteer line at 888-333-2368. Please give detailed information about your dog and where your dog is presently located (shelter, Vet, home etc). We will also need photos of your dog, your Vet’s contact information and a completed Owner Surrender Form prior to accepting the dog into rescue.

Owner Surrender Form

I want to re-home my dog and I can keep him/her until placed: So you want to re-home your dog and you are willing to keep him/her until placed? We ask that all owners keep their dog until we are able to match him/her with a new family. Unfortunately, there are not enough foster homes or funds to save every dog in a shelter from death row. So we ask that owners help by keeping their dog until a new family can be found. If you want to know the benefits of placing your dog through Austin Boxer Rescue verses other avenues please read the information below titled: Why should I re-home my boxer through ABR? For questions about the process that are not answered on this webpage, please email the Intake Coordinator at ownersurrender.abr@gmail.com

  1. Complete the online Owner Surrender Form. A link to the form can be found below. This form has questions regarding information we need while we consider his/her acceptance into the Owner Surrender Program and future placement. This form is automatically forwarded to our Intake Coordinator when you complete it and click SUBMIT. The dog is legally yours as long as he/she is in your home. You are welcome to consider alternative placements for your dog. However, once we find a suitable new family, the form will take effect. You will relinquish all rights to the dog and surrender him/her legally to Austin Boxer Rescue.
  2. We also request that you submit recent photos of your dog to our Intake Coordinator at: ownersurrender.abr@gmail.com after you have submitted the form. We will share them on our website with potential adopters. The better the photos, the more adoption interest he/she will receive. Photos of your dog with other dogs, cats, and/or kids are attractive to people and will help spark an interest in your dog. (Please only send these photos if your dog is comfortable around dogs, cats and kids).
  3. Please contact your Veterinarian and have all records emailed to us at: ownersurrender.abr@gmail.com. Or you may fax them to: 512.382.0831. Your dog must be current on vaccinations. Proof must be received by us prior to acceptance into the Owner Surrender Program. Any other medical records for your dog including the microchip number, heartworm status/preventative, spayed/neutered status, and any medical issues should be submitted with the records. Once we have proof of vaccinations you will be able to move to step 4 below.
  4. Austin Boxer Rescue hosts an Adoption Day Event every other weekend in Austin, the once a month on a Saturday in Dallas/Ft Worth. Information about the event is located on the rescue Facebook pages.  Frequent attendance will give your dog additional exposure and increase the chances of a speedy adoption. Please keep in mind that if you choose not to attend the Adoption Day Event, it may take a very long time to place your dog. Once an approved adopter is ready to adopt your dog we will take over the process and get your dog up to date on any vetting he/she is lacking.

Why should I re-home my Boxer through ABR? We are often asked why someone should re-home their dog through Austin Boxer Rescue rather than use other avenues. There are many benefits to placing your dog through rescue if you can keep your dog until he/she is placed. For questions about the process that are not answered on this webpage, please email our Intake Coordinator at ownersurrender.abr@gmail.com.

  1. Austin Boxer Rescue does stringent screening on adopters and applicants. Home visits and reference checks are performed prior to a dog being placed in a home. During this process we discuss the Boxer breed characteristics to ensure that the family is prepared to take on the responsibility.
  2. When your dog is adopted, any vetting and heartworm treatment will be provided by the rescue.
  3. Your dog will be microchipped to Austin Boxer Rescue so we can all rest easy knowing he/she will never end up in a shelter at risk for euthanasia. If your dog does get loose, we will ensure the safety of the dog and help re-unite the dog with the adoptive family. Sadly, shelters will typically only hold a dog for 72 hours before adopting them out or euthanizing them. Having the microchip in ABR’s name is an added safeguard to ensure your dog will never be euthanized in a shelter.
  4. Once your dog is an ABR dog, it is a life time acceptance. If at any time an adoptive family can no longer keep the dog, we will accept him/her back into the Owner Surrender Program. It is actually a requirement that the dog be returned to us. The same criteria we used to place the dog will be used again.

I cannot foster my dog until placed and would like to know if Austin Boxer Rescue can accept him/her into rescue: If you are seeking intake for your dog into rescue but cannot foster until placed, please send an email to ownersurrender.abr@gmail.com explaining the circumstances in detail. Please understand that few dogs are accepted into rescue in this case. Shelter dogs at risk for euthanasia are considered first. Additionally, a monetary donation may be required to cover boarding expenses. You may also be required to have your dog fully vetted prior to acceptance into the Owner Surrender Program.