Welcome to Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue

Volunteer

Volunteering with Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue

Thank you for your interest in joining our efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome Border Collies and Border Collie mixes. The time and effort our volunteers devote are vitally important to the dogs in need and their potential adopters. We would like to share some information about BRBCR and how you might be able to help.

Based out of Culpeper, VA, Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue is 100% comprised of volunteers from Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. At BRBCR we always focus on taking the time and effort to match the particular dog with the best potential adopter for that dog.

At various times during the year there are fundraisers, sheep herding trials, agility trials, and pet expo events where volunteers can meet each other and learn more about the group. In the winter, BRBCR holds an annual meeting and potluck where members can get to know each other in person.

Finding Dogs to Help

BRBCR has many sources of information about Border Collies and Border Collie mixes in need. Our members will network with a number of shelters across Virginia and neighboring areas of West Virginia, Maryland, and the Carolinas, and we often hear about dogs needing rescue from these sources. Dogs are posted on various rescue boards, and people wanting to rehome their BCs and BC mixes also contact us. Lastly, from time to time we are contacted about dogs that need to be rescued from hoarding situations or about cruelty cases subject to legal action. Any dog we accept is evaluated, either by shelter personnel or an experienced BRBCR member, before coming into our care. For liability reasons, we cannot accept any dog that has bitten a human or another dog, or has otherwise shown significant aggression. Our foster homes are almost always full and we usually have a waiting list of dogs needing foster care.

Volunteer Opportunities with Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue

Fostering

A foster parent cares for a dog in their own home from the time BRBCR accepts the dog until adoption, which usually takes about four to six weeks. Another option, Way-Station Fostering, involves caring for a dog for one week or less while the dog is en-route to a more permanent situation. An experienced BRBCR foster parent will be designated as your “go-to” person for questions and issues that may arise. Read more about becoming a BRBCR Foster.

Transportation

Volunteers are recruited when a dog needs to be brought from one location to another, often from a shelter to a foster home. These transfers sometimes involve considerable distances, and several drivers may transport the dog in relay fashion.

Phone Calls

Foster parents usually call the vet and personal references supplied by prospective adopters under active consideration, but when there are multiple applicants for a particular dog (as often happens with puppies), volunteers are needed to check references.

Home Visits

The need for a home visit is usually requested by the foster parent after references have been checked. A volunteer then visits the prospective adoptive home to verify that the physical setup is as described in the application and to talk with the applicants about welcoming a new dog into their home.

Information Booths

At fundraising and informational events, which are announced well in advance, we provide information about BRBCR, encourage adoptions, and accept donations. Volunteers are usually asked to work a shift of two or three hours.

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