P.O. BOX 520043 Independence,
MO 64052
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Who We Are An all volunteer 501C3 rescue group in Missouri, MPR's Mission is to promote responsible Pit Bull ownership, provide breed education, combat pet overpopulation, fight unfair legislation's, and find qualified homes for sound Pit Bull dogs in Missouri. To know more about how we came about and where we are going, please read: MPR's History & Goals

Our Adoption program

MPR is dedicated to rescuing any Pit Bull that needs help, regardless of where they come from. Dogs eligible for our program include abandoned dogs that are wandering the streets scared, alone, starving, freezing or overheating, suffering abuse at the hands of humans, struck by vehicles and left in a ditch to slowly agonize to death, or worse, those who will find themselves used as bait dogs in some fighters yard.

MPR also works with several Animal Shelters and Animal Control facilities in the region and we regularly pull Pit Bulls from "deathrow". MPR is licensed with the state of Missouri and authorized to rescue dogs from shelters that don't adopt out Pit Bulls to the public. Local shelters usually have a heartbreaking number of Pit Bulls and Pit mixes hoping for a chance. Sadly, most of them will not make it out of the shelter alive unless bailed out by MPR. For more info about this, please click here.

MPR occasionally takes dogs that are losing their home due to BSL or for other "valid" reasons, such as sickness or death in the family.

MPR asks private owners to go to PBRC for assistance in rehoming their dog. MPR does NOT take dogs from individuals who have unaltered pets.

Dogs are brought into the program as space is available. MPR does not maintain a waiting list.

The Selection

MPR makes great efforts to select the best candidates possible for our program. We choose dogs we believe are good representatives of the breed (see UKC Breed standard) and have the potential to make great companions. It is very unfortunate that we can only help a few dogs at the time but we simply don't have enough room and resources to save a large number of dogs. While it may not seem to make a big difference in the large picture, it certainly makes a huge difference for the lucky dogs we bail out of deathrow or save off the streets.

We select candidates based initially on a first impression. We look for outgoing dogs with friendly demeanors, attractive personality, good looks, etc. The selected dogs then go through basic evaluation with one of our senior volunteers. MPR group has zero tolerance for any sign of people-aggression. We understand that in some cases certain dogs may be traumatized due to their ordeal or by the shelter environment and may not act themselves. We realize however, that with so many dogs dying homeless, we should only approve the ones that remain friendly and stable despite their difficult situation. Most Pit Bulls do. Once accepted in our program, the dogs receive all shots, are dewormed, heartworm tested, spayed or neutered, and receive other medical care if needed.

Dog Boarding and Foster care

MPR doesn't have a shelter. We have two options for the dogs in our program; Boarding or foster care. While boarding is a life saving solution for dogs we rescue from difficult situations, it can be very hard on family companions who have just lost their home. MPR takes this fact in consideration when situating the new dogs in our program. Stray dogs, chained dogs, dogs that were mistreated and never had a good life before entering our program, usually accept boarding with ease. It's a step up for them and often a positive experience.

We have volunteers who visit our boarding facility on a regular basis. The volunteers take the dogs on walks, provide them with training, attention and socialization. For many dogs, life in boarding is heaven compared to what they had before. Boarding however, is not a step up for a cherished family pet. We do our best to move those owner-surrenders into foster care immediately so the dogs don't develop behavior problems. Unfortunatly, we are often forced to turn down family dogs due to lack of available foster homes.

Note that boarding cost MPR $220.00 a month per dog and MPR relies solely on donations from the public. It often tasks several month for a spot to open in foster care. It's no surprise that we can only have a few dogs in boarding at the time and must decline way more dogs than we can help.

Even though we wish we could save more dogs, MPR does not rush dogs out of the program to make room for new ones. We believe the quality of our dogs and the quality of our placements is more important than the quantity. We keep the dogs as long as it takes to find their perfect home.

Socialization Once accepted into our program, the adoption candidates are socialized as much as possible. The dogs are exposed to kids, cats, and other dogs if possible, as well as introduced to all kinds of situations and people, taken to different locations such as pet stores, leash-parks, walks downtown, etc. For many MPR volunteers, rescue is a family affair. The kids are are involved and often part of every step, including socialization, training, adoption events, homechecks, and transport. While we can't guarantee the future behavior of a dog, we do our best to give our rescue dogs a real trial at normal life by putting them in daily pet situations to test their reactions. Dogs that show inappropriate aggression and instability are removed from our adoption program unless they can be rehabilitated while in foster care.

We occasionally have to make very difficult decisions, but we try to stay true to our goal of not only rescuing dogs, but rescuing the reputation of the Pit Bull breed as well. MPR does not adopt out dogs we believe could be dangerous to a human being.

But a Pit Bull is a Pit Bull...

As explained above, MPR won't place dogs that show signs of human-aggression since the nature of the breed is to be great with people. That said, a certain degree of "animal-aggression" is to be expected with all Terriers. Pit Bulls in particular, can become somewhat dog-aggressive as they mature.

Even if we place a Pit Bull who appears to get along with other dogs, we can't guarantee it will always be the case. Pit Bulls were originally developed for the cruel sport of dog fighting and selectively bred for their fighting abilities. They are not the breed of choice to share a home with other pets unless the owners are well prepared to assure strict supervision and separate the dogs when needed. Pit Bulls have wonderful personality traits that make them excellent companions, but their fighting heritage should not be ignored. We prefer placing our dogs with people who understand the breed's potential and wont put the dogs in the wrong situations.

Adoption Restrictions

Because of their important fighting heritage, we do not make same sex-placements or place Pit Bulls in multiple dog homes. We might place a Pit Bull in a home with a compatible dog of the opposite sex, but we ask our adopters to follow certain safety measures - Never leave the dogs unsupervised, always monitor roughhousing, avoid triggers that could cause conflicts such as bones, toys, etc. We also ask that the dogs we place not be taken to dog parks.

For more information about Pit Bull dogs, please read MPR's Breed's Overview.

All you need is love... Pit Bulls are extremely affectionate and very people oriented. The dogs we rescue often come from difficult situations but never lost their profound love of people. Because these animals are so social and easy targets for thieves, we only place Pit Bulls with people who will keep them as indoor pets and cherished family members. Pit Bulls truly enjoy human company and are miserable living outside alone. Outside dogs can also develop behavior problems. Anyone looking for an independent pet that can stay alone most of the time and does not require a lot of attention should look into a breed more suitable for their needs. Please make sure a Pit Bull is the right breed for you.

Saying Goodbye... Saying goodbye is not easy. Don't be surprised if we shed a few tears on the adoption day. We have taken those dogs from difficult situations, nursed them back to health, taught them to be normal pets, and gave them a piece of our heart. It hurts to let go of our foster dogs, but knowing that we will be able to save another dog gives us the strength to say good-bye. Please remember to let us know how your new dog is doing once in a while. Happy updates is the fuel that keeps the rescuers going..